Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1897, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 3101 Tenzsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th St, by The Bren SUPT SoEmY Kew York Office, 49 Potter Building, ‘The Evening Star is served to subacribers in the city by carriers. on their own per week, or a4 cents per mor counter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere in t United States or Cenada—postage prepaid—50 cen! er month. Saterday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foretzn postage added, $3.00. Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., @s_sece nd. ‘ss matl matter.) EF All mail subscriptions must be paid In adrance. Rates of advertising made known on application. Che £Fveni | af g Star. | No. 13,970. WASHINGTON, D. ©, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1897-FOURTEEN PA GES. TWO CENTS. TRAITORS IN CAMP Spanish Officers at Caimarara Go Over to the Insurgents. THEIR ACT DENOUNCED IN HAVANA More Cases of Beri-Beri in District of Matanzas. Sat ge ee GRINDING OF CANE BEGINS tee gees HAVANA, December 9—It was officially ennounced tor ish headquar- ters that a Caimnner. by the treason of an officer. Caimanera is the port of ard is situated fifteen mile: the latter place. Caimanera ot Guantanamo, otherwise harbor. Insurgent Force Was Small. insurgent force, the official report consisted of forty guerrillas, volun- teers and natives of Cuba. They are al- leged to have plundered a store and to have rried off the sum of $30,000, which was on a wharf, and which had recently arrived at Caimanera from Havana. It is also said that the insurgents killed the police in- spectors and two gendarmes on duty and wounded a Spanish payn Vigil. Guantanamo, by rail from is on the bay Cumberland The 2 las, the officis ment concludes, have joined the in- svrgents. The efforts made to refloat the 5 towed to Cuba from England, w reed on Mor last while have proved futile jock is said to have t coming disabled. the captain ge tribution of ration: ados to copped, ral, has among #100,080 ordered tke conce having heen distributed among them in lieu of rations. More Cases of Beri-Beri.s Advices from Matan: show that more of beri-beri hav urred there grinding of sugar cane, it is officially unced, e planta- s of Flora and San V insurgent brigadier, ¢ who wa: red by the the heights h; oes The ‘ar has commenced on t ente. n. Lino Perez, anish troops on n released. veral of w jed. al: 5 nd a qu: anition, while the i i an insurgent major a ndered to the gove i A SUCCESSFUL SHOT. RYAN Bags For December 9.—Wil- Bryan and party returned last ing from their duck hunting trip to . in Chambers county. n carried off the palm by bag- ee ducks, of which twelve racks ed himself s. He as having ha peared to be in - After dinner Mr. Bryan departed for San Antonio, where he will be joined by Mrs. Bryan and ex-Consul General Crittenden for a tour of Mexico. Mr. Bryan said he home about January 1 = CLYDE ENCOUN BERED HEAVY expected to reach LES P. and O. Steamer Reaches Valetta After a Tempestuous Passage. VALETTA. Island of Malta, December 9.—The Peninsula and Oriental Steam Nav- ation Company's steamer Clyde, Capt. Gcrdon, which was overdue at this port, bas arrived here from Marseilles. The Clyde encountered cane in the Gulf of Ly ail her sterm sails were blown to shreds and her commander was compelled to heave to for forty-eight hours. + AYS’ FAMILY STARTLED. a terrific hurri- ms, during which on of Sewer Gax in House Adjoining the Ambassador's. LONDON, December 9.—An explosion of sewer gas, which tore up the street, shat- tered windows and damaged a house ad- of the Unit States ambas- yan Hay. used much excite- the inhabitants of Carlton ‘errace today. > MINERS DEFY THE SHERIFF. Participants in Recent Lynching in Arkansas Are at Bay. Mo., December 9.—A special Post Dispatch from Little Rock, The report is received here from J Se m county, that the rs at Bonanza have acknowledged their ipation in the lynching of Constable It e sent word to Sebastian officers that if they wanted to rrest any of their number to come down into the shafts of the mine and get all they want. They are well supplied with dynamite, nd it is known that their purpose ts to blow up the mine if an effort is made to apprehend them. The mine is surrounded by a strong posse, the sheriff being in com- mand. He says he will force the minors to capitulate even if he has to fire the mine. There are about 300 miners believed to have had a hand in the lynching, and bloodshed is expected to follow the appre- hension of the culprits. > AN INDIGNANT BRITON. pari Murra, Was Mlegally Arrested on the Streets of Troy, N. Y. ‘The British government, through its am- bassador here, has brought the case of Patrick Barrett of Montreal to the atten- tuon of the State Department, with a view to an cfficial investigation. The representa- ticns made in behalf of Barrett claim re- dress for alleged illegal arrest and im- prisonment at an early hour in the morn- ing at Troy, N. Y., several weeks since. Barrett was very indignant over his ar- rest, and, being 2 British subject, reported the matter to the British embassy at Wash- ington for redress. The case is not regard- ed as of much consequence, having been the result merely of over-zealousness on the part of a policeman, and is not likely to reach the grade of a diplomatic inct- dent. ae Treasury Reports. ‘The final and full edition of the report of Secretary Gage, including the reports of all bureau officers and a multitude of tables, will be issued from the government print- ing office next week. For years previous to this the report has not made its appearance for several months after