Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) That Mr. MeKinley has become somewhat alarmed by the harsh criticism of Gen. Otis, by the press of the couniry, regardless of party, is shown by the semiofficial announcement that Gens. Lawton and MacArthur, who are said to be slated for the vacancies in the regular army, made by the retirement of Brigadier General Sh.ifter, and the death of Brigadier General Guy V. Henry, who Was buried today at Arlington, with military honors, are to have practically independent commands in the coming campaign on the island of Luzon. That is to say, they are to carry out the general plan of campaign as arranged by Gen. Otis, but are to be left independent as to the movements of their respective commands while in the field, and free to do as they may think best, without having to first get the consent of Gen. Otis.

The administration is bending every effort towards counteracting the adverse sentiment against its Philippine policy, which it realizes is increasing. The Philippine Commission, which met in Washington, to-day, has been ordered to hurry a preliminary report in favor of the administration policy, so it can be put before the public at once. ' Members of the Commission present are Admiral Dewey, Col. Denby, Prof. Schurman and Prof. Worcester. The meetings are held with closed doors. t f Gen. Fitz Lee is in Washington, on his way home from Cuba, on leave of absence. His position in the army keeps his mouth closed as to conditions in Cuba, but he tells his friends privately that there is an awful mix-up on the island, and his manner indicates that he could tell some interesting things if he were at liberty to do so.

John Sherman has been talking again, and what he said made ic evident that the old man had neither lost interest in Ohio politics nor the faculty of properly sizing up the situation in that state. Mr. Shermau predicts a republican defeat, because of the opposition of the German voters to the foreign policy of the administration, of which he said: “It cannot be sustained in morals and is in contravention to the American declaration of Independence, and the teachings of the brave men who signed that instrument,” and of the republican opposition to a continuation of Hanna’s leadership. Mr. Sherman didn’t say that he would be glad of republican defeat in Ohio, or that resentment of his own treatment by the Hanna-McKinley clique was responsible for the attitude of any of the republican voters, but there are some things that are fully understood without being said. t t

At the last meeting of the Washington branch of the Antiimperialist League, Gen; Wm. Birney, a life-long republican said: -‘lmperialism respects no law. To it the Congress is nothing, the Commander-in-Chief of the army everything. It disregards constitution and statutes and transfers all power to the Executive. The writ of habeas corpus does not exist in the imperial colonies. The prisons of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines are vocal with the cries of men who cannot be heard beyond the walls. Imperialism knows no limit, except the caprice of the Emperor. It has the sword, it will seize the purse. Nay, it has already defied the limitations imposed by Congress; it has expended two hundred millions where only 80 were appropriated. It has, without authority of law-, transported immense bodies of troops to the other side of the globe. It has built up an immense patronage in its control of military appointments. It has used this patronage for political purposes. Its influence is used to discredit all the fundamental doctrines of American institutions.” Another republican—Capt. O’Farrell —said: “We hear a good deal about the trade with the Philippines. It takes from a thousand to thirteen hundred dollars a day to coal each transport on the Pacific ocean between Ban Francisco and Manila. This coal is imported from Cardiff, Wales. The beef supplied to our troops and the potatoes and vegetables come from Australia. Many of the uniforms worn by our officers and men, in the Phillippines, are now manufactured in Hong-Kong, while the cost of our army and navy amounts to $650,000 per day. And the appropriation made by Congress for twelve months has been expended or wasted in five months. What a

payer ana workingman! t t Inquisitive persons are asking if Mr. McKinley’s coachman is considered to be m the classified sorvice? The reason for the question is that Mr. McKinly, having for some reason, tired of his old coachman, had him given a place in the Pension Bureau and then hired a new one. Both men are negroes. Men who have passed the civil service examination, with high percentages, are unable to get places, but Mr. McKinley’s coachman can get on the pay roll without any trouble. - f t The call of Boss Hanna’s Committee for contribution from the employes of the government in Washington, for use in Ohio, is panning out big. The failure of the administration and of the civil service Commission to make any effective move against the employes contributing, frightened the clerks and they are putting up their money more freely than was ever done in a state campaign since there was a law against political assessment of government employes, believing that their positions depend upon their contributing. /V