Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-06-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

The Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee will make a
speciality of circulating literature
showing up Republican extravaganza
in public expenditures.
Senator Harris, of Kansas, said of
the political outlook just before leav-
ing Washington for his home: "The
people are not TO be deluded into the
idea that the existing prosperity is
the product of the. Republican Ad-
ministration. We are having pros
perity in the West, but it Is due TO
good seasons, hard work, rigid econ
omy and self-denial. Unfayora6le
conditions elsewhere even now are
advancing the price of wheat, which
will greatly benefit the farmers of
Kansas and the West, but these I'M
favorable conditions were not brought
around by Republican administra-
ton. The people understand the
reasons for these things.
Republicans are condemning their
own management of Cuban affairs by
widely advertising the fact that since
the exposure of the wholesale steal
ing of Cuban funds by Republican
officials, there have been reductions in
the salary list in Havana alone which
will result in saving Of $1,200,000
a year. Such an open acknowledge
ment of extravaganza aud iucompe-
tency has seldom, if ever, been made
by an American administration.
This government seems 20 be get
ting tangled up in that big Chinese
puzzle. Secretary Hay says we are
not at war with China, aid all the dip
lomatic representatives of the Euro
pean nations say the same for their
governments, and the Chinese minis
ter says his government has not sane
tioned any i'll treatment OF foreigners
or any of the fighting that has taken
place; that the whole trouble Is due
to rioting such as occasionally oc-
ours in every country. The Chinese
Minister has also assured Secretary
Hay that he had received official in
formation that all the foreign minis
terS in Pekin, which has been cut off
from the coast cities for more than a
week, were safe and well. Notwith-
standing all this, the administration
and the European governments are
proceeding as though we and they
were at war with China, and troops
are beng hurriedly forwarded to form
an allied army for the invasion OF
China, and the allied troops now on
the ground are fighting the Chinese.
If all that isn't the worst sort of a
Chinese puzzle, pray, what is it?
If we haven't a sufficient number
of troops in the Philippines to keep
the Filipinos in subsection, how are
We going to be able to send lot Of
them to China to help the Europeans
whip the Chinese "boxers" into sub
lection? That is the problem which
now confronts Mr.. Mckinley and
his Cabinet. And after this govern
ment helps the European govern
ment knock out the boxers aud set
up new Chinese government, what
will come next? That is the problem
which may, in the very near future,
confront the American people. Are
we ready to assume any new respon-
sibllities for the government of more
Aslatics? Have we not already more
of that sort of thing than is desirable?
The administration was greatly
chagrinned by the indifference of the
people of Washington towards Gen.
Il. ). Otis, and took especial pains
to add attractions TO the reception
given HIM by the people of Rochester.
n. L, his home city. Secretary
Long sent the full Marine Band, at
public expense, and Secretary Root.
virtually ordered Gen. Toe Wheeler.
an unassigned Brigadier General
IN the regular army, to 90 to
Rochester to help add enthusiasm to
the occasion. Mr.. Mckinley has
been made to realize, by the indiffer-
ence of the public toward Gen. Otis,
how unpopular his Philippine policy
is with the people, and with the
realization has come alarm. He
knows that the people know that the
responsibility for putting Otis in
command in the Philippines, and
keeping him in command after his
uniitness for the position had been
shown up, belongs to VIM. Mckinley,
and he fears that the people will be
as indifferent towards him on cleo
ton day as they have shown them
selves to be towards Otis now. The
spectre of doubt has become Mr..
Mckinley's constant companion.
Admiral Dewey has found out
that he was never in the running as
Il candidate for President, and has
scratched his name off the entries to
the race. In reply to a direct oues-
ton as to whether he would accent
the nomination for Vice. President.
ON the Bryan ticket, the Admiral
said: 81 have never contemplated
being a candidate for Vice President.
am not candidate for nomination
to that office and would not accept
the nomination if it were offered to
me. That is plain English"
A FORMER RESIDENT.