Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-03-31
From our Regular Correspondent.


WASHINGTON, March "A, 1899.
The Bryan-Belmont correspondence
has naturally been the principal topic
oi conversation among Democrats
since it was made public. All sorts of
opinions are expressed concerning its
effect upon the party i'll next years
campaign, but the general belief is
that Col. Bryan only did what any
other man of spirit would have done,
in striking back at those who have
been hitting at him for months, and
that the fight which the correspond
ence has prccipitated had to come
anyway and that it is better to have it
now than next year. 1t is an open
secret that the element of the party
represented by Mr.. Belmont, which
bolted tine regular party platform and
ticket in '96, has been working to
down Col. Bryan and to get control of
the next National convention of the
party. Col. Bryan's friends have con-
tended that men who bolted in '96
and who openly threatened to bolt
again in 1900, if the same platform is
adopted, have no right in reason to
dictate to the Democratic party; that
these rule or ruin men have not a
single electoral vote that they can
promise with a reasonable degree OF
certainty, even if they were allowed to
dictate both candidate and platform,
and consequently that their detection
will not reduce the electoral vote of
the Democratic party by single vote
also that the party in every State that
went Democratic in '96 is overwhelm-
lngly in favor of a re.adoption of the
principal planks OF the Chicago plat.
form, next year. The discussion of
this correspondence will have a ten
dency to show whether these claims
are correct or not; also to cause the
rank and file of the party to make
sure that they are properly represent
ed in the next National convention.
A movement has already been started
to make every delegate admitted to
that convention pledge himself to
support the ticket nominated and the
platform adopted.
When they have no power to be
otherwise, Republicans are always fair.
A case in point is the distribution of
the Senate patronage. When the Re-
publicans were in the minority they
thought the plan of dividing the pat
ronage OF the Senate among Demo
Gratis, Republicans and Populists, in
proportion to the strength OF each in
the Senate, a. Just right, as it unques-
tionably was. But now, having q ma
jority OF the Senate, they have under
gone q change of mind and are advo-
eating change that will give them
entire control of the Senate patron
age, and without waiting for change
to be formally adopted, Democratic
employees are being dismissed to make
places for Republicans.
There are some men in the Alger
party, now on the way to Cuba, that
are ashamed OF being with him, or else
he has some along that he is ashamed
OF, as particular pains were taken to
prevent complete list of the eight or
ten men getting published.
Secretary Hay had bad spell when
it was learned tina. the report of ex.
Secretary Sherman's death was false.
He had caused copies OF an article
highly eulogizing the public career OF
Sherman to be sent to number OF
the big newspapers. He isn't much
OF politician, but he knew that with
Sherman alive and his attitude in
Ohio politics uncertain, neither
Hanna nor Mckinley would wish the
administration to stand sponsor for
any praise of the man they had forced
out OF the Senate and out OF the Cabi-
net. kilograms were sent requesting
that the eulogy be suppressed.
Military officers who have closely
followed the testimony taken by the
Court OF Inquiry say the verdict 10
bound to support the charges made by
Gen. Miles. One prominent officer
said: II don't see how the court can
do anything else but report that every
charge made by Gen. Miles was justi-
fled, and / expect it to 20 further and
fix the responsibility upon Alger and
Esgan. I know that great pressure
will be brought to bear t. prevent such
q straightforward report as the evil
dence calls for and to get some word
juggling done than can be made TO-
mean anything or nothing, according
to the wishes of the reader; but there
are men on that court who are not in
the habit OF suppressing their consci.
entious opinions"
Another blessing OF annexation has
just been officially uncovered. When
it was stated in Congress that the an.
nexation of the sugar-producing is
lands would mean . speedy end of the
sugar industry in the United States,
the rabid annexationists hooted at the
idea. Now, an agent Of the Agricul-
tural Department., sent to Porto Rico
to carefully investigate the subject,
makes an official report saying that
the sugar industry in the United
States il doomed, if Porto Rico, Cuba.
and the Philippines are allowed to
send us their sugar free of duty. He
says the same grade OF sugar that costs
8 cents q pound to produce in the
United States costs but 2 cents a
pound to produce in those island,
This will be hard nut for the next
Congress to crack. Dem.
STATE NEWS.