The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-08-04
WASHING1 LETTER
Cerom or regular Correspondent.

/
eials are willing to admit the prob-
ability of an extra session of Con
gress having to beealled to deal With
the Chinese situation. With all fis
assumptions of imperial authorize
Mr.. Mckinley will not dare to Il
clare war, and a declaration of W
upon China by the other pow%s
whose citizens have been killed may
be expected any day. 1t has hs
limited that Mr.. Mckinley wotuh
withdraw American troops if the
other powers declare war against
China and let the foreigners do al
the fighting, but the American people
will have something to say abodt
that. The murder OF a number of
American missionaries has been fully
authenticated, and the people are
only waiting for authentic news BIT
OF the fate OF the American minister
and other Americans in Pekin who
are believed also TO have been muir
dered. When they know that the
people will let Mr.. Mckinley know
their will as they did about the war
with Spain, and he and Congress
will obey, as they did then.
The fact that an officer of the Gu
ban Military Government-Mai. &.
T. Laid, Treasurer-should have
given out an interview in Washing
ton, against the withdrawal OF the
U. S. troops from Cuba and the 1T
ness of the Cubans for selfgovesn-
ment, with the usual rot about the
better classes" being in favor of
permanent American control of e
islands, strengthens the suspicion
that the announced withdrawalvof
the U. S. from Cuba, was made foref-
feet in the political campaign IN ibis
country rather than with the ineen-
ton of being carried out in good
faith. 1t is not conceivable that
subordinate army officer would lMve
allowed himself to be publicly quoted
as Maj. Ladd has done. if he had
not known t hat his sentiments were
those held by his official supepors.
The tendency of this administration
to follow the imperialistic policy of
government without Congressional
authority, was again emphasized by
the announcement cabled from
Madrid-getting news of what our
government is doing from foreign
capitals, is not pleasing to the
average American, although it has
become quite prominent under the
Mckinley regime, that this govern
ment had offered Spain 100000
group which were not coverd by the
boundary line named in the treaty
OF peace with Spain. 1t is the theory
OF this government that the Exccu-
tive branch can pay out no money
that has not been specifically appro-
priated by Congress for a particular
purpose, but that theory has been
departed from several times under
the present administration begin
ming with the lump sum of $50, O00,-
600 placed at Mr.. McKinley's dispo-
sal to prepare for war with Spain.
That departure was justihable under
the circumstances and was author
rized by the unanimous vote of Con-
gress, but there have been other de-
partures which were neither iusti- |
fable ncr authorized, and this offer
to purchase more islands is one of
them. 1t was known last winter
that Spain had laid claim to those
islands, but instead of referring the
matter to Congress, the administers
ton announced that Spain had been
notified that its claim would not be
recognized. That was supposed to
have ended the matter, until the
Spanish government informed the
world that this government had Of
fered to pay $100,000for the islands.
If Congress was not republican in
both branches and thoroughly DON'T
mated by theimperial administration
it would call down this unconstitu-
tional usurpation OF authority, and
demand to know from what fund
this 100000 is to be taken. There
is an Emergency fund at the disposal
of the administration, but it is GER
tain that those who voted to ap.
propriate it never contemplated the
use of any portion of it for the pur.
chase of islands. If this republic is
to be preserved as established, gov
eminent must be put in power that
will follow the precepts laid down by
the Constitution, which the demo