Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular cornwondent.) The republican claim of a walkover in Ohio, thia fall, has been a hollow pretense from the first, and it has grown hollower every day since the democrats nominated Hon. John R. McLean for Governor. It will not be denied that Mr. McKinley knows Ohio politics thoroughly. It is significant, therefore, that the first thing he did, after his return from Washington, was to hold a conference with several chief republicans, and that one of the results of that conference was a cablegram to Boss Hanna, telling him to hurry home from Europe, in order to take charge of the campaign of his ticket. Mr. McKinley regards Mr. McLean as a stnmg and dangerous candidate and be knows that if Ohio goes democratic this year, it will give such a boom to the already rapidly brightening democratic prospects, that the election of a democratic President will become well nigh a certainty. He is determined to prevent this if he can possibly do so, and in addition to Hanna’s methods, which will be worked to the limit, the whole power of the administration will be used to help Hanna’s ticket. " ’

Although Mr. McKinley only remained in Washington, from Saturday afternoon until Monday, when he went to Philadelphia to attend the G. A. R. encampment, where he hopes to put in some good political licks and incidentally to prevent a fight being made upon the present management of the Pension Bureau by the old soldiers, he found time to see some of the capitalists who, for purely selfish reasons, are trying to get the government to mix itself up in the revolution in Santo Domingo, by declaring a protectorate over the most turbulent and belligerent mob of “niggers” ever known to exist in any portion of the world. With all his anxiety to please these capitalists, it is not believed that Mr. McKinley will dare to do what they wish him to do. He has troubles enough now, without hunting for new ones.

The Sampson clique in the Navy Department, which has been able to keep Sampson in command of the North Atlantic Squadron, when other officers were entitled to that honor, will have him ordered to shore duty, after the Dewev reception, in New York, and it will also endeavor to prevent the arrival of Admiral Howison, who is Sampson’s senior officer, in New York, whither he is bound from the South Atlantic, on the cruiser Chicago, in thne to participate in the Dewey ceremonies. Not satisfied with having done so much for Sampson, the clique is still working to prevent Schley getting an important command, although he is clearly entitled to the sea duty he asked for many months ago. There are three men eligible to succeed Sampson as commander of the North Atlantic Squadron—Schley, Remey and Farquhar—but if the efforts of the clique are successful, as now seems likely, Schley’s name may be considered out of it.

Gen. Fitz Lee gave the War Department a little more than it expected when it asked him and the other Department Commanders in Cuba, to make reports on condition of affairs under their jurisdiction, by adding the following recommendations to ’ his report: “That a census of the island be taken as soon as possible; that the question of suffrage be carefully considered and a decision reached regulating the same; that a modern system of jurisprudence be introduced, so that elective officers can be voted for; that a general election be ordered for a President or a Chief Magistrate, a Vice President and a Congress or legislature, to consist of two branches, and all other officers of a republic, as well as municipal elections; all of which can be determined regulated, and prescribed by a co vention composed of delegates in proper proportion from the different provinces, which shall meet as soon after the census is taken, as possible* In this way the pledged faith of the U. S. Government to Cuba can be kept.” Orders were given in the War Department to suppress this report, but somehow it got out. t t In view of his close personal relations with Mr. McKinley, the statement in a report made to the War Department, by Gen. Leonard Wood, that the Military Control of Cuba will have to continue for spme time, is regarded as significant That sort of opinion from our officers will be made to justify an indefinite military occupation of the island, notwithstand-

compel different action on W part of the administration. t t The administration is crowing loudly because the August financial statement shows a surplus of a little more than four million dollars, but it is not'calling anybody’s attention to the fact that more than three millions of that surplus came from the sale of the old custom bouse site in New York City; nor to the comparative smallness of some of the regular government payments for that month. There is nothing in the present state o£ government finances to do any crowing over. There is bound to be another big deficit at the close of this fiscal year, just as there was at the close of the last. A small surplus in several months of the year will not affect the general result, and nobody knows that any better than Secretary Gage.