the assembling of Congress. Assistant Secretary Vanderlip, however, is an old newspaper man, and believes in putting a matter through when it has started. Leaders in the House Reach a General Un- derstanding. Appropriation Bills to Be Disposed of as Fast as They Are Ready for Consideration. Althovgh no formal action has been tcken, a pretty general understanding has been reached by the leaders in the House of Representatives as to the course of legislaticn in the near future. This con- templates the disposal of appropriation bills as fast as they are ready for consid- eration. After these the bankruptcy bill will be given the first opportunity for a hearing. This measure will be reported by Chairman Henderson of the judiciary committee be- fore the holiday recess, but it will not be taken up by the House until after the re- cess. It is understood that Speaker Reed and the committee on rules will be dis- posed to give this bill every advantage in the way of securing early time for debate. It is equally well understood that for the present there will be no effort to take up financial legislation on the floor of the House. This is cue mainly to the fact that a strong impression prevails among mem- kers of the House that the committee on benking and currency will not be able to concile the many conflicting interests in- e of the committee. These repr: shades of the firancial subject, and much at variance that it is not ex a majority can be rallied for any one prop- osition. Under such cire stances the pur- pose is to await the action, or the dead- lock, in that committee. Gy and means committee will do nothing at present in the way of framing financial legislation. If, however, it be- comes evident that the committee on bank- ing and currenc andstill, then the w nd me: the fi frame a bili on broad lines, calculated to meet the present financial requirements In the meantime, the subject will be kept in the background as much as a pmmittee will enter id of financial legislation, and will ns would be fruitful of bad results to the com- munity and would prejudice such steps as y be determined upon. bill, which will be the It is on the providing for both volunt tary bankruptcy. At the ctions made to the Torr ‘collection agency.” ha and involun- me time, the bill, that it ‘e been over- tion sures, such as a 2, introduced b Hitt, will have a hearing, as they in questions of general policy and are ely to meet with opposition. With these exceptions, the disposition of > House leaders will be to keep radical ation to the rear. y and appropri me: Mr. a + 6 -—__—_ iT ON POWDERLY. His Friends Preparing to Resist Op- position to Confirmation. The friends of Commissioner Powderly of the immigration bureau are preparing for any fight which may be made on his confirmation by the Senate. They confi- dently predict that the fight will not be successful, although they admit that a number of influential labor leaders through- out the country oppose his confirmation. Among these is J. W. Hay the secretary- treasurer of the Knights of Labor. It is claimed that no opposition will be made by the officials of the American Federation of Labor. It is alleged by Mr. Powderly’s friends that the fight by Mr. Hayes and others js on personal grounds, the present commis- sioner having had differences with some of the Knights of Labor and other labor leagers at various periods which have never been forgiven by either side. ‘There has been some talk that the nights of Labor would relax their opposition to Mr. Powderly provided C. J. Corey should be appointed chief of the bureau of en- graving and printing, but there appears to be no ground for such a deal, and nobody able to confirm it. As a matter of fact, it is authoritatively stated that Mr. Corey has withdrawn the application filed at the treasury for ap- pointment as chief of the bureau of en- graving and printing, ana will probably be appointed a consul. He has been advised to do this, and is understood to have given his consent. While there has long been talk about a change in the management of the burea: nothing has been decided upon, and the will probably not be fcr a long time. Mr. Johnson is ‘protected by the civil service law, and his work so far has been satis- factory. Any change made in the office weld be by the Secretary of the Treasury and not by the President, as 1s generally supposed. ——E APPEAL TO THE COURT. A Post Office Department Clerk Pro- tested Against Reduction. Anotker civil service case has recently come up in New Yerk, and the courts there have been asked te interfere to prohibit the reduction of a chief of a division in the Post Office Department to the position of clerk. he first assistant postmaster general this afternoon received informa- tion from Postmaster Van Cott informing him of the action of the clerk, as well as the nctice that had been served upon him to show cause before the circuit court tomor- row why the department should not be enjoined frem taking the action which re- duces the clerk. A reply was sent to the postmaster di- recting him to engage the services of the assistant district attorney. It is under- stood the department will maintain the same position it dit in the case of Superin- tendent Carr of the Chicago post office. Judge Jenkins held in that case, it will be recalled, that Carr had no standing in court. This was taken by the department as an indorsement of its position which claimed the right to reduce a clerk did not amount to a removal. ———— NAVAL ARMOR PLATE. Indications of a Settlement of the Controversy. There are indications of an early settle- ment of the controversy between the gov- errment and the big steel firms over the manufacture of armor