The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-05-11
Washington Letter.
washington May 9, 1899.

Ohio railroad was, doubtless, actuated by
the purest motives in placing bis hand
some cottage at the Virginia Hot Springs
at the disposal OF President and Mrs. Nc
Kinley, who have gone there to remain a
couple Of weeks, but, being a good bust
ness man, he probably did not overlook
the advertisement, both to his railroad
and to the Springs, of the stay Of the
president and his wife at the Springs.
There is no truth in the report sent from
Washington about the presidents health
being in dangerous condition. He is
tired, as the strongest man would be after
going through what he has been through
during the last fifteen months, and the
politicians give him no chance to rest In
Washington, even II his public duties did.
His doctor ordered him to the hot springs
because he can get rest there, and be-
cause he believes the baths will help the
rheumatism which has been giving the
president considerable trouble recently.
That is the whole story. He will be in
telegraphic communication with Wash
ington, and he carried several white house
clerks with him in order that he might
attend to any important matters requiring
his personal attention during his absence.
The department of state has been Of
ficially assured by both governments that
the recent agreement between Russia and
Great Britain, concerning their respective
possessions in China, would in no manner
affect or conflict with American COM
mercial interests In China. These assur-
ances knock the foundations from under
a number of stories written by hair-trig-
ger journalists concerning the great dan
ger of our losing all Of our Chinese trade.
A hair-trigger brain often makes men
say more than they know, and 1t is a good
thing that our government is not run on
the hair-trigger principle.
Senior de Castro, a native Cuban and
prominent citizen of Havana, who is now
in Washington, said of the Cuban situa-
tiOn: Annexation to the U. s. is un-
questionably the destiny of Cuba. know
the sentiment of the people, and know
that ninety per cent. of them favor annex
alton. The Spaniards and the wealthy
Cubans, who form the bulk OF the popu-
lation, understand that unless Cuba is an
nexed there will be no peace, no stable
government, no development of resources,
nothing but turmoil and strife. The men,
bers of the insurgent army alone stand
out against the union of Cuba with this
great republic, and they are against it
purely for selfish reasons. Cuba will be
Of untold benefit to the U. S., for, when
properly developed, it is acre for acre, the
richest country on the globe.
The talk in Washington among leading
republicans and democrats makes it prac-
tically certain that the national conven-
tions of both parties will adopt planks In
their platform that will be as strongly
worded against the trusts as that which
will be adopted by the populists, who, ac-
cording to present understanding, will
hold the first of next years national con-
ventions. The politicians all realize that
the trusts must be talked against in their
platforms; but many of them-not all in
any one party, either-have no idea that
anything shall really be done, if they can
prevent, to curtail the power of the trusts
or to In any way injure them.
Admiral Dewey Is said to have notified
the navy department that he expects the
situation in the Philippines will very
shortly justify his starting for home with
his flagship, the Olympia. This is not
official, but it is believed to be correct.
Secretary Long says that Admiral Dewey
is at liberty to start home whenever he
feels that pressing need for his services
has ceased to exist. 1t indicates that the
admiral takes the same hopeful view Of
the situation that Washington officials
have taken since Aguinaldo opened nego-
| tiations with his requests for a cessation
of the fighting-requests which were de-
MED, because Gen. Otis believed that the
speediest way to obtain peace was to con-
tinue fighting, belief fully justified by
present conditions. The representatives
of Aguinaldo have accepted our terms
over the Philippines, but that tricky indi.
vidual may delay the final surrender q
little longer, either to salve his vanity OF
to carry out some scheme for his own
personal profit, but everything points tc
the correctness of the statement made 9
week ago that the Philippine revolt Is
practically over.
There is a difference of opinion, ever
among war department officials as to what
will follow the report of the militaI
court of inquiry, which has just been ap
proved by the president and ordered made
public. One of them said that he though
the report was bound to result in u chang
In the head of the army or else In th'
head of the war department, as it woult
make it impossible for Secretary Alge
and Gen. Miles to continue to fill thos
positions another, who said he knew
what he was talking about, declared mos
positively that Gen. Miles would remain
at the head of the army and Secretar,
Alger at the head of the war department
and expressed the opinion that Presiden
McKinley's endorsement on the repor
would put an end to the beef controversy
In official circles at least.
six months I'm q Bath.
Life in a bath must be somewhat mo
notonous, but it is quite common in tn,
best of our modern hospitals. At first il
J was tried only in few absolutely hope