Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-12-28


be made. This decision will add to
the Christmas enjoyment Of many
thousands.
No better evidence of his accept
able performance of the arduous
duties of secretary of the interior
could have been given to Secretary
Bliss than the personal requests to
reconsider the matter and withdraw
his resignation made of him by
prominent western senator's, includ-
ing Wolcott, of Colorado; Spooner,
of Wisconsin, and Warren, Of Wyo M
ing. His appreciation of this was
enhanced by the knowledge that his
selection for the head of the interior
department was not pleasing to the
ives ern men, because they thought
that particular department should
have a western Or a southern man
at its head. Having made up his
mind to retire, Mr.. Bliss declined to
change it, but will remain in office
until Secretary Hitchcock arrives in
Washington to relieve him.
In an interesting address on
National Progress" Hon. Ellis II.
IeOOCL %, OulUSd OJaIeS treasurer,
said: "Pr7sident Mckinley pierced
to the heart Of pessimism by asking,
Who shall haul 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
Lilliputians summon Stockton and
Fremont from their graves to haul
down the flag from the Golden Gate?
Shall Sam Houston shake off his
cerements to take Texas from the
Union? Shall death restore Jeffer-
son from his embrace to haul down
the flag from all the free mountain
peaks which make the Louisiana
purchase glorious?"
General Shafter, who was wit
ness before the war investigating
commission this week, said the Santi-
ago expedition was as we'll fitted ont
as time and circumstances would
permit, and that if he had the cam
paign to make over again, he would
not change the plan made and fol-
lowed, In any material way. General
Miles also testified, but he declined
being sworn.
1t is regretable that the house
military committee should have
divided on party lines when the
question Of reporting the Hull bill,
with amendments, for the reorgani-
zatiOn and increase Of the regular
army came up, but it cannot be
helped. The eight Republicans on
the committee voted to favOrably
report the bill and the five Demo
Gratis voted against reporting the
bill and gave notice of their intention
to submit minority bill as we'll as
a report.
Able speeches showing the right of
this government to acquire territory
and govern it in any manner it
pleases, were made this week by
Senators Teller and Platt, Of Con-
nectIrut, and no seDators attempted
20 defend the illogical position taken
by Senator Vest in denying the ex-
istence of that righ5
Only one man in congress was so
far lost to decency as to attempt to
slur at President Mcklnley'S patri-
otic sentiments expressed in speeches
during his southern trip, and he
made his break all the worse by com
hining with it a slur at Old Glory.
The man Is Representative Williams,
Of observation-disclosures, Of course;
who in the course Of "a speech against
the retention of the Philippines
by this government used this lam
guage concerning the flag and the
president: at is nothing but piece
Of bunting. and wher some one an
nounces that it must not come
down: care not how high his station,
be says something unworthy of him
self and his country" Mr.. Williams
and those who agree with him will
find out before they are through that
three-fourths of the people of this
country are ready to back up the
position Of President Mckinley as to
keeping our flag over all captured
territory.
Senator Butler, OF North Carolina in
tends Offering an amendment to the
pension appropriation bill that will,
if it becomes a law, grant pensions
to soldiers and sailors OF the civil
war regardless of the side they served
on.