plates for naval vessels. It is reported that the companies which have supplied most of this armor in the past will now be able to furnish a much superior type of armor than any hereto- fore delivered, and at the price fixed upon by ex-Secretary Herbert and Secretary Long as fair and equitable. The Navy Department is informed that while the Carnegie and Bethlehem companies will not depart from their original propositions in regard to supplies of armor, having recently a ee 3, better plates than heretofore. ‘These pistes, it Is said, are vastly tougher than the old ones and offer much greater resistance nee ee ary ret produced in ioe, Harvey Process or THE LEGISLATIVE OUTLOOK] QUTLINING THE WORK Congressional Committees Meet and Decide on Action. CHAIRMAN HITT'S SUBCOMMITTEES Bill to Prohibit Pelagic Sealing to Be Pushed. THE TWELFTH CENSUS eee The committee on foreign affairs of the House of Representatives held its first meeting today and outlined its line of work on the several important foreign questions now pending. Chairman Hitt an- nounced the following subcommittee to deal with Cuban affairs: Adams of Pennsyl- vania, Heatwole of Minnesota and Berry of Kentucky. The subcommittee to con- sider Hawaiian affairs is Hitt of Illinois, Smith of Michigan and Dinsmore of Ar- kansas. The committee determined to report at once the bill prohibiting American citizens from conducting pelagic sealing in Bering sea, and an understanding was reached that the bill would be pushed to final passage before the holidays. It was also deter- mined that the members of the committee would call in a body on the Secretary of State tomorrow at 11 o'clock Much interest was shown in the unitial meeting of the committee, as It was felt it might bring an indication of the general line of policy toward Cuba and the otner subjects before it. Except, however, in the announcement of the Cuban and Hawaiian subcommittees, no reference was made to ither of these subjects, as all of the time > commitiee was given to the question ling in Bering sea. On this question erable discussion occurred, which da general sentiment toward re- stricting American sealers only in case eat Britain adopted the same restric- tions. Mr. Adams asked a number of questions in this line, his purpose being to show tnat the United States was placing limitations cn its own citizens, while other nations were free to conduct poaching cperations at will. To this, however, the answer was made that the express purpose of the gov. ernment in securing this legislation was to take away the last ground of objection which cther nations offered against the complete suspersion of pelagic sealing. Al- though the extermination of the seal nerd was not ¢ ed at length, it was re- ferred to as one of the measures which might have to be resorted to if a general ent to stop pelagic sealing was not he committee found plenty of material nefore it on all the important foreign ques- tions. Thege were in the form of bills resolutions, submitted during the ex session, but which could not be considered at that time as the committee had not been appointed. On Cuba all the phases of the subject were represented in the measures pre- sented. The most important of these was the Morgan joint resolucion, which pas: the Senate at the exira session and now referred to this committee. It reco; nizes a state of war as existing betw pin and the Cuban insurgents, and de- clares that the United States will main- tain strict neutrality between the two bel- ligerents. For Hawaiian Annexation. The annexation of Hawaii is proposed in various propositions before the committee. Mr. Sulzer has a bill making Hawail a territory, assuming the Hawaiian debt up to $4,000,000, and providing for five com- missioners to recommend a plan of govern- ment for the island. Mr. King of Utah has a bill on the same Hues. Mr. Spalding of Michigan proposes the creation of Hawaii as a state of the Union, with one representative in Congress for the present. Among the other subjects before the com- mittee are those for an investigation of the consular and diplomatic system,as proposed by Mr. McCall of Massachusetts; author- izing the President to call a conference at Washington to secure general acceptance of the Monroe doctrine, proposed by Mr. Beach of Ohio; inquiring into the status of the restrictions on building or maintaining war- ships on the great lakes, proposed by Mr. Smith of Michigan; authorizing the Presi- dent to arrange an international conference to settle boundary disputes, proposed by Mr. Barrett of Massachusetts; proposing a ccrference of American republics to adopt arbitration and to extend commercial re- lations, proposed by Mr. Smith of Michi- gan; asking the Secretary of State to de- mand of Russia full passport rights for Hebrew-American citizens, proposed by Mr. Fitzgerald. These measures were referred to subcom- mittees today, and for the present they ferm a nucleus of action on foreign sub- jects. Reorganizing Indian Territory. The work of preparation of the Indian appropriation bill will be began immediate- ly in the House committee on Indian affairs and probably the bill will be reported to the House early in January. There are many important matters before it, but everything now will give way to the ap- propriation bill. The most important sub- jects are the vexatious problems in the Indian territory, involving the reorganiza- tion of the territory in matters relating to the Indians. The Dawes Indian commis- sion is now negotiating with the five tribes, but the outlook is not very encouraging, and some important legislation along the lines of the negotiations has been planned. ‘The commission will be summoned here shortly by the