The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-05-13
I1 A g..
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our regular correspondent

tue present one mas Deen IL WIS
expected that Commodore Dewey
would win victory with the Asiatic
squadron, but he exceeded expecta-
tioas by wiping out the whole Span
ish fleet. capturing Manila, and prac
tically the whole group of Philippine
Islands, victory that writes his
name high up on the roll of the worlds
naval heroes, and that will make the
battle Of Manila harbor figure in song
and story as long as brave deeds are
honored among men, and that has
already given him an admirals flag.
The official report of the battle of
Manila harbor has been received, and
it is report of which every Ameri-
can has right to be proud. 1t will
be received all over the world as an
unanswerable tribute to the fighting
quality of American sailors, and it's
effect will be seen for years to come
in increased respect and Difference
paid to the stars and stripes by all
foreign nations.
Commodore Dewey's victory is not
the only cause for rejoicing in Wash
ington. 1t is known that orders
have been issued. the exact nature of
which is known to few but which it
would be both injudicious and unpa-
patriotic to make public now. which
there is every reason to believe Will
result in as crushing blow to the
power of Spain as was the loss of its
Asiatic fleet and of the Philippine
Islands. There is a general feeling
that the fighting is to be pushed now
Il, ard the war fought to speedy and
victorious close. That is certainly
the intention of the administration
and of Congress. Porto Rico, Cuba.
the Spanish navy, all are marked as
our prey.
The Postmaster General issued n
very significant order this week. 1t
provides for tae establishment of
postal service in the Cuban port first
occupied by the United States, and
appointed u special agent 70 organize
the service. and that special agent
has been authorized upon his arrival
with the mail at such port in Cuba
as may first be occupied by the United
States, to rent suitable quarters for
hapdling the mails, if they cannot
be furnished free by the military au.
thoritics.
Orders have been issued requirin q
all army officers to wear the uniform
of their rank at the places where they
=, ,may-bes- stationed sta These orders will
facilitate the business Of the War and
Navy Department in various ways,
and will be of much service to busi
ness men having dealings with those
departments by enabling them to
know the difference between the Of
ficers attached to those departments
and the civilian employees at Il glance.
1t will also save army and navy of,
fcers who are unknown to the en-
ployes whose duty it is to watch
every person who enters the building
the annoyance of being held up until
IuSN nave DCcll
Tie Senate Finance committee
gave Secretaries Gage. Long, and
Alger impossible tasks to perform in
asking them to furnish the committee
with accurate estimates OF what the
war will cost. The best that any
man can do is to guess, owing to the
uncertainty ms to the length of the
war. Secretary Cages guess was
that the war expenses for the fiscal
year beginning July |. next. pro-
wided, of course, that the war con
times that long. would he about
S30O,0C0.000: Secretary Algcr
thought about half Of that would be
needed by the War Department. aud
Secretary Long said he would do
some figuring before submitting his
guess. $l+O,000,0O0 will have been
spent on account of tn" war before
5uly /. Meanwhile the Finance
committee is trying to agree on the
report to be made on the war revenue
Mill passed by the House last week.
An agreement may be reached at
any time. but it viii not be surprising
if the bill is not reported to the Sen.
ate until next week. The clause for
the issue of bonds is being bitterly
fought, but it is the opinion both of
its opponents and supporters that it
will be left in the bill.
The President doubtless offended
few people prominent in the politi-