The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1898-02-04
HERSEY'S LETTER.

\
no time heretofore when the situation
has seemed half so menacing as
within the past two or three days.
That the autonomy scheme is the fiat.
est kind of failure, it did not require
the recent riots in Havana to furnish
proof to the most casual observer Of
events; but that neither the ultra
Spanish class of the island or the great
body Of the insurgents were ever pre-
pared to accept SO fagrantly in sincere
and impotent compromise has always
been apparent. The move was. how.
ever. forced upon the Spanish cabinet
after the death of Canovas, for the
country had reached the limit of it's
war resources and could nc longer find
either men or money with which to
carry on hostilitles under the scope OF
the Weyler regime. Welyer himself
was selected as the convenient victim
upon which was to be unloaded the
whole burden of the national weakness
and dispair, and he was brought home
to pose as a spectacular convict of
pretended popular wrath, while act
ually receiving the homage of the
people.
The outbreak at Havana brought ont
the important fact that the United
States are unprepared to adequately
meet sudden emergency arising in
the island, such as an attack upon our
citizens might develope. It is true
that the Atlantic squadron is not far
from the Cuban coast, but it is distant
enough to make its coming too late if
an attack upon our consulate or a mas
sacre of Americans be undertaken
There will not be, believe. III spite
Of the talk of European interference
any faltering OH our part in respond
ing to the call of duty when the mo-
ment comes even if the waters that
compass the Antilles should be lurid
with foreign bunting.
SenatorWolcott, as he had announced
made his promised talk in the senate
on the work of the bi-metalic COM
mission. The speech was entirely de-
void Of the flavor of sensationalism
and contained no notice of political
rebellion.
The silver men have held number
OF informal meetings here recently.
but there seems to have been no agreed
action as to the future.
The senate committee on census,
through it's chairman, Senator Carter,
have been maki,g & desperate attempt
to get their bill, providing for the
organization OF a temporary census
bureau. called up for consideration
but SO hard is the annexation matter
being pressed that they have been SC
far unable to do so.
Representative Hartman expects at
an early date to speak upon his bill
providing for the trnasfer of the public
lands within the states to the owner.
ship and control of the states them.
selves. The effect of such legislati IN
would be to abolish the federal land
offices and to establish 1t state capitals
a local bureau endowed with full
powers over the public domain sc
transferred. Mr.. Hartman informs me
that the claims of Baronette, Mozart
ney and Mcclure, in the National
Park, will probably be referred to the
committee on public lands in prefer.
ence to that upon claims, as the first
committee have reported heretofore ia.
vorably upon them.
James Kennedy, of Bozeman, and
Joseph Scott. of Miles City, have been
at the capital the past week.
Mike Myerndorf. formerly of Helena,
who is now in the interior depart.
ment, public lands division. has been
ordered into the field.
Arthur O'Brien, who has been here
on behalf of the company handling
his patents. has placed the agency for
same IN the hands Of parties here and
has returned to Montana. as has also
E. D. Neill.
James Wilson, of Martinsdale, has
been granted pension of IS per month
from Sept. 6, 1892.
Ernest Speith has been appointed
postmaster at Muir, Park county.
A postoffice has been established at
Albright, Cascade county, with VIM.
H. Albright as postmaster.
Mrs. Maggie F. Hancock has been
recommended as postmaster at Man
haitian.
saw the commissioner Of the en-
eral land office today and he states
that the maps and field notes of the
Blackfeet reservation survey have not
yet been finally acted upon. Action
will undoubtedly soon be taken. In
response to my inquiry as to what
would be the course of the department..
az IN tho 0ivino IF nnhlic notice OF