Secretary of the Interior, it is understood, and action by the committee willbe deferred, pending the appearance of the commission before it to explain the situation there and to make recommenda- tions. So far only two tribes have ratified the commission's agreements. These are the Choctows and Chickasaws, and the agreements made with the Cherokees. and Creeks have been rejected. The Seminoles also have not taken any favorable action, and, in view of the general disappointing outlook, arbitrary legislation is expected to be enacted to accomplish what overtures on the part of the government have failed to do. The condition of affairs in Indian Terri- tery formed the principal topic of con- sideration by the Senate committee on In- dian affairs at its meeting today, and a subcommitte2, consisting of Senators Pet- tigrew, Platt and Jones of Arkansas, was appointed to take up all the questions in- volved in the government of this territory. The committee was authorized to prepare a bill to meet the situation. The opinion of the committee was quite unanimous that the condition of affairs is so serious as to demand immediate at- tention, and several members expressed the opinion that the Indians who are rep- resented as strenuously contending for their treaty rights, have long since forfeited whatever rights they may have ever pos- sessed under their agreements with the government of the United States. ‘The House committee also began its in- vestigation of the vexed problems in In- dian territory today. It was a long ses- sicn, and the result was a call for the Dawes commission and all others interest- ed to appear before it next Thursday. Be- fore the discussion over the territorial troubles began two subcommittees were appointed. Messrs. Sherman of New Work, Curtis of Kansas, Fischer of New York, Little of Arkansas and Lewis of Georgia were named as the subcommittee on the Indian appropriation bill, and Messrs. Cur- | tis, Fischer, Little, Lacey of .Iowa and Benton of Missouri on Indtam territory matters. The session was devoted to the considera- ticn of the Senate resolution extending from January 1 to June 30 next the date of ope-atior of the act extending the juris- diction of United States courts over most of the crimes cominitted anywhere in In- dian territory. No action was taken, it being deemed advisable to await further information from the Dawes commission and others in Indian territory. Government and Kansas Pacific. The Senate committee on Pactfic railroads today authorized a favorable report upon the resolution introduced yesterday by Sen- ator Morgan directing the Attorney Gen- eral to send to the Senate a full statement of his‘proceedings concerning the lien of the government upen the Kansas Pacific railroad, striking out tbat portion of the resolution calling for a statement in re- gard to agreements concerning the sale of the rcad. It is understood that the passage of the resolution as amended is agreeable to the Attorney General, and the opinion was ex- Pressed in the meeting that its passage would preclude any action upon the Dill introduced yesterday by Senator Gear, pro- viding means for foreclosing the Kansas Pacific mortgage. The Misissippi’s Condition. The Senate committee on commerce today heard an informal report from Senator Nel- son, chairman of the subcommittee to ex- amine and report uron the condition of the Mississippi river. The subcommittee will make a partial report and will be author- ized to continue and complete the investi- gation. A favorable report was made on the bill granting American register to the steamer Jacksonville. The Twelfth Census. The Senate committee on census today authorized Senator Carter to report fa- vorably the bill introduced at the last ses- sion of Congress to provide for the twelfth census and for subsequent censuses, with an amendment taking the chief clerk, the disbursing clerk and the chief statistician cut of the classified service, as provided in the original bill. The bill provides for the immediate appointment of a director of cersus at a salary of $6,000; an assistant director, a chief clerk and five chief sta- tisticia Use of the Old Library. The question of jurisdiction over the space in the Capitol recently vacated by the Congressional Library, which has arisen between the Senate committees on rules and public bui.dings and grounds, was taken up in the meeting of the latter com- mittee today, and Chairman Quay was in- structed to ask that the Aldrich resolution relating to the division of this space be- tween the Senate and the House be re- ferred to the building committee when next taken up in the Senate. This committee concedes jurisdiction to the committee on in the assignment of other commit- to rooms when constructed, but con- tends that the work of constructing any new rooms should be under the supervision of the building committee. Authority will also be asked to confer with the House committee. The opinion was quite general that a por- tion of the space should be reserved for a complete reference library. TO MAKE AN ISSUE ON. CUBA. The Purpose of the Democrats in Congress. It appears that the purpose of the demo- cratic caucus to be held at an early date ts to make an issue with the admintstration and the Speaker of the House on Cuba. While the democrats are not a unit on this question of Cuba, they are so nearly so that the little opposition in the party can be smothered for political purposes or will be so slight as not to interfere with the carry- ing out of a pro-Cuban program. It is ex- pected that the caucus will decide that the minority shall insist upon the consideration of the Cuban resolution. The President and the Speaker opposing this, they