St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-12-28
WASHINGTON NEWS.
President Very Busy, Despite
Holiday Season.
WAR INVESTIGATION DISCLOSURES

between ACAiF
toriaI Expansion Battle General Long
street Attracts Attention-Sample of
Queer Letters Received by the Presi-
dent-The Indian Problem Whipping
Post Argument,
With congress away for the holidays,
public matters are about at standstill.
The president has some relief from the
daily grind incident to congress being
In session, but not to such an extent as
many people think. owing to the pres
ence in the city of many senators who
want to discuss various questions with
him. The Paris treaty is in his hands
and will go to the senate next week with
a good. strong message.
Many society leaders are waiting with
much anxiety for the social season to be
formally opened, and this will be done
on New Years day. After the New
Years reception at the White House. the
social functions will begin in earnest
and continue until Lent, and the social
leaders will vie with each other in the
magnitude of the entertainments given.
A Cri icai Situation.
AS the investigating committee on the
conduct of the war progresses in its
work of taking testimony 1t becomes
more and more evident that the bad feel
ing which Is being engendered as the
result of disclosures made will soon re-
suit in an open rupture between Cen
eral Miles on the one side and the sec
rotary of war, the adjutant general, and
the commissary general on the other.
The testimony given last week by Cen
eral Miles, and his positive assertion
that the troops in Cuba and Porto Rico
were fed on ''embalmed" beef instead of
fresh beef, created a profound sensa-
tion In administrative circles, and has
set on foot an ncipient whirlwind which
threatens obstruction to the regulations
of some high military officers. General
Miles assertions are met with very
emphatic denial by the commissary gen.
eral who furnishes food to the troops
and he demands that General Miles be
required to testify under oath. and that
the truth be brought out.
This matter has been the one thing
talked about more than anything else
this week, and has greatly stirred up
military circles.
1t Is no secret here by those who are
In the confidence Of the president that
he, as well as Secretary Alger is not
pleased with the course pursued by Gen
In, aaly inn 70 &C 70
defeat of the administration bill for the
increase of the army, and in covertly
divesting himself of all responsibility
for the location of several camps which
proved unhealthy and caused the death
of so many Of the volunteer soldiers.
Until q week ago 1t was believed that
the Ill feeling which existed between
General Miles and the administration,
as represented by Secretary Alger and
General Corbin, would only shoulder
and not become visible to the public, bu
this view Of the case no longer prevails,
and now every one Is waiting to see
and hear the explosion.
General Miles has warm supporters
who charge that he can no longer sub
nit in silence to the treatment accorded
him, and that the time has come for
him to turn and fight back. On the
other hand, friends Of the president al
lege that General Miles has shown a
spirit of INSTRUMENTATION to the COM
mander- in-chief Of the army, and
thrown obstacles In the way Of the adj
ininistration in carrying out its war
policy, and that he will be brought to an
accounting. They even insinuate that a
court-martial stares him in the face.
The Fight For and Against Territorial
Expansion.
Thus far only three carefully prepared
speeches have been delivered in the SEN
ate on the policy Of territorial expan-
sion, one by Vest In opposition thereto,
and one by Plat Of Connecticut and
one by Teller of Colorado in support
thereof. The speech Of the latter was
extremely patriotic and deliberative in
character, and very forcibly made, and
received the hearty commentator, not
only of the Republican side of the
chamber but of nearly every Demo-
cratic senator Senators who have
carefully canvessed the situation say
Illdt Tile tltdly 10 CNl edhh W NC latiiSb
by an almost unanimous vote, without
any modification, and that the opposi-
ton, which at first threatened to be
quite strong. Is slowly disappearing,
Some senators go so far as to say that
even Senator Hoar will not record his
vote in the negative. but will conten,
himself with endeavoring to have ar
amendment made to the treaty declar.
Ing that 1t is not the intention of thu
United States to annex the Philippine
islands, but to set up and support an in
dependent government by the natives
II this amendment Is not accepted by tn,
senate, as it will not be. Senator Hoa,
will cease his opposition. and vote for tn,
ratification Of the treaty.
A Famous Confederate General,
One Of the most central and striking
figures at the capital. and who won re
nown as fighter on the Confederate
side during the Civil war, is Genera
James Longstreet. He Is fully six fee
tall, is of large frame and walks YER
erect. His hair is almost white, an
long. grey side whlskers add very niue
to his appearance. Ipet him recently
the Office of member of the cabine
and found him exceedingly genial an
courteous. He is afflicted with deaf
ness to such an extent that he is obllge
to make use OF a speaking tube whe
holding conversation. His ment,
powers are undiminished. and he d,
votes his time to attending to the d.
ties of the office to which he was al
pointed by President McKinley-con
missioner Of railroads, at a salary
fAbOO--to succaed Genapai Wada uou,