Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-06-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.


T SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE MONT OR
President Mckinley is SO seriously
concerned over Mrs. McKinley's con-
dition, she baving done little, if any,
more than hold her own since she got
back to Washington, that he has can
celed all of his June engagements, ex-
cept that t. visit Harvard University
commencement June 26th, which is
held in allegiance, he being very aux
ious to go if Mrs. Nick inley's health
will permit. Her physicians are hope
full, but admit that Mrs. Mckinley is
still dangerously i'll, and that her fail
ure to gain strength more rapidly is
alarming.
Director Merriam, of the census
bureau, has been breaking records
ever since the taking Of the census
was started last year, and the final
report on population, showing the
aggregate population by states and
territories, density of population, CEN
ter of population in it's medium point,
population of Alaska and Hawaii, etc.,
the first half of which has just been
issued, and the concluding half of
which will be issued in the early fall,
will be four years ahead of similar
reports made in any previous census.
Attorney General Knox, at the re-
quest of the Spanish claims commits
sion, has rendered an opinion that
claims growing out of the loss of the
battleship Maine, are properly claims
of the United States against Spain,
which means that they have no legal
status, as the treaty of Paris expressly
stipulated that no claims the United
States against Spain OH account Of the
war should be made. Such claims are
still being filed, but it is probable that
they had been prepared before the
attorney general had been heard from,
and that the attorneys are filing them
so as to be in a position to take ad-
vantage Of the possibility of the opin-
ion not being upheld by the courts,
although so far as known, no steps
have been taken towards getting its
legality passed upon.
One of the results of a published in
terview with the president of Vene-
zuela, in which he reflected severely
upon L. S. Minister Loomis, now in
Europe on vacation, for acts in
which he was carrying out his instruc-
tions from Secretary Hay, is that Pres
ident Mckinley has decided that Mr..
LOOMS shall not return to Venezuela,
but shall be given another diplomatic
position of equal Importance. The
President of Venezuela will find no
difference in the change, as the new
minister will be given precisely the
same instructions that were given to
Mr. Loomis. Meanwhile, Mr.. w. w.
Russell, who is in charge of the I. S.
legation at Caracas, has been instruct
ed to inform the government of Vene-
znela, that this government endorses
every official act of Minister LOOMS.
Attorney General Knox is now en-
gagged by direction of President Nc
Kinley, in preparing a comprehensive
opinion on all the supreme court in
suIar decisions, showing precisely how
far they go and what effect they will
have upon our insular relations. That
opinion will be submitted to the Presi
dent and cabinet this week, and after
it's careful consideration, it will be de-
cided and probably officially announc-
ed what, if any, changes will be made
in any branch of those relations; the
opinion will also be determining fac
tor IN the question Of whether an ex-
ira session of congress will be called
Secretary Roots letter, instructing
Wood to inform the members
of the Cuban constitutional con-
vention that this government did not
approve of the additions made to the
Platt amendment, before its accept
ance by the convention, was long
and carefully prepared document, in
the preparation of which President
assisted. Itimpressed upon
does not wish to offend the Cubans, but
that they must accept the Platt amend
ment just as it is passed Congress, If
they wish American authority to be
from the islaud; that moth
ing short of that will be satisfactory
to this government. The Platt
Amendment is plain and the attempt
to interpret several of its provisions,
which the Cubans added, are obscure.
LETTER TO E. B. ROBINSON.
BARTON VT.