Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-03-11
THE FIFTy-FIFTH CONGRESS.
Cubans to Join U. s. Troops VIII
Not be Speaker-About the
New Warships.

trrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. March 6.--Consider-
ing that they controlled only one
branch of the fifty. fifth Congress. the
Republicans have every reason to be
proud of the record left by that Con
gress, which has been in several re-
spects one of the most remarkable in
our history. and which has played an
important part in the worlds history
1t did not meet all the expectations OF
the country--no Congress ever did.
and probably none ever will--but it
did much that was good and left I'M
done many things it was urged to do
that would have been bad and unwise.
1t was wise enough for instance, TO
leave the President free hand to dea
with the Philippines while we are
finding out what will be the best
thing to do for them President Nc
Kinley fully appreciates the extent of
the responsibility thus placed upon
him, as well as the great compliment
implied by this confidence in him,
and will, in accordance with his usual
custom, move cautiously in all that he
does. His administration has been
remarkably free from mistakes in
matters of Importance and it requires
no gift of prophecy to say that his
official acts will justify the confidence
reposed in him by Congress and the
people.
The appropriations made by the
Congress just closed were large in the
aggregate, but if any man can point
out any particular appropriation that
was not needed, he has not yet done
so. A large proportion of the total
was for the war, and to meet expenses
consequent thereon. For several years
the condition of the Treasury, owing
to four years of Democratic hard
times, made it necessary to skint the
appropriations for public buildings,
many of which were badly needed;
these have been provided for as we'll
as important River and Harbor i'm
provements. The Republican party
has always believed in liberality in
these two classes of expenditures,
when the condition of the Treasury
would justify it.
President Mckinley is inclined to
favor the adoption OF the suggestion
made few days ago, by Gen. Gomez,
that U. S. troops to be kept in Cuba
until such time as it may be consid-
cred advisable by this government to
turn the island over to the Cubans,
shall be largely recruited from the
ranks of the Cuban army. The new
Army bill gives the President discre-
ton in the matter Of recruiting from
the natives of any of the the islands
-cupied by us, and, unless something
occurs to make such a step mad
visable, it is extremely likely that
many Cubans will soon be wearing
Uncle Sans uniform. To enlist few
Thousand Cubans in our army will be
killing two birds with one stone; it
will reduce the number of Americans
who will have to be kept on the island
during the sickly season, and It will
give employment to many who might
become troublesome if unemployed.
Representative Bailey. after being
derosed by their refusal to follow his
lead in support Of motion to take up
the Tesolution declaring the seats OF
Gen. Wheeler and the other three
members of the House, who went into
the army, forfeited, reported from
the Judiciary Committee. which was
overwhelmingly voted down, had the
nerve to get up and announce that he
would no longer be the Democratic
le ader in the House, because those OF
them who did not vote with him did
not love the Constitution as much as
he did, or words to that effect.
The Nicaragua Canal amendment to
the River and Harbor bill, as finally
agreed upon, authorizes the President
to appoint Commission of Engineers
to investigate the Nicaragua and
Panama Canal routes. and report to
him in time for him to report to the
next Congress, and appropriates
$1,000, 600 to pay expenses.
The House succeeded in compelling
the Senate to agree to the number
of new warships authorized by the