The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-05-04
CE GEORGES ENQUlKER-UPPER MARLBOROUGH MAR
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. d. c., April 30th.

WASHINGTON. d. c., April 3Oth.
MR.. EDIToR:-The broad streak of yell
low down the backbone of the Mckinley
administration, the exhibition of which
disguised so many Americans during the
weeks which Immediately preceded the
war with Spain, is again in full view of
the world. The present exhibition is con
nected with our relations with Turkey.
Only few days ago all of the well known
disseminators of semi official news, in
Washington, were singing a song Of jingo-
ism and filling the newspaper men with
thrilling stories of the red hot demand the
administration had made upon the Sultan
of Turkey to settle those long standing
missionary claims at once, and intimating
that if the sponduixs was not at once
forthcoming an American fleet would be
sent into Turkish waters to forcibly col
lect it. These stories were duly sent out,
but they didn't fire the country even a lit
tie tiny bit, the people not being in lingo
humor. But they did something else.
They brought an ntimation from Russia,
in the politest diplomatic language, that
there were reasons which made it incum-
bent upon Russia to object to any forcible
collection of claims from the Sultan. That
threw Secretary Hay into blue funk, al
most as bad as would have followed a
snubbing by an English lord, and straight
way the yellow streak in the administra-
ton backbone was uncovered, to add to
the gaiety of nations and to the humila-
ton of Americans, and the official an
nouncement made that this government
had at no time intended to go beyond
diplomatic insistance in trying to make
the Sultan pay that claim. A famous
American wit once commented upon an
exhibition of yellow streak by public
man by saying: God Almighty hates a
GUTTER" and it is well known to every
observing man that the American people
also hate gutter.
The Senate seems to be pretty nearly
unanimous in one thing at least-that the
United States Senate has no authority to
investigate State legislatures qualifica-
ton to elect United States Senator. AL
though the temptation to go behind the
action of the West Virginia legislature
which elected Nathan B. Scott to the Sen
ate was great, there being plenty of evil
dence of crookedness, only three Senators
-Pettus and Morgan, of Alabama, and
Turner, of Washington,-voted for the
motion of Senator Pettus to send the reso
luton declaring Scott entitled to his seat
back to Committee with instructions to
further investigate his election
Democratic Senators have decided that
the army reorganization bill contains so
many Objectionable features that they will
not allow it to go through the Senate, and
notice to that effect has been served on
the republicans. Among the striking fea-
lures of the army bill are provision for
making Gen. Miles lieutenant general
put in to catch democratic votes-and
Gen. Corbin major general; for the in
crease of the regular army, and for doub-
ling the number of cadets to West Point.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, the demo-
cratic leader, who never minces words
when he has anything to say, declared the
Army bill to be full of rascaity
Whatever the administration may be
able to do in the House with the ship, sub
sidy job the scheme will not get through
the Senate at this session. The demo-
cratic Senators who opposed this scheme
have received unexpected support in their
fight against it from Quay's republican
friends, who intend to let Hanna who is
the most active pusher of the job, see that
they resent the successful deal by which
be kept Quay out of the Senate. These
republican Senators would probably not
vote against the subsidy bill if put to the
test, but they will probably quietly help
the democratic Senators to prevent its
reaching vote, which will be practically
the same thing.