Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-10-21

/ The war Department Keeps lH
Its Record for Fighting-A Clear
Political Horizon.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. II, 1898.
1t was fitting that Mr.. Perry Heath
who is acting Postmaster General is
on the stump, and owes his present
position to Boss Hanna, should be the
mouthpiece OF the administration in
informing the Federal Office holders
that they are expected to pitch in and
take an active part in the Con-
gressional campaign. Being news.
paper man himself, Mr.. Heath knew
that this information could be more
adroitly given through the newspaper,
than by means ofpersonal communica.
tons to the oflice-holders. He gave
out carefully prepared interview
with himself, this week, in which he
invited the oliice-holders to come to
the rescue OF the &. O.p.
Having taken sufficient quantity
of one-sided testimony for use in the
Congressional campaign, Mr.. McKin-
ley's alleged investigating committee
will start on Sunday for a pleasant
autumn tour of the camps, beginning
with that of Gen. Fitz Lee at Jackson
Vile, Florida. Why this junket is
taken, only the Commission know g.
1t will be as useless as that OF Secre-
tary Alger. short time ago, but it
will probably fill in the time until
after the elections.
Representative Elliott of South
Carolina, has succeeded in getting Sec
rotary Long to order four U. S. war
vessels to proceed to Charleston for
the purpose of participating in the
Peace Jubilee, to be held in that city
on the 9th inst. The ships ordered
to Charleston are the Wilmington, the
Nashville, the Montgomery, and the
Princeton.
That the authorities do not intend
to publish those guilty Of neglecting
their duties in connection with the
care of our soldiers, even when their
guilt is plainly shown, is made plain
by the recommendation OF Surgeon
General Slernberg in the case OF Con-
tract Surgeon Tabor, who was charged
with having caused the death of
Private Hugh Parrett, at Camp Wikoff,
by his neglect and incompetence.
The evidence taken by board of in.
quiry is understood to have left no
doubt OF the truth of the charge. In
stead OF recommending some fitting
punishment, or that the surgeon be
declared exonerated, in accordance
with his guilt or innocence, Surgeon
General Sternberg merely recommends
that DR.. TabOr's contract rs an army
surgeon be Cancelled, which is, in
effect, declaring him guilty and then
letting him go without punishment.
1t is estimated that Representative
De Graffenreid, of Texas, whose fame
as All orator has been widely spread by
his colleagues in the House, has re-
ceived invitations to speak in a larger
number OF Congressional districts
than any individual ever received in
single campaign. Much as he would
friends, Mr.. De Gratlenreid cannot
speak at all these places, but he will
devote his entire time until election
to making speeches, and will cover as
much ground as possible.
After awhile, it will get SD that this
government can do nothing without
some syndicate being allowed to get a
big profit out of the transaction, if
things continue to so as they have gone
under the Hanna regime. 1t was
syndicates that compelled the govern
ment to pay fancy prices for vessels it
bought for use in the war, and now
that board of naval officers have
recommended the sale of number of
vessels that are no longer needed, a
syndicate OF ricl, men is said to have
been formed for the purpose of buying
all these vessels at bargain prices and
selling them again at q profit. 1t will
be easy enough for the administration
to block the game of this syndicate, if
it desires to do so. If the vessels are
widely advertised and sold at public
sale to the highest bidder, this syndi.
cate will have no advantage over any
other bidder.
Unless all surface signs are wrong.
Secretary Alger and Miles will be the
leading opponents in a very warm
fight in Congress this winter. Every
since Alger became the head of the
War Department, he has made hard
Shedding for Miles; important orders
have been issued in his name that he
knew nothing about until he saw
them in the newspapers, and every
thing he has wished TO do has been
thwarted. The first gun in the fight
is likely to be the annual report of
Miles, which will contain his idea of
what legislation is needed for a reor-
ganization of the army. 1t would
probably have been in his testimony
before Mr.. McKinley's alleged investi-
eating commission, but Alger took
good care to see that he was not asked
to testify.
Confidence continues to increase at
the headquarters OF the Democratic |
Congressional Committee that the
Democrats will elect a majority of the
next House. Present indications are
that the gain necessary to put the
Republicans in a minority, will be
made in the Middle and Atlantic
States, in which States the committee
is doing much work that promises
results
According to Washington advices
from Minnesota, John Lind is almost
certain to be the next Governor. The
Scandinavians. who are usually with |
the Republicans are supporting Lind
almost to man; there is much dis.
satisfaction with the War Department,
not only because of its short comings
in the war with Spain, but because of
the bungling manner in which it
handled the Indian outbreak at Bear
Island. Dem.