Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-11-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom our Regular Correspondentl

| ASUINGTON, n OY. ii ne pro-
liability of antextra session of Con
grcss in the Spring is much stronger,
now that it is certain that that the re-
publicans will have majority of the
next House. 1t has been regarded
as improbable ever since the close OF
the war that Congress will be able
at the coming short session, to act
upon all the Legislation made necess-
ary by the war,in addition to the reg
ular appropriation bills and routine
business, but it was thought that an
extra session would depend largely
upon the control of the next House.
Had the republicans lost it, the adj
ministration would have done every
thing possible to avoid an extra SEES
sion, by trying to push through at
the short session all the Legislation
needed to carry ont its policy, col.
onial and otherwise. Now, no haste
will be necessary,and should the pres
ent Senate not meet the administra-
TONS expectations III acting upon
bills that go through the House, the
| President will doubtless feel that an
extra session of Congress will do as
lac wishes, as his party will have a
large majority in the Senate after
next March. The administration
will therefore be indifferent as to an
extra session, knowing that if the
last session of the present Congress
doesn't act upon needed Legislation,
an extra session ofthe next Congress
will.
Things look little threatening IN
connection with the peace negotia-
tons at Paris. That is, from the
European point of view. Nobody i'll
Washington considers the cablegramS
about SPANS beng encouraged 10
expect European Intervention as any
thing more than European newspa-
paper talk, paid for with Spanish
money. In fact, at the last Cabinet
meeting Secretary Hay was instruct
cd TO have our Peace Commissioners
inform the Spanish Commissioners
that it was beyond the power of any
European nation or combina ION Of
nations to modify our demands for
the Philippine Islands, demand
that this government is prepared to
back with force, if it becomes neces-
say. The Spanish Commissioners
were also given straight tip to the
effect that this country was growing
tired Of the delay, and that if they
failed to act much longer, the nego-
liations would be broken off by this
government.
Admiral Schley and Mrs. Schley
are in Washington. In order TO
avoid annoyance, they are at the
home of friend instead ofat hotel.
The Admiral declines to say one sin
gle word about the thinly yelled slurs
ut him in the official report of ADM
raj Sampson, or to add anything to
what he had said in his own official
report. He showed some annoyance
when his attention was called to the
controversy over which political par
" he belonged to, and said that he
had no politics; had only voted once
IN his life; that he belonged to the
country and that his first and highest
duty was always to serve the admin
istration which was in charge Of the
country. Those are model views for
an Army or Navy officer, too.
The annual report of Adjutant
General Corbin, just made public,
says of the National Guard: Wv lille
tine yearly state eucampments have
been productive of positive good in
imparting practical instruction to the
troops participating, the experience
Ofthe the recent campaign has demon
strated the absolute necessity of furth-
er asslmilatng the condition of ell
camped troops to the actual nccessi-
ties of active service 10y making the
men, while in camp, dependent for
their subsistence on the army rations
to be furnished by the state asthor-
ilies, on ration returns, and cooked |
by the troops in precisely the same
manner as on actual service in the
field. An organization ordered to a
state camp for Military instruction,
relying on a caterer TO furnish the
Necessary food, can never acquire that
self:rclance which characterizes the
regular soldier on active duty, for
without previously received instruc-
tons in preparing food, the natural
result, when called into service will be
poorly cooked and wasted rations,
which, failing to strengthen the ply
steal man, make him liable to febrile
and stomach troubles incident to SER
vice in all kinds of weather, under
but unavoidable condi-