The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-04-28

Washington, April 27-Congress has
formally declared war to exist be-
tween the United States and Spain,
the senate passed the naval appropria-
ton bill carrying large amounts Of
money for the Improvement of our
sea fighting arm of the federal service,
the Hull army reorganization bill was
passed by the senate and now goes to
conference, Secretary Sherman re-
signed as chief Of the state depart
ment to be succeeded by Assistant Sec
rotary Day and the latter by John +.
Moore of New York, an acknowledged
authority on international law, and
the war department called on the sew
eral states for their quota to the vol
unteer army Of the United States.
These make up the important events
of the day.
1t was not announced when Secre-
tary Sherman's resignation would take
effect, the secretary having yielded
his original idea of leaving at once,
and it is presumed that he will remain
until Judge Day qualities as his sue
cessor. The selection Of Mr.. Moore,
who is now professor of international
law at Columbia university, New
York, to succeed the latter, was warm
ly welcomed by all Of the state depart
ment employees. Mr.. Moore is an au-
thority on certain branches of interna.
tional law, and his selection will do
much to strengthen the state depart
ment in the present emergency. The
officials of the department, with the
assistance of the attorney general,
have been preparing
Another Proclamation
which will be issued in a day or two,
this time treating Of prizes and defin-
ing the conditions and time when such
seizures might be made. It is believed
that the protest and suggestions COM
ing from foreign embassies and lega-
tons here have led the department to
define, once for all, it's position in this
matter. A prize commissioner has
been appointed in the person of Com
mander John Whine, a retired naval
officer. He will be stationed at Key
West, where he now resides, and it
will be his duty in conjunction with
two of the members yet to be selected
as part Of the commission to make ap-
praisements of the value of prizes
and to assist the prize courts in their
work.
1t has been understood for some time
that Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, Of
the navy department, would soon re-
tire in order to enter the military SER
vice in the Cuban campaign. This
story can now be confirmed positively,
although the time set for Mr.. Roose-
velt's departure from the department
is not definitely fixed. The president
has named Mr.. Roosevelt as lieutenant
colonel Of one of the regiments of
mounted riflemen to be raised in the
Rocky mountains under COL Wood,
whom Mr.. Roosevelt has urged for the
place. Col. Wood is now DR.. Wood,
of the army. He won a medal of
honor for
Distinguished Gallantry
while commanding a detachment of
regular troops during the exceedingly
hard Apache campaigns against &C.
ronimo. Secretary Alger selected Col
Wood and Mr. Roosevelt for these po-
sitions because he felt that their train
ing and experience in the past pc
culiarly fitted them to do good service
with a cowboy regiment. The presi-
dent and both secretaries have regret
ted to see Mr.. Roosevelt leave his pres
ent position, but they feel that in
regiment of this character he can do
good service in the field and should be
allowed to go, though if possible they
wish him to remain here until the reg
iment is organized and ready to take
part in the invasion of Cuba. Before
that, however. he may have to leave
for short periods to superintend the
enlistments. 49,
So far the talk Of q successor to
Mr.. Roosevelt as assistant secretary
has been mere speculation, and it can
be stated positively that up to this
time the president has not made a
choice as. his successor.
There was dearth of news from the
seat OF hostilities off the Cuban coast,
so far as the department was con-
cerned. or if it was in possession of in
formation it was so carefully guarded
that nothing leaked out. A few tele-
grams came from Key West announc-
ing the arrival there of the prizes
whose capture has been reported in
the press. Nothing could be obtained
as to the intentions of Commodore
Schley in so hastily rushing away the
flyers Columbia and Minneapolis from
5DuC is D0ll6V0u
that their purpose is
TO Shelter the Paris
or some Of the other liners from attack
/ ut the hands Of some Spanish cruiser.
There was talk Of ablishing a sup
| ply depot in the Philippines to meet
the conditions in Asiatic waters. Our
fleet there now has no home, and un-
der neutrality laws the stay of the
ships at any port is limited to a few
hours. This is unpleasant, besides in
volving the expenditure of great deal
OF coal, SO that it may become neces-
sary for Commodore Dewey to seize a