The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-12-29
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Secretary Hitchcock's Appoint
ment to the Interior Depart.
ment Confirmed by
the Senate.
Gems. Shafter and Miles before the
War Investigating Commission
President McKinley In
the south.

IT0Siu0nC MCAlnloy mas received
many congratulations on his selection Of
Hon. Ethan Allen Hitchcock, of Mo-,
at present Ambassador to Russia, to be
Secretary Of the Interior The Senate
unanimously confirmed the nomination,
although It was received only q few min.
utes before the adjournment of the
Christmas recess. Secretary Hitchcock
is successful business man, Just what
. man must be to satisfactorily admin
lister the affairs of the Interior Depart
ment.
1t the last meeting of the Cabinet it
was decided to muster out $4,000 more
volunteers just as quick ss the neces
sary arrangements to do go can be made.
This decision will add to the Christmas
enjoyment of many thousands.
The Senate Committee on the Mica
rauga Canal will sit during the recess,
with full authority to summon witnesses,
administer oatbs, &C., for the purpose Of
investigating the work of the lobby
against the Canal bill.
No better evidence of his acceptable
performance of the ardHous duties of
Secretary of the Interior could have
been given to Secretary Bliss than the
personal requests to reconsider the mat
ter and withdraw his resignation made
of him by prominent western Senators,
including Wolcott, of Colorado; Spoon
er, OF Wisconsin, and Warren, of Wyom.
ing. His appreciation OF this was en-
hanced by the knowledge that bis sc.
lection for the head Of the Interior De-
partment was not pleasing to the west
ern men, because they thought that par
ticular department should have q west
ern or southern man at its head. Hav.
wing made up his mind to retire, Mr..
Bliss declined to change it, but will re-
main in Office until Secretary Hitchcock
arrives in Washington to relieve him.
In an interesting address ON "Nation.
al Progress" Hon. Ellis d. Roberts, q.
g. Treasurer, said: president McKin.
ley pierced to the heart Of pessimism by
asking. who shall h aul down the flag !?
Truly. who shall perform that act of
national mutilation? Mr.. Cleveland
may be willing to haul down the flag in
Hawaii. Who will haul it down in the
Philippines? Who in Cuba? Who in
Porto Rico? Then will these Liliputians
summon Stockton and Fremont from
their graves to haul down the flag from
the Golden Gate? Shall Sam Huston
shake off his cerements to take Texas
from the Union? Shall death restore
Jefferson from his embrace to haul down
the flag from ali tho free mountain peaks
which make the louisiana purchase
glorious2''
Gen. Shafter, who was . witness be.
fore the War Investigating Commission
this week, said the Santiago expedition
was - we'll fitted ont - time and cir.
cumstancss would permit, and that II he
had the campaign 10: make over again,
hs would not change the plan msde and
followed. in sany material way. Gen.
Miles also testified, but he declined b.
ing sworn.
It Il rsgrstable that the House Mill.
tazy Committee should have divided on
party lines when the question Of report.
ing the Hull bill, with amendments, for
the reorganization and incrsase Of
the regular army came up, but it oan
not be helped. The eight Republicans
on the Committee voted to favorably
report the bill and Ithe five Democrats
ugainst reportinglthe bill and gave NO.
tice of their intention to submit minor
ity bill a. well asa report.
Able speeches showing the right oi
this government to acquire territory and
govern itiin any manner it pleases. were
made this week by Senators Teller
and Plat, of Connecticut, and NO Sena.
tor attempted to defend the illogical
position taken by Senator Vest in deny.
ing the existence Of that right.
Only one manlin Congress was 20 fal
AOot W ueConCy % w ossoauPt W oAUI -
President nMcKinley's patriotic senti.
ments expressed:in speeches during hil
southern trip, and he made his break all
the worse by combining with it slur at
Old Glory. The man is Representative
Williams. of Missiasippi- pi-Democart, oi
course,-who in the course Of . speech
against the retention Of the Philippines
by this government used this Language
concerning the::flag and the Presidsnt
"It 10 nothing but . piece Of bunting
and when some one announces that Il
must come down, / care not how high
his station, he says something unworthy
OF himself and country" Mr.. Willisml
and those who agree with him will fnd
ont before they are through that three
fourths Of the people Of this country are
ready TO back up the position Of Presi
l. - L. n