will en- deavor to make an issue before the coun- try. : They are encouraged in this course by the belief that the country is strongly in sym- pathy with the Cuban insurgents, and that a large number, if not @ majority, of the republicans in the House have similar sym- pathy. The democrats have strong hopes that tho question will cause‘a split on the republican side of the House, and that pos- sibly they may draw enough support trom that side of the House to defeat the Speak- er and the republican managers. But what- ever the result may be, they want to as- sume the attitude of friendliness to the in- surgents in opposition to the negative course of the administration. ‘The resolution having already passed the Senace, if the attempt to get it through the House should be successful the Presi- dent would be confronted with the neces- sity of either putting it into force or else vetoing it. They calculate that a veto would render the administration extreme- ly unpepular, and, therefore, they think they see a party advantage in the pro- gram laid down. What they expect, how- ever, is that the power of the committee en rules and of the foreign affairs com- mittee will be exerted to ‘prevent the ques- tion fiom coming before fre House for consideration and that antagonism to the recognition of the Cuban insurgents will appear as a party policy supported by the republicans generally, with just a few pro- testing voices of republicans, to give point to the democratic position. ———__-e. CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION. Relations of the Two Branches of the Government. The present administration. is taking a very different course in its relations with Congress from that foHowed while Mr. Cleveland was President. Yesterday Sec- retary Sherman visited the Capitol and held conversations with a number of senators. Today Secretary Alger was on the floor of the Senate some time, meeting quite a num- ber of members of that body. During the last administration there was little visiting at the Capitol on the per€ df cabinet omi- cers, and it was a rare sight to see a mem- ber of the cabinet in the bares or House. The true relaticn betw Gongress and the administration in power is‘never over- looked by some senators.” Inthe framing of resolutions calling upsn departmental officers to give desired inférmation on pub- lic matters it frequentig “happens that these resolutions are worded a@ “requests.” Senator Cockrell is firmly of*the opinion that Congress should “direct,” and not request.” He insisted” upon “this idea to- day when Senator Davis imtroduced a reso- lution requesting the Sécretary of the Treasury to give some in: ion about a Post office building in infesota. Mr. Cockrel amended it to rea@ that the Sen- ate directs, &c. Those who' afe jealous of the power of Congress to! “direct” cabinet officers to do what they desire have no idea that they are any moré apt to get what they want through such‘a change of language, but~ they want to keep before public officials the fact that Congress is supreme and has the right to direct what it wants done. as ————_+24_____ HAWAIIAN NATIVE DELEGATION. They Were at the Capitol Opposing Annexation. The so-called native:Hqwalian commis- sion, heade@ by Dr: fizon, who ére in Washington to appor xation, were at the Capitol today and Senator Hoar in- troduce in the Senate & PLANTING AUTONOMY Hayana Said to Be Under Tentative Home Rule. VOLUNTEERS A POWDER-BOX ELEMENT Insurgents in Pinar Del Rio Not to Be Placated. TONE OF NEWSPAPERS —_-+__ (Copyright, 1897, by C. M. Pepper.) Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. HAVANA, Cuba, December 4, 1897. They call it planting autonomy. The seed is ready before the soil is prepared. It might be said that Havana is under tenta- tive home rule. The palace—which means Captain General Blanco and Secretary Gen- eral Congosto—in one respect has shown a grasp of the situation unusua! to Spanish character. This is to get something done. So the effort is made to put the new regi- men into effect, so far as there is anything to put into effect. Further instructions are awaited from Madrid with eagerness, even with impatience. “We want,” says the palace, “our provisional government of autonomy just as soon as possible. When it 1s once establisheJ the opposition will see the uselessness of opposing what is bound to be. Their hostility to what is projected may be embarrassing to the authorities. It can only hurt themselves, if continued, when the projects are established.” Surface Indications Smooth, I have summarized several talks with offi- cials in this bit of poiitieal philosophy. What they are doing counts more for Spain in their final crisis of her rule in Cuba than their opinions on what might or should be done. The process of reorganiz- ing existing political parties into one com- pact organization supporting autonomy goes on with surface indications of smoothness. Manifestoes, resolutions of juntas or branches of parent part recommenda- tions to the central juntas, all declare that they will loyally uphold the policy of the government. The central junta of the au- tonomistos and the sinilar body of the formistos congratulate cach other. The autonomistos exhort one another to carry out the principles for which they have con- sistently fought. With them it is simply a question of finding followe: Having secured the indorsement of the autonomistos and reformistos the govern- ment it now hopeful of gaining the support of the more numerous and more potential consefvatives. The Maynes Apezteguia, af- ter conferring with Captain General Blanco, plans a bold stroke. It is to make the con- servatives more autonomist than the au- tonomistos