Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-22


sEITs, LEADING FIGURE IN THE FIRST
WAR CoNoREss."
congress assembled. 1t was popularity
believed that the war was costing the
Federal government 100000 a day.
1t had been decided to confiscate all
the cotton captured by the armies in
Confederate territory and have. it sold
for the benefit of the United States
treasury. Salmon P. Chase had de
vised a new system Of currency and
banking, which he laid before the
country. In his report at the opening
of congress he proposed that the gov
eminent should issue a national cur
rency which was to be circulated
through a system Of financial agents.
This was the inception Of the scheme
which led to the 'greenback" and
brought about revolution in the cir
culation of money. Congress took the
matter up very early in the session,
and within sixty days an act was sign
ed authorizing the issue of bills of all
denominations stamped with the sigma
ture Of the United States treasurer.
With a great war on at home and
another struggle possible with England
for an enemy the United States early
in December found itself face to face
with trouble in Mexico. A few weeks
before France. England and Spain
had united for the purpose of making
armed interference In Mexican affairs.
The ostensible object was the exac-
ton Of reparation for losses alleged to
have been sustained by their subjects
residing in Mexico. Tie United States
| had been duly notified of the project
and bad been asked to take part in it,
| but had declined to do so. Its posi-
| ton may be summed up as follows:
The Monroe Doctrine Threatened.
The interference of a European pow
er on the continent of America was
in direct contravention of the tradi-
tional policy of the American govern
ment in respect to the Monroe doc
| trine as contained In the message of
| Mr.. Monroe, December, 1923. laying
down the principle that the American
continents ought not hereafter to be
the field for European colonization and
that all attempts on the part of Euro
pean nations to extend their system to
any parts of this hemisphere must be
considered dangerous to the peace and
security of the United States; also
that the United States would not see
any European Intervention with the
object Of expressing or controlling the
destiny of an American nation under
other aspect than that of q manifes-
tation of hostility toward the United
States This doctrine had been rigidly
adhered to through all succeeding ad-
ministrations; but, the question of the
Intervention of the foreign powers in
Mexico being submitted to the gov
eminent Of Mr.. Lincoln. he was not In
condition to resist 1t with that vigor
and energy implied in the declarations
Of Mr.. Monroe in consequence of the
war in progress with the Confederate
states. He insisted that it did not
seem necessary to carry that interven-
ton further than to guarantee the Sc
curity Of the respective nationalities
involved.
The closing days Of November and
the opening days of December were
very quiet ones for the contending ar
mies fifty years ago. At Annandale.
near Alexandria. Va. on Dec. a
body of Virginia cavalry commanded
by the budding sabreur J.. e. B. Stuart
burst through the pickets Of General
Blenker's division, creating a grand
scare, but got the worst OF the en-
counter. which was a very tame one
at best. On Dec. Missouri, troopers
in blue and gray crossed sabers at
Salem. Mo-. and both sides paid toll In
dead and wounded. The armies had
not taken up winter quarters. and Sc
we're engagements. which counted for
battles In those days, were to come
before the year closed