Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1898-12-20
Current Topics.
Mckinley Perplexed Over the
Philippine Question.
Morgan's Canal Bill.


tirely too smart for the busybodies VIII
have been working SO hard to make tina
adjourned democratic caucus cat an
dog fight that would have resulted i
encouraging faction and otherwise in
p juring the democratic party. The eau
Gus was held, and there was no fight a
all. On the contrary. the meeting wa
entirely harmonious and not even an,
show of hard feelings was indulged in b.
anybody. According to the rule govern
ing democratic caucuses, no action coul.
be taken upon anything except the reso
luton, offered at the caucus held las
June, providing that an Affirmative vot'
OF two-thirds OF a caucus snould mak'
caucus action binding upon the who'll
body, except in cases where individual
have pledged their word or been in
structed by their conventions to the con
trary. This resolution was adopted with
ont opposition. There was no talk il
the caucus about the party policy to bt
persued at the coming session.
The bill prepared by General Miles foi
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 ad
minstration and by the republican lead
ers in the House, and is: unless present
plans are changed, to be put through the
House before lhe Christmas recess. The
democrats are opposed to keeping the
. volunteers in service until the Army Re
organization Bill becomes a law, as pro
posed by tue administration, but their
protests. will not it is feared, change the
programme, because the desire to get the
volunteers mustered out is counted upon
to help get the votes needed to authorize
the increase Of the regular army to 1OO,-
600 men. The House Military Commit
tee as fayorably reported resolution
offered by Representative Hay of Vir.
oinia, asking the Secretary OF War to in
form the House what towns in Cuba
Porto iiep, ihu iit l. hihPp''"0 wa
have to be garrisoned by U. s. troops,
the number of troops for each town and
the number that will be required at
home.
The Philippine problem is giving the
republicans no end of trouble. Gen
Grosyenor, of Ohio, is not timid man
in handling political questions, but he
acknowledged himself at n loss what to
do with this one when he said, after DIS
enssing several of the propositions tha'
have been made to get rid OF the isiands; ;
"For my part, ] wish the Philippines
were q the bottom of the sea- Mr.. Nc
Kinley has allowed it to become known
TO his party leaders that he has no am
biiion TO lead in a Philippine pohcy, but
will he perfectly satisfied to follow any
policy that promises to be IN accord WIN
public sentiment with preference that II
should be one that will enable us To get
OF the Philippines, if il be possible to do
s, without laying this country open 10
the charge OF trafiicing in human liberty.
for profit and without causing war
There is reason for saying that If 1t had
10 be done over again, Mr.. Mckinley
would not demand possession OF the
Philippines, and would save the S2o,ooo,-
600 which we must pay Spain for some
thing we do not know what to do with.
But that sort of hind sight doesn't help
the situation one bit.
The Naval clique that has been trying
70 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 IL
was discovered that Hobson was just the
man needed TO superintend the repairs
ON the Spanish gun boats sunk by Dew
oy IN Manila bay, which hnve been rais-
ed and sent to Hong Kong, under con
tract made by Dewey. Hobson tried to
oa, a short leave of absence to attend to
some private matters, before going SO Tar
AWAY. but il was fused him and he was
given peremptoraIy orders to leave Tor
Hong Kong on the steamer that sails
from San Francisco, Christmas eve.
The proposition, that England and the
United States jointly build and control
the Nicaragua Canal, has not met with
any marked favor in Congress. The
Morgan Bill, by which the United States
will own a controlling interest in the
Company which will build the Canal.
guaranteeing therefor Sl00,000,0OO OF
the Company's bonds, to be issued ut the
discretion of the President, is now before
the Senate, with the right of way. sen
ator Morgan. its author, says il Will pass
bv big majority Democrats generally
would prefer that the Canal be built di-
rectly by this government and owned b!
it. but it is not regarded as party ques
ton. and each democratic Senator vii
vote in accordance with his individual
views. What the House will do VIII
this bill will depend largely npon The at
titude OF the administration towards 1t
an attitude not vet clearly defined. nj
though Mr.. Mckinley is committed II
favor Of building the Canal.
Two resolutions for Congressional II
yestigation of the war have been Offered
one by Senator Vest, and the other b
Representative Sulzer, but there Is httl
probability that eithor will be adopted.