themselves, As president of the party he has the machinery of organization. That counts here as everywhere. The marques is confident in his ability to exe- cute the maneuver and make the oppo- nents of the program what would be called in the United States bolters. To convert the Spanish element in Cuba, bourbons by tradition and instinct, into a progressive and enlightened party, would be a miracle. To gain for the government the formal sup- port of the party, even though the mass re- mains stationary, will be of value. The success of the plan must be conjectural during the next fortnight, pending the meeting of the conservatives. Tone of the Newspapers. The molds in which public sentiment are cast still show little softening. The lines are rigid. The government has to depend for its support on two newspapers. These are “El Pais,” the official organ of the autonomists, an able paper of narrow cir- culation, and the “Diario de la Marina.” The latter, as the representative of the reformistos was in a position to accept autonomy, which it did unreservedly. It had some subscribers who were conserva- tives, and in their resentment they at once began giving orders to “stop their paper.” That is a more serious business in Havana than in some other cities, for the angry subscriber does not repent the next day. He stops it for good. “La Union Constitu- c.onal,” regular organ of the conserva- tives, keeps up a steady fight for what it calls Spanish principles. ‘The “Commercial Advertiser,” representing the commercial interests, and not ordinarily a political journal, fights from ambush, voicing dark forebodings of what will come if autonomy is carried into effect, and giving utterance to melancholy misgivings. ‘El Comercio,”’ organ of the volunteers, just stops short of getting itself suppressed. The censor is kept busy with it. “La Lucha,” formerly Weyler’s organ, but admittedly the most influential daily newspaper in Cuba, re- fused to see good in autonomy, and every day suggests fresh embarrassments. San Miguel, its free-lance editor, apparently can find no half-way house between un- curbed Spanish domination and annexation to the United States. ‘‘La Lucha” com- pares the reformistos who are supporting autonomy to rats who smell @he cheese in the cupboard. It is a hit at their eager- ness to take office under the new regime, and at the reported ambition of Marques de Rabell, the head of the party, to be a mem- ber of the Cuban cabinet. The palace can suppress adverse expressions of newspaper opinion as relentlessly as Weyler did. An edition of “Don Quixote,” the Spanish il- lustrated paper, was confiscated because of unfriendly pictures. The excitement over the heavy hand that was laid on the print- ers who were charged with reprinting the Weyler circular has not yet fully abated, though that is an ancient event, having happened ten days ago. But while hostile press sentiment may be kept in bounds by methods such as these, favorable sentiment cannot be created. Captain General Blanco has made progress in unifying the forces which were predisposed to autonomy. He has placed the machinery for its practical application in readiness. What is still lack- ing is the hearty support of the Spanish class as 4 whole. Progress in creating the favorable public opinion to which this class will bow is slow. The Powder Box Element. The volunteers remain the powder box element. The suggestions not to drop the lighted match in the magazine are heard with unpleasant repetiticn. They carry the feeling ‘that when the lighted match is dropped something will explode. The vol- unteers number 20,000. The captain gen- eral has not that many effective regular troops in the neighborhocd of Havana. Having heard the mutterings, I have found myself, while watching the early drill of the volunteers, asking the question that ' (Continued on Eighth Page.) SPAIN PREPARES FOR WAR Getting Ready to Meet President McKinley's Threat to Intervene. Tone of the Madrid Press is Decided- ly Hostile to the United Staten, MADRID, December 9.—The Imparcial Says today that it takes for granted that the government will make the necessary Preparations to “mect the intervention threatened by President McKinley,” add- ing: “If the new loan for the reorganiza- tion of the navy is floated it is sure to succeed." In conclusion the Imparcial fays: “The responsibility of the government is enor- mous if it fails to profit by the opportunity offered to place the country in a position to defend its interests.” The ministerial Globo confirms the re- ports that the government is “making prep aratious to meet the threats of intery tio ———— PROSPECTS OF ANNEXATION. They Are Good Even Though the Hawalian Treaty Fails. The exceeding urfertainty about there be- ing two-thirds of the Senate in favor of the ratification of the Hawaiian treaty renders the attitude of the House foreign affairs committee toward annexation a matter of great importance. There seems to be no good grounds for a doubt that a large majority of the members of the House are in favor of annexation, Just as there is such a majority in the Senate. Speaker Reeed being opposed to annexa- tion, his opposition, if it were his intention to put it into a concrete form, would first appear in the committee, and it might then be very doubtful whether an anne Joint resolution could be got from the com- mittee. The usual method of smothering things in the House is through the commit- tees, where many a measure has been buried. Speaker Reed's influence with his committees is great, not that they fear him, but because they respect him, and a Suggestion from him causes hesitancy and delay, if not acquiescenc The attitude of the foreign affairs com- mitt