Washington Letter

Washington, D. ('., April I, 1895. President Cleveland has moved his family and his office out to "Woodley," liis suburban residence, and wil] only be at the White House on the days the cabinet meets - twice a week - for sorae time tocóme. This will give hini an opportunity to dispose of a number of minor matters which he could not find time to get at as long as he was accessible to the personal callers who are nearly always on hand at the White House. The new ministry of Spain lost no time in proving tbat President Cleveland was correct in thinking that it would do the proper thing about the Allianca outrage, and there is littie doubt that the ) demanded by Secretary Gresham will in due time followthc explanatory communication already received. It is positively stated that a deal has been completed whereby the republican senators will get the votes of the populist senators and reorganize the senate as soon as congress meets. There is nothing surprising in this, as it was expected by everybody. One result of the deal will be to make John Sherman chairman of the finance committee. Think of the populists helping to do that. Rumor says the supreme court will decide the income tax unconstitutional, and even gives the position of each of the eight justices sitting - Justice Jackson has been too ill to take any part in the present term - on the case. There is, of course, no raethod of ascertaining the truth or falsity of the rumor, which is believed or disbelieved according to the wishes of the expresser of the opinión. While officials of the government would prefer that the ta stand, they say that an adverse decisión will not make an extra session of congress absolutely necessary, unless there should be another run on the treasury gold. Ex-Senator Mahone is now at the head of a scheme having tor its object the political control of Virginia. There is nothing new or startling iu the idea. It is merely a reproduction of the republican-populist combine which has temporarily knocked out the democratie party of North Carolina. Virginia democrats who come to Washington say there would be nothing to fear in the movement even if it were nót led by Mahone, but with him at its head it is bound to fail because the few influential repubücans of the state have had all they wanted of Mahone long ago, and they hate populism quite as bad as they do Mahoneism. While Secretary Herbert when he planned the route over which Admiral Meade's squadron will sail during the month of April had no idea that Great Britain would send that ultimatum to littie Nicaragua, neither he nor President Cleveland regrets that the squadron will reach Greytown, Nicaragua, about the middle of the monrh. On the contrary, they rejoice at the coincidence which will place such formidable American war vessels as the New York, Minneapolis, Columbia, Atlanta, Raleigh and Cincinnati in Nicaraguan waters at the time that Great Britain will probably be making a demonstration of force to frighten the littie Central American republic into complying with its demands as to the payment of extortionate indemnity, etc. It will show John Buil that the admistration not only meant business when it recently told him that the Monroe doctrine was still in force and must be respected by him, but that it is prepared to demand respect for the Monroe doctrine at the cannon's mouth if it is not peacefully accorded. No one here seems to know what Nicaraugua will do, but the hope is expressed on all sides that it will politely decline to acceed to the unjust demandsof Great Britain. "Uncle Jerry," the smiling "nigger" who has been janitor of the white house "sence Gin'ral Grant's time," is the happiest "coon" in Washington. We has celebrated his silver wedding, and the following distinguished friends sent souvenirs of the happy event : President and Mrs. Cleveland, one dozen silver spoons; Mrs. U. S. Grant, a silver butter knife; Mrs. Sartoris, a silver cream pitcher; Secretary and Mrs Carlisle, a silver sugar dish; Secretary and Mrs. Lamont, ten silver dollars, not to mention the gifts sent by private citizens. But what tickled "llncle Jerry" more than everything else was the attendance at the reception, held by himself and wife, of Postmaster General and Mrs. Bissell, Secretary and Mrs. Lamont and their children, and private secretary and Mrs. Thurber and their children, and a host of minor government officials. When the United States government sends, as it will at an early date in compliance with an act of Congress, its own engineers to officially inspect the route of the proposed Nicaragua canal, it serves notice to all concerned that it propeses to control that canal when it is constructed.