Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-04-19
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.

| WASHINGTON, April IA, 1899
President Mckinley was as much
grieved as any man in Washington
when the news was received that a
party of American and British ma
rines had been ambushed by the ma
tiyes on the island of Samoa and an
American lieutenant and a British
lieutenant and five marines killed,
but he did not share in the excite.
ment which prevailed for time. He
| accepted as sincere the prompt dis
avowal of responsibility made by the
German ambassador on behalf of his
government, and declined to be car
rled off his feet by the newspaper
talk OF German treachery" in con-
nection with the ambuscade, al
though he will take the necessary
steps to see that the matter is
thoroughly investigated. There is
no denying that this ambuscade
came at an unfortunate time. AL
though it will not necessarily prevent
an amicable settlement of the whole
Samoan dispute, it may greatly de-
lay it. 1t had been expected that
the commissioners representing the
United States, Engl and and Ger
many wonIl start for Samoa this
week, bat here is now hitch in the
program, and matters have not
been improved by a statement is
sued from the German embassy in
Washington rejecting npon the mo-
tives of the British government. AS
Senator Thurston, Of Nebraska, re-
marked, cit is inconceivabIe that
this insignificant group Of islands
should cause war between any two
Of the three governments which are
parties to the treaty for their con-
troll" OF course, if vestiga,ion
shall show that Germans had any
part in planning that murderous
ambuscade, Germany will be held to
a strict accountability by this
government, and doubtless also by
Great Britain.
The United States is not giving
Spain any room to say that we are
slow in resuming diplomatic rela-
tons that were dissolved by the war.
AS soon as copies Of the treaty of
peace were exchanged and the presi-
dent had officially proclaimed peace,
Spain was notified that the $50, OOO,-
600 called for by the treaty was sub.
ject to its orders, and the announce
ment semi officially made that Hon
ora BILE Bellamy Stovrer, now United
States minister to Belgium, had
oeen selected as our minister to
Spain, and would proceed to Madrid
as soon as Spain appointed a min
lister to the United State. There are
several reasons why the selection of
Mr.. Stovrer rs minister should be
pleasing to Spain, the principal Of
which is that he is a Catholic. The
new minister to Spain will have i'm
portant duties to perform, as all of
the commercial treaties between the
two countries which were abrogsted
by the war will have TO be replaced
by new treaties
1t is thought that this week will
com plete the taking Of evidence by the
military court of inquiry. The most
prominent witnesses Of he week were
Generals Shafter and Chaffee, and
their testimony was strikinely alike
40 far as it related TO meat issued to
the. army in Cuha Neither heard
any official complaints or any SEN
sational stories about the meat un-
til after their return to the United
States, snd both thought that the
army was as well supplied as existing
would permit. Presi
dent Mckinley gave a dinner IN
General Schafter's honor this week.
The news from the Philippines this
week has been somewhat disappoint
ing. Not from any lack Of success
on the part of our gallant soldiers,
but because it has been found
necessary to continue the fighting,
and that Aguinaldo should still be
able to get q sufficient force together
to be attacked again AID again, al
though driven away from every
where they have attempted to make
q stand. There has also been dis
quieting news of the treachery Of
professedly friendly Filipinos within
our lines, which does not promise
we'll for the future
When your commercial rivals COM
mend you method You have the
strongest proof obtalnable that you
are on the right road. A report Of
a German imperial commissioner on
the emigration from Germany in
1898. just published, and cabled to
Washington, contains this strong
commentator of the Republican
tariff policy: ''The strong tendency
towards the United States, in spite
of immigration having been rendered
more difficult, finds an explanation
in the fact that American industry
has largely developed in consequence
of the Dinglev tariff. and that the
demand for experienced artisans has
therefore greatly increased. More
over, German manufacturers have,
in order to save the customs duties,
established branch houses Of their
works in the United States"
A report just made by Colonel
Bingham, the custodian Of the public
buildings and grounds, shows that
since the Washington monument was
thrown open to the public 1,654, 1872
persons have visited the top.
Senator Davis. chairman OF the
senate committee on foreign rela-
tons, was asked to express an opin-
ion on the Samoan rumpus, and his
wise reply was: "We must be care
tul and not lose our heads. We