The Republican., 1900-08-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July 30, 1900

ing liars on earth, Minister COnger
and the other foreign ministers at
Pekin are safe; but even if the minis
ters are safe, the murder of other for
eigners known to haye taken place in
Pekin and elsewhere. make it necess-
airy for the allied army now at Taku,
to march to Pekin, take possession of
that city, and retain it until satisfac
tion has been obtained from China.
The allied powers are determined that
China shall be punished anyway. The
fate of the foreign ministers will be
an important factor in determining
how great that punishment will be;
also in deciding whether war will be
formally declared against China by
the allies. OF course if war is to be
declared, President Mckinley will
have to call an extra session of Con-
gress; but no one knows at this time
that any or all of the powers will de-
eide to declare war. Should it turn
out that the foreign ministers have
been killed, the chances would in
crease for declaration of war.
The Republican leaders will meet
the Democrats more than half way in
making so-called imperialism the
campaign issue, although, of course,
every person of ordinary common
sense knows that there are no advo-
Gates of an American empire in the
Republican party. The foreign pol
icy of the Mckinley administration
which is fully indorsed by the Repub-
lican party, is what the Democrats
pretend to see Imperialism in. They
will find out before they get through
with it that about seven out of every
ten voters in the United States are
supporters of the foreign policy of
President Mckinley and believers in
the era of Greater America inaugur-
ated under his administration.
The Republican Congressional Cam
paign Committee has not been figur-
ing on the election of more than three
or four Representatives from the en-
tire South, for obvious reasons. Vice
Chairman Loudenslager, of that
Committee, was therefore somewhat
surprised when informed that one
and possibly two of the six represent
atives from Louisiana, might be Re
publicans, The information first
reached him by mail, and he was rath-
er inclined to regard it as the usual
rainbow advance notice of an appeal
to the committee for funds, but he
viewed the matter differently when
he was visited by prominent Louis
lana Republican, and assured that
there were excellent prospects for car
rying one or two districts, and that
the party in the state would pay all
the expenses without asking the Con-
gressional Committee for cent.
Louisiana has not had q Republican
representative since 1888.
Major E. T. Ladd, who is Treasurer
of the Military Government of Cuba,
says there is a very strong sentiment
in Cuba, especially among the prop
erty owners, against the carrying out
of the announced programme for the
withdrawal of United States troops
from the island early next year. He
says the Cuban masses are in no way
fitted for self government. The FL
nances of Cuba are in a fiourishing
condition there being d surplus of
more than $4,000, 900 in it's Treasury.
The offer of this government to
purchase from Spain the two islands
of the Philippine group which are
outside the geographical boundaries
named by the treaty, which ceded
the Philippines to us, is one of states
manslike precaution. The islands
themselves are insignificant, but in
the hands Of a power hostile to Unit
ed States, they might give us lot of
trouble. 1t was because it was learn
ed that a European nation was anX-
ious to secure these islands for the
purpose of using one of them as ma
val station, that this government con
cluded that it would be wiser as well
as cheaper to settle the controversy
with Spain oyer the title to them, by
buying them, and offered Spain $780,
900 for them, which it will probably
accept. OF course it is well known
that the omission of those two islands
from the Treaty of Paris was an er,
ror, and that Spain has no right to
claim sovereignty over them; but
technically they still belong to Spain
and the easiest and quickest method
of dealing with the matter has been
adopted by this government.
Internal revenue receipts for the
last fiscal year aggregated $295, ,316, 1917
an increase over the previous year Of
$21 1,S3i, ,534. There was an increase in
all kinds of liquor stamps sold
amounting to S0,143 gallons of spirits
distilled from fruits; 9,6S1, ,52G gallons
of spirits distilled from grain and
D 40 -2S barralc of farp,apto5 l;puoro