Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1898 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) Two resolutions for Congressional investigation of the war have been offiered, one by Senator Vest, and the other by Representative Sulzer, but there is little probability that either will be adopted. The Naval clique that has been trying to keep Lieut. Hobson from receiving attention and deserved glory, ever since his return from a Spanish prison, has succeeded in getting him ordered out of the country for an indefinite period. It wasjdiscovered that Hobson was just the man needed to superintend the repairs on Spanish gun boats, sunk by Dewey in Manilla bay, which have been raised and sent to Hong Kong, under a contract made by Dewey. Hobson tried to get a short leave of absence to attend to some private matters, before going so far away, but it was refused him and he was given perI emptory orders to leave for Hong Kong on the steamer that sails I from San Francisco, Christmas eve.

The proposition, that England and the U. S. jointly build and ■ control the Nicaragua Canal, has not met with any marked favor in The Morgan Bill, by which the U. S. will own a con- ‘ trolling interest in the company j which will build the Canal, guaran teeing therefor, $100,000,000 of I the Company's bonds, to be issued at the discretion of the President, jis now before the Senate, with the j right of way. Senator Morgan, its author, says it will pass by a big ■majority. Democrats generally would prefer that the Canal be built directly by this government J and owned by it. but it is not regarded as a party question, and each democratic Senator will vote in accordance with his individual views. What the House will do with this bill will depend largely upon the attitude of the adminis- ! tration towards it—an attitude not ■ yet clearly defined, although Mr. McKinley is committed in favor of building the canal. • » * The democrats of the House | were entirely too smart for the busybodies who have been working so hard to make that adjourned ■ democratic caucus a cat and dog i fight that would have resulted in encouraging faction and other- ! wise injuring the democratic party, i The caucus was held, and there ! was no fight at all. On the contrary, the meeting was entirely harmonious and not even any show of hard feelings was indulged in by anybody. According to the rules governing democratic canj euses. no action could be taken upon anything except the resolution, offered at the caucus held last June, providing that an affirmative vote of two-thirds of a caujeus should make caucus action I binding upon the whole body, ex- ! cept in cases where individuals , have pledged their word or been instructed by their conventions to the c rntrary. This resolution was adopted without opposition. There was no talk in the caucus about the party policy to be pursued at thff present session. • * • The bill prepared by Gen. Miles for the reorganization of the army, has been introduced in Congress. but that is about as far as it will ever get, as the Hull bill, prepared largely under the direction of Secretary Alger, is backed by the administration and by the republican leaders in the House, and is, unless present plans are changed, to be put through the House before the Christmas recess. The democrats are opposed to keeping the volunteers in service until the Army reorganization bill becomes a law, as proposed by the administration, but their protests will not, it is feared, change the programme, because the desire to get the volunteers mustered out is upon to help get the votes needed to authorize the increase of the regular army to 100,000 men. The House Military Committee has favorably reported a resolution offered by Representative Hay of Virginia, asking the Secretary of War to inform the House w Hit towns in Cuba. Porto Rico, end 1 Philippines wi' b. ve to be ga rise ' ' < t xrv ‘he nc [bar v.. t g ‘ W” *■ ■' i the number u . /u be requin at home. . m *•* The Philippine probb in is giving the republicans no end of trouble. Gen. Grosvenor, of Oh i». is not a timid man handling political questions, but he acknowledged himself at a loss what to do with this one when he said, after discussing several of the propositions that have been made to get rid of the islands: “For my part. I wish the Philippine* wore in ♦’ ■» bottom of the sea.” Mr. McKley has allowed it to become known to his party leaders that he

has no ambition to lead in a Philippine policy, but will be perfectly satisfied to follow any policy that promises to be in accord with public sentiment, with preference that it should be one that will enable us to get rid of the Philippines, if it be possible to do so without laying this country open to the charge of trafficing in human liberty, for a profit, and without causing war., .There is reason for saying that if it had to be done over again, Mr. McKinley would not demand possession of the Philippines, and would save the $20,000,000 which we must pay Spain for something we do not know what to do with. But that sort of hind sight doesn’t help the situation one bit.