The Opelousas courier., 1899-05-06
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May /, 1899.
Long-headed men are o doing any
Notwithstanding because Aguinal-
do asked Gen. Otis to agree to a sus-
pension of hostilities until he could
call tho Philippine Congress together
and have it decide whether tho war
should be continued. 1t may moan an
end of the war, and it may be only a
trick of M7uinaldo's to gain a little
| needed time to put him in a better con
dition to continue tho war; bnt it is
Just as we'll to wait and See whether
| Aguinaldo accepts the terms OF peace
offered by Gen. Otis as an ultimatum-
| unconditional surrender an4-lam-
| nesty for the Filipinos.-bef0ro' reg &c
ing. OF course everybody, ,ho suppo.r +,
| ters as we'll as the opponents OF the ad-
ministration policy in the PHILIPPINES,
wishes to see the lighting, OF which the
there. 1t is admitted that Agrlna'do
| is no fool. In fact, his prd.,6sition it.
| self would prove that. Ii Gen. Otis had
| recognized the Philippine Congress, he
| would have officially admitted the cx-
| istence of the PHILIPPINES government,
! and that admission queered the admin
| istration policy. Perhaps that may
| have been all that A%guinaldo was after.
| A little patience and W.T. shall know.
The hint has peen passed around
| among the western members OF the
| House that the Hanna Mckinley Il II
| didate for Speaker, will be a Western
man, There is much curiosity to know
| why that was done so early in the game.
! There is only one eastern candidate
Sherman, of New York-who is thought
to have any chance at all, and he is I'M
| derstood to be Mr.. Reeds choice. Per
haps that explains. Hanna may have
thought members who might be IN
| cllned to place their votes for Sherman,
! or it may have been put out as a blum to
try to make Sherman pledge himself
to stand by the Hanna-Mck'nley pro
| gramme, ii given their support. lien
derson. of Iowa, and Hopkins, of Hill
| nois. are the most actively pushed OF
| the western candidates, but many doubt
| whether either of them will get the
| Hanna Mckinley support. One some
| what disgusted Republican SAID "Ihe
trusts will name the next Speaker.
Quite a number of gentlemen imagine
| inst they r making II anvas FOR the
| place, but they will find that they are
| mistaken. Sometime this summer, the
| representatives of the trusts will get to-
| gether in New York or some other con
T yenient place, and settle the matter.
| After the meeting is called to order the
| chairman will ask what is the business
| before the meeting. The naming OF
| a Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives' will be the response. DIT
| ferent names will DO considered and
finally, after due delibcration, the gen
| tlemen will take Il vote. Someone VIII
be- selected, and he may not be anyone
| whose name has been previously men
| toned. for the place. His election, how
| ever, will be assured. See II my pre-
! diction is not fulfilled" That isn't Il
| picture 10 be proud of, but such things
| have been done before by the SAINT
| crowd.
Including the q $1,000, 900 paid to Spain,
| through the French Ambassador, the
Treasury deficit for April was S24'oes'
437.
The report OF the Military Court OF
| Inoniry has been in the hands of Act
| ing Secretary MeikIejohD, OF the Wa'
| Department for two or three days:
| awaiting MIR. McKinley's Ulder tn be
made public.
The Commissioner of Pensions
| Evans doesn't seem to he greatly wor.
| ried because the Kansas q. A. H.. asked
for his removal and the appointment OF
| another Commissioner "Who Will exc
| cute the laws in accordance With the
| true spirit which prompted thelr enact
ment." Speaking of the matter, MT
Evans said: IL did not make the laws,
They are the I'M which have been III
| existence since 1890, and am governed
| by them. The Pension Bureau is an
| immense business. We have nearly a
| million pensioners on on lists, and the
| office is managed with the greatest pos
| sible generosity towards the old sol
| diers, but, at the same time, we must
| consider the interests OF the taxpayer
| Decisions have been affecting the en-
tire country, and it may be that they
have applied more generally III hah
| sas than in other States"
Mr.. McKinley's friends are alarmed a.
reports of defections among Western
Republicans, which have reached
| Washington. That these reports are
NOT withont, foundation is shown by
the statement of Mr.. W. G. Newman, /
lifelong Republican, who is the agen
of the Cattlemen's Protective Associa
ton, of Montana, who has been sen
East to see if something cannot be Q
to revive the once prosperous toreig'
cattle trade. He said eff the admin
istration had come out boldly and nj
lowed an open and honest investlga
ton of the meat scandals, it wonld hav'
created the impression abroad That th'
country was sincere in its efforts to fur
nish the best meat to the domestic ant
foreign AS it is. it will re
auire years to overcome the prejudice
the Administrations unwise action Ina
caused. A great revulsion of feelin'
has taken place in the West within tn
past few weeks. | recently attended
semi. political meeting of r%anchmen an
farmers in Southern Montana, and, un
less something unforeseen takes place
the administrations attitude vii
imperil Mr.. McKinley's support D.
the Western States at the next Nation
al Convention. The backbone ana sine!
Of the Republican party in the West i
thoroughly Disguised with the presen
national leaders,