n this matter, therefore, confirn the statement that Mr. Reed is not using the power of his position to antagonize an- hexation. At the meeting of that commit- tee today the subcomunittees were ap- pointed by the chairman. The subcommit- tee in charge of the Hawaiian matter are Ar, Hitt, the chairman; Mr. Smith and Mr. Dinsmore. The two r are in fa- vor of annexation, a nate fails to ratify the treaty, by reason of the sup- port falling just below the necessary tw thirds, a joint resolution providing for an- rexation will be promptly reported, and will be pressed for action in the Hou: 5 tules of the House’ are such that actio any matter depends much upon fav action by the commiltee on rules in giving it time for consideration. There Mr. Reed’= opposition might manifest itself if it were aggressive, but one of the least probable things is that he would deny the considera- uon of this subject, for which there is a general demand. The prospects are, there- fore, that even though the treaty fails of ratification by the Senate, annexation wili be accomplished through ‘the joint action of the two houses and the President, with no more than the opposition which comes from individuals and the opposition of the lobby. ——___—_—_+-e+__+__ NAMING REVENUE CUTTERS. Indialn Tribes Adopted as the Baxis by the Treasury Department. A new system of naming vessels in the revenue cutter service has been approved by Secretary Gage and adopted by the Treasury Department. The system went into effect yesterday with the launching of the new cutter Algonquin at Cleveland, Ohio. This vessel is to do duty on the great lakes. Captain Shoemaker, the head of the rev- enue cutter service, several years ago call ed the attenticn of the Secretary of t Treasury to the lack of a system in nam- ing these naiional vessels. He mentioned that the cld system was to name them after secretaries, senators, clerks, etc. Captain Shoemaker again brought the mat- ler to the attention of Secretary Gage soon after that official entered upon his duties. Captain Shoemaker said that he did not think it exactly proper to name vessels “Smith,” “Jones” or “Brown,” and sug- gested a number of names of well-known American Indian tribes. He thought that would give the vessels of the service cis tinetive names which would be appreciated by the country and the officers and men of the service. Upon approving Algonquin was selected by Secretary the _ sugzestions, as the name of the first vessel built. This is to be followed by the Onondaga. In the years to come other names will be chosen, and in the course of ten years many pre’ revenue cutters will be carrying the names of the proudest, fiercest and bravest of the American Indian tribes. It has not been decided whether any of the vessels in the service will be renamed Captain Shoemaker would oppose changing the names of the Bear or Grant or Perry or Corwin. These vessels have rendered ccnspicuous service, and are known from one end of the country to the other. One vessel in the service is named “Smith” and another “Sperry.” The first was named after a former assistant secretary of the treasury and the latter after the private secretary of Secretary Folger. —__-2-_____—__ CAYUGA ISLAND EXPOSITION. Its Scope Explained to South and Central American Repres tives. The ministers and charges of the Latin American republics were the guests of Mr. William E. Curtis at the Arlington last night, and met at dinner the directors of the pan-American exposition which is to be held on Cayuga Island, near Niagara Falls, in 1899. All the American republics and Hawaii were represented except Peru, ‘Dr. Eguiguren, the Peruvian minister, be- ing out of the city. The other guests were Secretary Bliss, Assistant Secretaries Adee and Cridler, Mr. Bryan of the bureau of American ‘republics, and Prof. Wilson, di- rector of Philadelphia museums. After dinner Mr. W. Caryl Ely, director general of the pan-American exposition, explained the plan and scope of that enter- prise in an informal manner. Besides Di- rector General Ely the guests from abroad were President John M. Brinker, Treasurer F. C. M. Lautz, Secretary R. C. Hill and Directors Sheehan and Pierce. + Military Cadets Appointed. Cadet appointments at the Military Acad- emy have been announced ag follows: Charles H. Jennings. South Windham, Conn.; Harold S. Hetrick, Canterbury, Conn.; John F. Frankiin, Flat Gap, Tenn.; Channing E. Baker, Gloversville, N. Y.; Smith Newman (alternate), Mechanics- ville, N. ¥.; Frank W. Bradford, Winches- ter, Ohio; H. M. Cooper, Beehive, Ga.; J. D. Pullen (alternate), McRae, Ga. —_—_—___o-—___ Given a Medal of Honor. A medal of honor has been presented to Benjamin F. Hilliker, 314 Rock street, Los Angeles, Cal., formerly field musician, Com- ‘pany A, 8th’ Wisconsin Infantry, for most Advertising is not an expense. It is a business investment. If you_want to invest your money profitably you will therefore put your advertisements in such a paper as The Evening Star, that is read regularly and thoroughly by everybody ‘worth reaching. The Star is the recognized household and family journal of the National Capital, and has no rival as an advertising med- ium. MR.CANNON'S APPEAL ips He Warns His Colleagues Against Extravagant Appropriations, - ESTIMATES FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR The House Takes Up the Pension Bill. ee A HAWAIIAN ETITION secre The House of Representative Gown to sericus work. Re; y Simpson (Kan.) was in his se first time this session, greeted by his colleague: After some preliminary House went into committee of the whole, Mr. Payne (N. Y.) in the chair, for the consideration of the pension appropriation bill, which was reported y