Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-05-01
Washington Letter.
+ From our Regular Correspondent


bers of the committee from the Cuban
constitutional convention very court
eously. Last night the president and
Mrs Mckinley gave a state dinner in
their honor. Secretary Root and
General Wood accompanied the
Cubans in their call rnon the presi-
dent and remained present during the
interview. The Cubans spoke very
freely and it soon became evident that
| thew we're little mixed in what they
wanted, as well as in their ideas Of
what the president had authority to
grant them. This was explained, so
far as the presidents authority is con-
cerned, to them by the president in a
few very plain and well chosen words
The committee is by no means unan-
imous as to what is wanted by the
Cubans, but practically everything
| that the individual members say is
wanted would have to be granted if
granted at all, by congress, not the
president.
An important conference on Cuban
matters was held at the War depart
ment, participated in by Secretary
Root, General Wood, Senator Platt, of
| Connecticut, chairman of the senate
committee on relations with Cuba.
and Admiral Bradford, chief of the
bureau of equipment and construc-
tion of the Navy department, who
knows where this government wishes
to locate naval coaling stations in
Cuba. General Wood fully ex-
planned the present conditions in
| Cuba. For instance, he called atten-
| ton to the fact that the Cuban cOnven-
| ton had not rejected the Platt amend
ment as a whole, Notwithstanding
publications to the contrary and that
there is real opposition to but two
features of 1.-THE clause reserving
the right for this government when
ever it is considered necessary to in
tervene in the interest of order in
Cuba and that providing for the es-
tablishment of American naval sta
lions on the island General Wood
expressed the opinion that the visit of
the Cubans to Washington would be
productive Of much good, and that
things would work around all right in
time in spite of the opposition of an
element on the island, the leaders Of
which are actuated, not by the interests
of Cuba as a whole, but by their per-
sonal interests.
Hon. Francis B. Loomis, United
in Washington this week. and has had
several extended conferences with
| Secretary Hay. There is no truth
whatever in the publication that his
| his recall was asked for by the
| government of Venezula Or that he
was recalled. His official acts have
been entirely satisfactory to this
government and he is on leave OF alb
sence asked for by himself. on ac-
count of his health He will go
to one of the European health re-
sorts and when his strength is
restored he will return to Vene
zuela, if he desires to do SO; and if he
doesn't he will be transferred to some
other post of equal honor. Thus
endeth big batch of highly sensation
al stories.
Representative James G. Ma
guire. of California, who is now
in Washington is Democrat. but
he does not let that blind him to exist
ing conditions. When asked what
were the political conditions in his
section he replied: 1.-The expansion
sentiment is SO popular Oh the Pacific
coast that [ shall not be surprised to
see the triumph of the Republican party
there for some years, till new issaes
force themselves to the front. Com
mercially the coast states have bene-
flied immensely from the acquisition
of Hawaii and the Philippines, and
such commercial advantages have
great weight in swaying votes"
President Mckinley and Secretary
Root, after carefully going over the
question from every point of view
decided to limit the total strength Of
the army to 200 men, unless there
should be some unexpected change
for the worse in the Philippines which
would make a larger number neces-
sary. The number of troops to be KEEP
in the Philippines was not decided
because that will depend entirely up
on circumstances, but it is not likely
that the number of soldiers over
there will fall much below 1000 fol
some time to come.
, Secretary Wilson smilingly disposed
of the charge of irregularities in The
seed distribution by the Department o
Agriculture, made public this week BY
the Wholesale Sediments league, by
saying when his attention was called tt
the matter: ut is. the old fight tina
this organization has made COR year!
against the free distribution of seeds
They attempted to influence congress
to cut off the appropriation for it, and
: failing in that, they now seek to dis
credit the department. What is tru
in these charges is not new, and wha
is new is not true. Because we Sc
fit to send the seeds out in smalle
3 packages and thus supply d larger mum
Der of peOLl9, certainly is no iustifica