The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1898-09-24
Washington, ID. e., News.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 10, lSY,


throw Secretary Alger overheard?
Many persons think so. Secre-
tary Alger is the only member of
the Cabinet who was7 not special
ly summoned to Wahaington to
participate in the extenuCdr575:tsi-
deration and discussion of the
instructions given to the Ameri-
can Peace Commissioners pre-
vlous to their departure for Paris.
It is asserted that this public
snub was administered to Aiger
as a hint that his resignation of
the War Portfolio would be ac-
ceptablc to the administration.
Another reason given for not
having Alger in Washington just
now is that Mr.. Mckinley wished
the other members of the Cabinet
to feel free in expressing them
selves about the intended inyesti-
cation of the War Department,
which would have been impossi-
bic with the Secretary of War
present. Mr.. Mckinley is said
to be fully convinced now that
the investigation will result in
finding Alger guilty of some of
the gravest charges that have
been made against him, and to be
fully determined to do nothing
to shield Alger. Some say that
he has been brought to this State
of mind by evidence laid before
him by military men; others that
it is the result of the existing
panic among the Republican
managers over the outlook for
Democratic success in the Con-
gressional campaign, and their
insistence that something be done
at once to counteract the wave of
indignation that is sweeping over
the country as a result of the
knowledge of the unnecessary
harGships and deaths among the
volunteers. If Mr.. Mckinley
will reall ly try to assist the inves-
tigating commission, which will
shortly get to work, by officially
stating his wish that all army
officers asked to testify shall tell
everything they know about the
mismanagement of the war, the
truth may be got at, notwith-
standing the commissions lack of
legal authority to compel witness
ses to testify.
1t is said that Gen. Scoficld's
refusal to serve as a member of
the investigating commission re-
suited in a stormy scene between
him and Mr.. Mckinley. 1t is GER
tain that when Gen. Scofeld~left
the White House, after he had
finally and positively declined to
serve on the Commission, the old
gentleman was in Il towering pas
sion.
There lis much speculation in
Washington concerning the ma
ture of the instruction given our
Peace Commissioners, and the
belief is growing that the instruc-
tions were not specific, further
than to demand possession of the
island of Luzon, and that every
thing else was left to be deter
mined by circumstances, after the
commission meets. and there is
an opportunity to learn the atti-
tnde of the Spanish commission
ers. In any event, it is certain
that Mr.. Mckinley does not i'll
tend, 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 administra-
ton would be indorsed by the
people, he would be only too glad
to announce that policy before
the Congressional election.
Senator Quay came over to
Washington to pull few admin
istration wires that he hopes will
aid him in his fight for re-elec-
ton. He admits that the present
is the strongest fight ever put up
against him, and leaves it to be
inferred that he is far from being
certain of" winning. His oppo-
nents have been smart enough
not to name a candidate against
him and to adopt the general
motto of "Anybody to beat Quay
leaving the question of who shall
be the candidate to be settled
after an anti-Quay legislature has
been elected. The administra-
tion is, as a matter of rule, help
ing Quay to a certain extent
but Mr.. Mckinley wouldn't
do any worrying if Quay was
beaten, of course, that his success
sor was Wanamaker or some
other Republican. Quay has
made Mr.. Mckinley feel his
powerntoo often to be cordially
liked by him.
That the competition between
the big shipyards of the country
is largely imaginary, when it
comes to bidding for the con-
struction of three sbattle-ships,
the Maine, the Ohio, and the
Missouri. Contracts have been