The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-04-08
" ashingtOn Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

President Mckinley is master of the
diplomatic game that Spain wanted
to play. He has sent the report of
the Of the Naval Court of Inquiry,
that the Maine was treacherouslv
blown up from the outside, to Con-
gress, where it has been referred to
committees, and has merely forwarded
a copy of the report to Spain, without
accompanying it with any specific de-
mand. He has thus defeated the in
tentlon of Spain to play its own alleged
report, that the explosion was internal,
against the port of on: Court and to
ask that an International court be
/ selected to determine which report
should be accepted by both countries.
Spain had hoped to gain more time by
that dispute, but no dispute is to be
recognized by this government. The
report of our Court is final. Spain
now has an opportunity to offer to do
the right thing, but no matter what
1t does. President Mckinley intends,
as ali the world will see in very few
days, that peace shall reign in Cuba,
and starvation cease to stalk over the
island.
The Congressional leaders of all
parties have been taken into the con-
fidence of President Mckinley, as to
his plans, and in return they have
promised that Congress would not take
any precipitate action on the Maine
report, but would allow the matter to
rest until the President automatically
informs Spain of his intentions as to
Cuba, and ascertains whether those
intentions will be peaceably acquiesced
in, or be met by war. Meanwhile, the
President accepts the hint of the
Spanish government that the fleet of
torpedo boats and torpedo boat de-
stroyers have been sent to Porta Rico
for effect upon the elections in Spain,
and not with hostile intentions to-
wards the United States. Should that
fleet, however, be started from Porta
Rico to Cuba, it will be considered
hostile move against this country and
will be treated accordingly. In short,
Spain must choose whether it will re-
tire from Cuba peacefully, or be driven
out. That is just about where the
matter stands. President Mckinley
is prepared for eitherscontingency, but
wishes to give Spain a last chance to
avoid trouble.
The ~gricultural Department will,
this season, conduct two special in
vestigations in Alaska, one to ascer-
tain by practical experiments what
vegetables and cereals can be grown in
Alaskan soil, and one, under the
auspices of the Weather Bureau, to
obtain information as to general eli
matte conditions. These experiments
will be more likely to determine
whether Alaska is to become thickly
populated, than the discoveries of the
gold hunters.
Representative Foss, of Ills, paid
splendid and deserved tribute to Amer
lean sailors, in a speech in the House,
from which the following is extracted:
"The brilliant achievements of the
American sailor in the war of our Ma
tional Independence, when ouy Navy
consisted of only small fleet OF eight
vessels, in command of Commodore
Essex Hopkins, early inspired feeling
of pride in our Navy. The names of
Biddle aud Barry, and Nichols, and
Whipple, and Of others | might men
ton, recall the daring and bravery
of that period. 1t war should cone
and we were obliged to rely upon our
Navy to protect the honor of this coun
try upon the sea, the American people
would soon discover that the men in
the Navy today are fully as brave, dar
ing, and eager to meet the foe, as the
American sailors of the past, whose
faith and truth on wars red touch
stone rang true metal.'"
Nothing more significant of the
drift of everything towards war has
occurred than the order of Secretary
Long that all of our warships should
at once be painted less CONSPICUOUS
color than white, which makes too
good a target.
If there is TO be war, this govern
ment has no idea of confning it to
Cuba and the adjacent waters. No
plan has been or will be made public,
but all the same there is plan, which
will be promptly carried out, to carry
the war right into Spain itself. This
government has not sought and is not
seeking war, but if war comes, it in
tends to utilize all of it's enormous re-
sources OF men and money to fight it
to speedy and victorious end.
A War Department official says that
e r,rosont rlanS q ra not chanuad the