Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1898 — WASHINGTON SETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON SETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) The hard throw down given to Senator Wellington, who was much chagrined at his failureto be elected Chairman of the Republican State Committee of Maryland, was more or less a dis-

appointment to Maryland democrats. The democrats wanted Wellington on top, because they knew that! his success would weaken his party in the state, owing to his peculiar faculty of getting on the wrong side of everything. Wellington now realizes that he can never be a boss again in Maryland politics, and the realization is very bitter to him.

Representative Bailey, of Texas, has the sympathy of all decent men, regardless of politics, in his effort to uncover the democratic Congressmen who Representative Groevenor alleged had told him that he was the author of an editorial slurring at the democrats in the House and making a thinly veiled personal attack upon Mr. Bailey, which appeared in a Washington paper. Grosvenor has so far declined to name the man, al-

though the editor of the paper has joined his request to that of Mr. Bailey that he do so, and added that if any Congressman claimed to be the author of the editorial in question, he lied. » ***

Under the provisions of the bill providing for taking the next census, the employes of the census bureau are to be not more than two-thirds from one political party. new House committee on the census is -made up in about’ the same proportion, eight republicans, four democrats and one populist. Membership on this committee was eagerly sought, as it is supposed that its members will have a little more pull in securing census appointments than other members of the House. The four democrats on the committee are De Vries, of Cal., Norton, of South Carolina, Griffith, of Ind., and MacDowell, of Ohio, and the populist is Ridgeley of Kansas. No appointments under the bill are to be made before next year, so far as any outsider knows, but the haste in some quarters to get the bill through is somewhat suspicious, and it will not be surprising if somebody finds a way to take care of a few. friends before that time, at Uncle Samuel’s expense.

There has been more swearing since the first of the month on account of the oppressive and troublesome stamp tax than about the extremely warm weather we are having. It is only necessary to stand a few minutes at the paying teller’s window in a bank or at the receiving clerk’s desk in a telegraph office to be convinced that a revenue stamp tax is about the most obnoxious of all taxes, just as the democrats in Congress said when they were protesting in vain against Its imposition upon the country. Some persons were simple enough to believe that the telegraph company would pay for the stamp that is required to be affixed to every message sent, bnt they soon found out differently. Corporations never pay anything that their patrons can be made to pay-

The positive statement from Europe that Germany, France and Russia had entered into an agreement to prevent the U. S. retaining the Philippine islands, or turning them over to England after the war is ended, is being extensively discussed in Washington. This particular statement may or may not be true, bat that our talk about permanently keeping the Philippines has aroused mutterings in Europe, which may cause future trouble, is known to all. These things are causing it to be asked whether the game is worth the candle. In other tfords, would the possession of the Philippines compensate us for engaging in a war with a combination of European powers? Of course, the average American is ready at all times to resent any European interference in our affairs, and should a combination of powers officially say that’ we should not keep the Philippines, would favor keeping them anyway then. But would it not be wise for this government to announce in advance of any such notice that it does not wish to keep those islands? Many think so.

No more striking object lesson in American grit and bravery was ever given the world than that by the soldiers and sailors who participated in the terrible, but victorious campaign against Santiago. Gen. Shatter’s bull-dog persistency in steadily going ahead regardless of difficulties natural or man made, until assured of victory was an indication that his schoolmates made no mistake when they nicknamed him “Bull.” The number of men killed, wounded, and overcome by the heat is appalling, when the number of men participating in the fighting is considered, but no larger than might have been

expected under the circumstances —the thermometer 105 to 125 and several days of almost continuous assaulting of breast works and charging up hill in tbe face of a hot fire from both large and small guns. Admiral Sampson’s fleet worked in accord with Shifter’s army and helped once more to demonstrate that the American soldier and sailor has no equal on earth in all around staying and fighting qualities.