today got ative Jer- t for the nd was warmly business the The dil! carrjes $141, , of which $1,121,830 are for fees of examining sur- geons laries of agents, clerk hire and the other items for the pension laws. Mr. W. A pill, explained execution of the Stone (Pa.), in charge of the the different items. ‘plus Instead of Detic Mr. Stone then yielded to Mr. Cannon, chairman of the committee on appropria- tions, who took occasion to make a general statement of the estimates submitted by the Secretary of the Treasury for the pub- lic service of 181 for the purpose, he sald, of disabusing the minds of mem country of a th a com 030,000. act the Ce he pointed lled to esti? mate this y r for $45,400,000 of river and harbor werk, $33,000,000 of which had not been authorized ww. If this sum, not heretofore includ the ere deducted th plus of $8.0 Last year the estimaced deficit under the Under the th last tariff act was S46,000.0W. If the $17,000,000 river and har work for which the government then stood bound had been included the estima deficit would have been $63,000,000. Mr. Cannon aid itn pension th the « for 18M would e3 > commissioner of expendi 1 prove to th wouid nditures for 1 the i $140, 00 ill pay all pe for the first eleven months of the fiscal year and a deficiency appropriation could be easily made. In conclusion, Mr. Cannon solemnly warned the House that large anticipatory impertations would keep the nues under the pr law down to the minimum, and he 1 to his col- leagues to see to it “that, while the pub- lic service was suffic supplied with money, not one dollar is appropriated which is not absolutely ne z to the rterests of the public service.” ment of Mr. Cannon was warm- on the republican side. n (Miss.) attacked Mr. Cannon's statement in a speech that set the House into a roar of laughter. He commended Mr. Cannon’s appeal for economy, but avowed that the figures of chairman of the »propriations did not do the situation jus- tice. He produced figures that showed an estimated deficit for the next year of $72, (0,000. He referred to the increase in the pension roll under the present administra- tion and ridiculed the idea of a decrease unless the late increase was to be attrib- uted to the of the recent cam- paign in Ohio. He read from Commissi mony predicting 1 $14,000,000 in pe the next fiscal not_yet been reached. “This question of the maximum of the pension roll,” observed Mr. Allen, “is one of the things chat has protracted my stay in Congress. When I first came here they were talking of the maximum. I stayed ten or fifteen years to it, but it has hot yet come, and I guess I'll have to come back again.” (Laughter.) Mr. Allen attacked the Dingley law as @ revenue producer, picturing the intense anxiety of the chairman of the ways and means committee at the extra session to ket a bill on the statute books that would strike a balance between the receipts and expenditures, end predicting another season of anxtety on Mr. Dingicy’s t next spring at ancther extra session calied for mer Evans’ testi- jations committee, of from $8,000,000 to expenditures during The maximum had the same purnose. Mr. Allen then seriously criticised some of the classes of pensions granted. In conclusion, he spol this great tax burden placer ple of the south, who were. relentlessly burdened by the and 4%g-cent cotton. Mr. DeArmond (Mo.) followed with some additional criticism of some of the classes on the pension rolls. When Mr. Lacey concluded Mr. again got the floor and disciaimed a tention of attacking the federal soldiers on the pension rolls. But he said he could not but marvel at the fact that 976,000 names were now on the rolls, and that there were 00,000 applications in the pension office. There had been but 2,200,000 men in the federal army, and he was reminded of a meeting between an ex-confederate and an ex-federal at a blue and gray reunion. They were felicitating themselves on the lisappearance of all hostility. ‘If there should be another war,” said the ex-federal, “we will be standing shoulder to shoulder under one flag. “We will, but you won't,” retoried the ex- confederate. “What do you mean?” federal. “Legally, you are disabled.” (Laughter). Mr. Allen gave notice that he would offer amendments to pronibit the granting of a pension to a widow whose application was not filed during her widowhood, to prohibit the pension of widows who had not married prior to the passage of this act, and to strike from the rolls the names of all per- manently insane or hapless children who had reached their majority. SENATE. In the Senate today Mr. Hoar (Mass.) secured unanimous consent, which, under the rule, was necessary, for the presenta- tion of a petition signed by 21,269 native Hawalians, protesting against the annexa- tion of Hawaii. The Senate agreed to adjourn until Mon- day next. Mr. Davis secured the adoption of a reso- lution directing the Secretary of the Treas- ury to inform the Senate what changes, if any, had been made wd the plans of the St. Paul post office building. Mr. MeBride (Oreg ) presented and aske@ for immediate consideration of a joint reso- lution for the relief of American miners and other sufferers in the valley of the Yukon and its tributaries. The resolution authorizes the Secretary 6f War to trans- port supplies to the suffering miners and provides that not more than $250,000 be ap- propriated to carry out the purposes of the resolution. It went over on objection. A resolution was offered by Mr. Chandler CN. H.) and referred to the committee on. naval affairs, providing for an investiga- tion of the question of dry docks and naval stations. > of the hardships on the peo- he said, being gold standard Allen asked the ex-