The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-09-23
Washington Letter.
From our regular correspondent.

u / rum our reg uldt CbIISoponuGHi
t WASHINGTON, Sept. 1918 Mr.. McKinle
preparing to throw Secretary Agar overheard
Many persons think so. Secretary Alger is Il
only member of the Cabinet who was NJ
specially summoned to Washington to partic
pate i'll the extended consideration and discus
sion of the instructions given to the America
} Peace Commission previous to their departur
| for Paris. 1t is asserted that this public snu
was administered TO Alger as a hint that hi
| resignation of the War Portfolio would be &C
| ceptable to the administration. Another reaso
given for not having Alger in Washington jus
now is that Mr.. Mckinley wished the othe
members of the Cabinet to feei free in express
ing themselves about the intended investigated
OF the War Department, which would hay,
been impossible with the Secretary of Wa
present. MIR. Mckinley is said to be fully con
WINGED now that the investigation will result il
hndlng AIger guilty of some of the graves
charges that have been made against him, anC
to be fully determined TO do nothing to SHIELD
Alger. Some say that he has been brought tC
this state of mind by evidence laid before hin
by military men; others that it is the result OF
| the existing panic among the Republican man.
ayers over the outlook tor Democratic success
| in the Congressional campaign. and their in
| sistence that something ne done at once to
| counteract the wave of Indignation that is
sweeping over tine country as Il result of the
! knowledge OF the unnecessary hardships and
deaths among the volunteers. If Mr.. Mckinley
| will really try 10 assist the Investigation Com.
mission, which will shortly get to work. by
officially stating his wish that all army officers
asked to testify shall tell everything they know
aboutthe mismanagemento of the war the truth
may be got at, Notwithstanding the Commits
son's lack of legal authority to compel wit
nesses TO testify.
1t is said that Gen. Scofield's refusal to serve
as member of the Investigating Commission
resulted in a stormy scene between him and
Mr.. Mckinley. 1t is certain that when Gen.
Scotfeld left the White House, after he had
finally and positively declined to serve on the
Commission the old gentleman was in tower
ing passion.
There is much speculation in Washington
concerning the nature of the instructions given
our Peace Commissioners, and the belief is
growing that the instructions were not specific.
further than to demand possession of the island
of Luzon, and that everything else was left to
be determined by circumstances, after the
Commission meets, and there is an opportunity
to learn the attitude of the Spanish Commits
sioners. In any event, it is certain that Mr.
MsKinley does not intend, if he can prevent it,
that the position of the administration shall
become known until after the Congressional
election. If he was certain, as he claims to be-
that the policy of the administration would be
Endorsed by the people, he would be only too
glad to announce that policy before the Con.
gressional election.
Senator Quay came over to Washington to
pull few administration wires that he homes
will aid him in his fight for reelection. He
admits that the present is the strongest fight
ever put up against him, and leaves it to be in
ferred that he is far from being certain of win
ming. His opponents have been smart enough
not to mention candidate against him and TO
adopt the motto of Anybody to beat Ousy."
leaving the question of who shall he the CAN
didate to be settled after an anti QUAY Legisla
ture has been elected. The administration is,
as matter of rule, helping Quay to a certain
extent, but Mr.. Mckinley wouldn't do auy
worrying if Quay was beaten, provided. of
course, that his successor was Wanamaker or
some other Republican. Quay has made Mr.
Mckinley feel his power too often to be cor
daily liked by him.
That the competition between the big ship
yards of the country is largely imaginary
when it comes to bidding for the construction
of ships for the government, was demonstrated.
as usual, when the bids were opened for the
construction of three battle-ships, the Maine
the Ohio and the Missouri. The contracts have
been given at practically the same figures to
the Union Iron Works, San Francisco; VIM
Cramp & Sons, and the Newport News Com
pany, each TO construct one of these battle
ships, all of which are TO have speed of ISL.
knots.
Some of the Connecticut Republicans who
helped defeat John Addison Porter for nomi.
nation for Governor are not disposed to let the
matter end there, but are trying TO get Porter
ousted from his position of Secretary to the
President Porter says he will not resign. 1t
remains to be seen whether his enemies are
strong enough to get hin dismissed