The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-12-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

to Washington, a cordial personal well
come, and assured them that the Christ
mas gift they brought to the American
people was thoroughly appreciated.
As further mark of his appreciation,
he will give, in honor of the Commits
sioners, State Dinner at the White
House. In addition to the treaty, the
Commissioners brought to the Presi-
dent, full AMI detailed report of their
work. The Commissioners were pleas
ed to learn that the opposition to the
ratification oil the treaty by the Senate
had practically all died out, and that
the treaty was likely to be promptly
ratified. Senators who have been quot
ed as intending to oppose the treaty
have assured President Mckinley that,
Willie opposed TO our retention of the
Philippines permanently, they would
vote to ratity the treaty as soon az it
was reported to the Senate from the
Committee on Foreign Relations, to
which it will be sent as soon as it goes
to the Senate, which Will be Immediate
ly upon the reasse milling of Congress.
The Spanish Peace Commissioners
will realize what mistake they made
when they refused to sell us small isl
and in the Carolines for a cable station,
as soon as they learn that we have
taken possession of an is!and-Wake
isiand-that will answer every purpose
-, L e IL,
about two thousand miles from the IIa
waiian islands and about thirteen humid
red miles from Guam, being almost on
a direct line between those possessions.
As far back as 1851, Admiral Wilkes
surveyed this island and asserted title,
but the island being merely a coral reef
three miles long, has never been occu-
pied. But it is ali right for a cable sta
ton, and President Mckinley has sent
orders to Commander Taussig, of the
gun-boat Bennington, to proceed to the
island and take formal possession. 1t
is a coincidence that On the 4th of July
of this year. a transport bound for
Manila, stopped at Wake island to allow
our soldiers to get day recreation on
land.
President Mckinley stopped lot Of
crooked business when he ordered that
new franchises gwen by tie local auth
critics in Cuba, Porto Rico, and tie
Philippines. should be revoked by our
Military Authorities, whenever they
were unfair in their terms or likely TO
be against the best interest of the ISL
anders. 4 lot of INSCRIPTIONS specuIa-
tors have been engaged in the purchase
of railroad, electric, and other fran
chlses from impecuncOus members of
local governments in the towns on all of
the islands, with the expectation that
the United States would recOrnize
them. 1t is the Presidents intention
to prevent any robbery of the islanders
that can be prevented by watchfulness
on the part Of the authorities.
Admiral Sampson, who has lust re-
turned from Havana, where he has
been on duty as member of the evaC-
uation commission, SAYS that while
many Cubans are ANXIOUS to set up an
Independent government, the better
classes on the island, including most of
the men of wealth and prestige in bust
ness affairs, are practically unanimously
in favor of the United States taking the
island for keeps instead of only tenn
porarily. The AImiral's own opinion
is that the Cubans are in no condition,
at this time, to successfully establish
and mantalH government OF their
own, and, while he doesn't say as much,
tie impression one gathers from talk
ing with him, is that lie doubts whether
they ever will be.
Chairman Hall has filed with the
clerk Of the House, the report of the
Committee on Military Affairs in favor
of his bill for the reorganization and III
crease of the regular army, which was
not ready when the bill was reported
! to the House, just before lis Christmas
adjournment. The report is very tu,l,
giving unanswerabIe reasons in detail
why the bill should be passed The
following extract from the report fully
explains the nature of the bill: The
bill fixes no maximum strength for the
whole army. Assuming that the GOV
eminent will require about 100, 900 men
| for defense of thu frontier for coast de-
| Tense and to maintain their authority in
! the islands for whose good order and
/ government this nation is now respon-
! sihle, together with reasonable re-
serve force. The bill provides for :he
! requirements Of cavalry and infantry,
: the number required for each arm OF
! the service, and Il corp Of artillery, for
! our sea-coast batteries with two rcgi-
ments of artillery for field batteries.
/ The Committee believes the Organizl-
, ton as provided for in this biz will
make the most efficient military organi-
! cation, at the lowest cost to the tax
! payer of any organization proposed by
! any bill before Congress-" The esti-
mated cost if this bill becomes law, as
! there is every reason to believe it will,
( in spite of democratic opposition, is
2 so, 600 900 year. Tie democrats ack-
/ mowleige the present necessity for all
the troops the Hull bill provides for,
! but in their bill, they try to whip the
! devil around the stump by limiting the
/ regular army to 5000 and providing
+ for the enlistment for two years of 81
! 900 volunteers.
Sij'ionS Given tWlV