Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-05-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
President, Secretary of War
And Secretary of the
Navy, the only Ones
Who Knows the
ARMY AND NAVY MOVE
MENTS.
War Does Not Stop Politics.
GENERAL MERRITT FOR
THE PHILIPPINES.


(From our Regular Correspondent
WAsHINGroN, d. O.. May %, 9S.
President Mckinley. Secretary Long
and Secretary Alger are demonstrating
the possibility of keeping the move.
ments of our army and navy absolute.
~ secret. Other officials in both the
War and Navy Departments know of
some of the movements and contem-
plated movements, but all Of them are
known only to those three men. They
are not known even TO the other mem
bers of the Cabinet. They having
themselves requested that the know
ledge be kept from them. Although
this policy and the rigid censorship of
all telegraph matter sent from points
where information of contemplated
movements may be obtained has only
been fully into effect for a week, its
coed effects are SO apparent that there
is no doubt of its being maintained
throughout the war. Information of
anything accomplished, or of any bat
tie on land or water will be promptly
given out; it is only news that would
indicate contemplated movements that
is withheld.
MAY BE EXPECTED.
Among the announcements that may
confidently be expected they may be
made any days that the invasion of
Cuba has been successfully made, and
that the Spanish fleet, now IN Cuban
waters, has been met and whipped.
The two announcements may be stimuli
taneously made, there are indications
that the army and navy are moving to
gether with those ends in view.
ANNEXATION PRoBABLG.
1t is expected that the committee on
rules will this week report TO the House
n special rule for the consideration OF
the Joint resOlusion providing for the
annexation OF Hawaii. The adoption
of the reso, ution by q majority of near
ly or quite one hundred is certain
when a vote is taken, but it cannot bs
voted upon until special rule is re-
ported.
BAD POLITICS.
There are politics, and very dirt,
politics at that, being played in con.
nectiOn with the war-revenue bill
which is still before the Senate There
/ is nothing patriotic about the motiv
of the silver men who are a msjorit,
of the Senate Finance Committee 70
striking out the clause authorizing tn
issue OF bonds and Of certificates @
| indebtedness, and inserting in thei
place authority for issuing neerl
5000 600, 900 in paper currency-$l5O
100000 in greenbacks and $40 600 90
in silver certificates. And there is,
possible, even less patriotism
in the manner in which thos
democratic Senators who have promis
Ell to join the republicans in voting [
strike out this fiat money clause an
, reinsert the clause authorizing bono
aud certificates OF indebtedness are b'
ing urged TO ignore their promises az
vote for fiat money. The radical 81
yer men who are engineering tn
movement have been disappointed b.
cause the first month of the war hi
not resulted in sending gold to pr
MUM. They know that If the Dor
: clause is in the bill as it finally go
! through that there will be no prob
: bility Of any supervision of gold pa
ments by the administration, no ma
. ter how long the war may last; 81
i | they believe that il they can get Il
money authorized, instead OF bond
|. that gold will at once go TO premiu
and that will in some way be benetic
= To the silverites and detrimental
the republican administration and pa
ty. Nice game for men who call thel
= selves Americans to be engaged IN,
- the face of an xpensive-almost
~ million day is now being spent-f'
eign war, now isn't 1T
J. PHILIPPINE EXPEDITION.
- Major General Merritt. who will
~ commander of the u s. Troops sent
= the Philippine Islands as well as NJ
"A tary Governor of the Philippines,
10 received mis- final instructions 9
= started for his faraway post. He
meets to sail from San Francisco alb
IA the first of June. His army will C
"A slst of about 10000 men, nearly o
as third of them regulars.
TIE NAVAL BOARD.
There is much misinformat
throughout the country concerning
functions OF the Naval War Board l
ally mistakenly referred to as
"SJrategy Boerd." The Naval
it's the naval portion of the war at all.
ere functions are entirely advisory.
life duty of the board is to keep track,
vas far as possible, of the movement
rs. our ships as we'll as those of the
i've nv, and in the performance of
duty some of its members are on
I've night and day at the Navy Departn
we studying the dispatches that are
sen stantly being received. Orders
the only give by the President or the
has rotary of the Navy, and, as a matte
, ur fact only the general order to find
destroy the Spanish Navy has
yer issued to Adm irsl Sampson, who
ray. been left free to use his own in
uch ment about how best to carry out
by order, the Navy Department, of COZ
Der keeping him informed of everythil
heir learns that can be of any possible
and vice TO him. Secretary Longs
the answer to criticisms that have
are made was to say I'VE can't
ace the Spaniards until we catch then