Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-05-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent.

(From our Regular CORRESPONDENT.
Washington, May SIS the admin.
istration responsible for the ,outbreak
of jingoism against Germany. inst now
figuring in some of the big newspapers?
That question has been asked very fire..
quently il Washington of late. and
not few answers have been in the af.
flrmatlve, although what purpose of the
administration would be served nv a
war scare or an actual war with Ger
many or any other nation, ia not ap-
| parent, unless it be scheme to work
up public opinion in favor of Congress.
slOnal legislation for an enormous In
crease in our navy. 1t ascertain, how.
ever, tnat men very close to the ad
mlnlstratl0n, are doing their best to
| Increase the talk about Germany IS in
tentlon to grab one or more of the lit
tie republics on this continent, regard
less OF the Monroe doctrine. This is
playing with dynamite. tbs not prob
able that Germany wants war with
US, and it IS absolutely certain that we
don't want war with Germany but
1t is easily possible for fool talk here
and in Germany to get the two peoples
SO wrought up that some little incident,
which under ordinary circumstances
would amountto nothing, might bring
on one of the most costly wars ever
fought.
Senator McLaurin may continue to
call himself democrat if it pleases
him to do SO, but the fact that the
distribution of the Federal patronage
of South Carolina Is in his hands,
shows what sort of democrat he is.
fIhn VI hifQ ror,nhIinanc of
who have monopolized the Federal Of
fees for thirty five years, except DUR
Ing the two Cleveland terms are doing
much growing, but those after re-
appointment, are told when they come
to Washington, that it is necessary
for them to have Senator McLaurin7s
endorsement, before they can get it.
The radical position taken by Repre-
sentative Babcock, of Wisconsin, as
to the necessity tor revision of the
Dlngley tariff. so as to put trust con-
trolled products on the free list, has,
in the opinion of the hide bound pro.
tectlonist republicans, made it impos-
slble for Mr.. Babcock to be Chairman
of the Republican Congressional Cam
paign Committee in the next campaign.
Mr.. Babeock's friends say that he de-
clded not to continue as Chairman of
that committee before he publicly an
nounced bis attitude on the tariff.
Democrats who have been quietly
keeping tap on the talk about Mr.,
Babcock's proposed tariff reform, are
decidedly pleased with the outlook.
They believe that the question will
bring about war in the republican
party, with which the old Stalwart and
anti-Stalwart war will seem child 3
play, and that the result is bound to
be beneficial to the democratic party,
not only because 1t will hold the bal
ance of power in Congress, but because
there is a strong probability that it
will also cause 1t to elect the next
President. If MI. Babcock can get
the republican votes be claims, q tar
iff reform. bill along the lines be ad-
vocates can be put through Congress
with the assistance of democratic votes.
and MI. Mckinley can veto it if he
dare.
Another row is on over the purchase
OF foreign made arms by the War De-
partment. The department ordered
the purchase Of thousand German
pistols, with the understand
ing that if, after practical test by
the army, they proved satisfactory,
twenty thousand more would be
bought. This brought vigorous pro-
test from well known American fire.
arm company. which claims to have a
pistol OF American design and manu-
facture, in every way as good as the
German pistol ordered to be purchased
for the army, and which the Board or
Ordnance and Notifications, which re.
commended the German purchase, did
not even test. The protest will not
prevent the purchase of the one thou
sand German pistols, but it is likely to
put spoke in the scheme to purchase
twenty thousand more of them. Ev-
cry man wishes our army to have the
best equipments to be had, but no man
with the right sort of blood in him be-
lleve that foreign equipments should
be bought, when as good can be had in
this country.
President Kruger, of the Transvaal
Republic, will visit the U. s. in Octo-
Der: This announcement was made
oy Mr.. Montagu White, the Boer dip
omatic agent. who has been in Wash.
ngtou for some DAYS.