Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1898 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

An analysis of the members of the peacn commission is in the nature of a forecast of its probable action. The President’s closest political friend on the commission Day—does not believe in keeping more than a naval station in tha Philippines. Senator Gray supported Cleveland heartily in opposition to the annexation of Hawaii, and is believed to be opposed to all territorial expansion. These two will constitute the minority of the commission. Senators Davis and Frye will undoubtedly be in harmony with Whitelaw Reid, whose personal views and editorial expressions all favor the absolute retention of the whole Philippine group. * * * Gen. Flagler, chief of ordnance, ha» appointed a board of ordnance officers toexamine into the efficiency of modern army guns as show nby the war. It is the especial object of this board to determine the relative merits of the Springfield 45caliber rifle used by the volunteers and the 32-callber Krag-Jorgensen in use by the regular army. They will also carefully inquire into the efficiency of the Mauser rifle used by the Spanish and the field and siege guns with which Gen. Shafter bombarded Santiago. \ * * * No new legislation will be required‘toauthorize the payment of pensions to the soldiers w r ho were disabled in the Spanish war and the widow's of those who felll victims to bullets or fever. Commissioner Evans of the pension office has had prepared a statement showing that up to Sept. 2 there had been filed with his office a total of 246 claims for pension on account of this war. Of these 45 per cent are invalid pensions. The details are: Invalid, 110; widow, 61; minor, 2; mother, 49; father, 24. * *** * • ■ A cable message was received at WashC Ington from Havana stating that the* Spanish authorities absolutely refused to allow the Comal to land the provisions W'hich she carried for the starving inhabitants of'Cuba unless the full duty was paid. Secretary Alger thereupon ordered the duties upon the million rations to be paid and directed that they be distributed! under the supervision of the United States officers. * * * President McKinley has announced the names of his appointees on the industrial commission. They are: Andrew L. Harris of Ohio, S. N. D. North of Massachusetts, Frank P. Sargent of Illinois, Ellison A. Smythe of South Carolina, John M. Farquhar of New York, Eugene D. Conger of Michigan, Thomas W. Phillips of Pennsylvania, Chas. J. Harris of North Carolina and M. D. Ratchford of Indiana. ** * j There is considerable talk in the War Department of discharging from the service the entire volunteer army enlisted during the war, except those troops in Manila. Now that all the actual fighting is at an end the volunteers are clamoring to be mustered out and show no inclination so serve either in Cuba or Porto Rico as armies of occupation. * « t The President has made the following pormotions for distinguished services at Santiago: To be major generals Of volunteers —Brig. Gen. Wm. Ludlow and BrigGen. S. S. Sumner. To be brigadier generals—Col. Richard E. Comha, Fifth infantry, and Lieut. Col. Joseph T. Haskell, Seventeenth infantry. * * * A report from Constructor Capps at Ma>nila states that aside from the small gunboats w'hich have been raised and put into the service of Admiral Dewey, none of the Spanish ships of war engaged in the bat- . tie of Manila hay are likely to be raised. • * * Justice White of the United States Supreme Court finally declined the tender of a membership in the Spanish-American peace commission, and the position has been accepted by Senator Gray of Delaware. , * * * Many impecunious people appear at the White House, but they never succeed in seeing the President. Frequently they are arrested, and sometimes are found to be dangerous cranks. * * • Secretary Alger has appointed Maj. Gen. Ludlow, Col. Hecker of Detroit and Maj. Rivers to reorganize the department, of transportation of the army. * * * The fifty Brown segmental tube wire guns ordered by the Government for the artillery service will cost something over $500,000.