President McKinley’s Policy
March 6, 1897
Summary
The Planet analyzes President McKinley’s future political stances and Cuban policies before his inauguration.
Transcription
(From our Regular Correspondent)
Washington, March 1, 1897.
Senator Sherman has said enough to let all the world know what the Cuban policy of President McKinley will be. To boil it down, President McKinley purposes to let the Spaniards and Cubans fight it out without taking sides, and let both understand that American Citizenship has got to be respected, something that has not been done under Cleveland-Olney Cuban policy. Such a policy would have prevented the exciting scenes in Congress cause by the treatment which Spain has been allowed to give American citizens in Cuba.
In Congress
If Congress fails to dispose of all appropriation bills, it will not be the fault of the House, which passed the last of them several days ago. The Senate has been in an ugly mood since the Cuban excitement last week, which was so suddenly brought to a close by a deal between the Secretary Olney and Spain, which resulted in the pardon of Julio Sanguily just as the Senate was about to adopt a resolution demanding his unconstitutional release. Senator Sherman’s announcement that American citizens everywhere would be protected under President McKinley’s administration also had a quieting effect, but the ugly temper of the Senate has come to the surface in a number of personal wrangles over unimportant matters.
Inauguration
Washington begins inauguration week full of visitors and with every arriving train bringing more, and the decorations already in place make it certain that it will present a much handsomer and more artistic appearance that it has ever done before. The stands along Pennsylvania avenue, from which the parade will be viewed, are much handsomer than usual, just as the prices for seats are much higher than usual, ranging from $5 for the best to $1.00 for the rear seats in the stands. There are seats for about 50,000 in all the stands and the present demand indicates that they will be occupied, but those who see the parade from seats will hardly be one-tenth of the total number of spectators.
Many prominent men, including Chairman Hanna, and four members of President McKinley’s Cabinet are already in Washington, and the corridors of the principal hotels remind one of scenes at a National Convention.
John Wedderburn, who figured in the Courts as the defendant in a suit brought by W. R. Hearst, in connection with the Examiner Claims Company, both of which Wedderburn originated and both of which are now dead, has run up against an official snag in the conduct of the business of John Wedderburn & Co, and filed then with the Post Office Department, for conducting a fraudulent business, and asking that a fraud order be issued by the Post Office Department against Wedderburn & Co, and that the National Recorder, a paper published by them shut out of the mails for fraud.
How much those who were saying a few days ago how strong the opposition in the House was to the bill authorizing President McKinley to call a monetary conference or to appoint delegates to one called by another country, knew about the state of feeling towards the bill, may be inferred from the vote by which it was passed, 279 to 3.
Senator Burrows believes, notwithstanding the address issued by the silver republicans last week, and the positive assertion of Senator DuBois to the contrary, that they will vote with the republicans for the tariff bill. Speaking on the subject Mr. Burrows said: “I have every reason to believe that while these gentlemen have announced themselves as silver republicans, they will co-operate with their colleagues of the republican party on this line, and when we have secured such legislation as will supply the Treasury with necessary revenue for the Government support, it will be time enough to take up the silver question. I suppose this proclamation of the silver party has reference more particularly to the campaign of 1900 and I confidently believe that before that time the county will be in such a state of prosperity that the silver question will not be able to engage to any extent the attention of the public.”
There was a general feeling of relief when it was announced that the Senate Committee on Public Lands, had, after investigating the matter, reported that the Land patent issued to Mr. Perrine, the step-father of Mrs. Cleveland was issued in accordance with law and precedents controlling such matters.
Representative Murray’s request for an investigation of the last election in S.C., has been referred to the next House as an important matter demanding consideration of Congress.
Washington, March 1, 1897.
Senator Sherman has said enough to let all the world know what the Cuban policy of President McKinley will be. To boil it down, President McKinley purposes to let the Spaniards and Cubans fight it out without taking sides, and let both understand that American Citizenship has got to be respected, something that has not been done under Cleveland-Olney Cuban policy. Such a policy would have prevented the exciting scenes in Congress cause by the treatment which Spain has been allowed to give American citizens in Cuba.
In Congress
If Congress fails to dispose of all appropriation bills, it will not be the fault of the House, which passed the last of them several days ago. The Senate has been in an ugly mood since the Cuban excitement last week, which was so suddenly brought to a close by a deal between the Secretary Olney and Spain, which resulted in the pardon of Julio Sanguily just as the Senate was about to adopt a resolution demanding his unconstitutional release. Senator Sherman’s announcement that American citizens everywhere would be protected under President McKinley’s administration also had a quieting effect, but the ugly temper of the Senate has come to the surface in a number of personal wrangles over unimportant matters.
Inauguration
Washington begins inauguration week full of visitors and with every arriving train bringing more, and the decorations already in place make it certain that it will present a much handsomer and more artistic appearance that it has ever done before. The stands along Pennsylvania avenue, from which the parade will be viewed, are much handsomer than usual, just as the prices for seats are much higher than usual, ranging from $5 for the best to $1.00 for the rear seats in the stands. There are seats for about 50,000 in all the stands and the present demand indicates that they will be occupied, but those who see the parade from seats will hardly be one-tenth of the total number of spectators.
Many prominent men, including Chairman Hanna, and four members of President McKinley’s Cabinet are already in Washington, and the corridors of the principal hotels remind one of scenes at a National Convention.
John Wedderburn, who figured in the Courts as the defendant in a suit brought by W. R. Hearst, in connection with the Examiner Claims Company, both of which Wedderburn originated and both of which are now dead, has run up against an official snag in the conduct of the business of John Wedderburn & Co, and filed then with the Post Office Department, for conducting a fraudulent business, and asking that a fraud order be issued by the Post Office Department against Wedderburn & Co, and that the National Recorder, a paper published by them shut out of the mails for fraud.
How much those who were saying a few days ago how strong the opposition in the House was to the bill authorizing President McKinley to call a monetary conference or to appoint delegates to one called by another country, knew about the state of feeling towards the bill, may be inferred from the vote by which it was passed, 279 to 3.
Senator Burrows believes, notwithstanding the address issued by the silver republicans last week, and the positive assertion of Senator DuBois to the contrary, that they will vote with the republicans for the tariff bill. Speaking on the subject Mr. Burrows said: “I have every reason to believe that while these gentlemen have announced themselves as silver republicans, they will co-operate with their colleagues of the republican party on this line, and when we have secured such legislation as will supply the Treasury with necessary revenue for the Government support, it will be time enough to take up the silver question. I suppose this proclamation of the silver party has reference more particularly to the campaign of 1900 and I confidently believe that before that time the county will be in such a state of prosperity that the silver question will not be able to engage to any extent the attention of the public.”
There was a general feeling of relief when it was announced that the Senate Committee on Public Lands, had, after investigating the matter, reported that the Land patent issued to Mr. Perrine, the step-father of Mrs. Cleveland was issued in accordance with law and precedents controlling such matters.
Representative Murray’s request for an investigation of the last election in S.C., has been referred to the next House as an important matter demanding consideration of Congress.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Brian Schrott
Citation
“President McKinley’s Policy,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1133.