Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-10-01
SATURDAY EVENING, OCT. 1, 1898.

course, exactly what the IreSlueht ue
sires, has decided to leave to Governor
Holcolmbe to decide whether the regl-
ment from Nebraska, commanded by
Mr.. VIM. J. Bryan, shall be mustered
out or not. There is q spurious state.
mept made that as this regiment of Mr..
Brysn's was the last regiment to be or
gained, it would be the policy OF the
department" in mastering out troops
TO select those which had been the long
est in service, and that this rule for
mastering out would lead to taking the
LIST Nebraska regiment now in Manila.
So much for the department, " or Presi-
dental statement. Now, for little
unvarnished truth. There was very
little difference in time in the raising OF
the three Nebraska regiments, and not
one was sent to Cuba to fight. There
would DE no object in bringing home a
regiment sent a. large expense to Ma
Mia, distance of 5000 or 10000 miles,
unless that object should be to benefit
some pet government contractor or to
accomplish by indirection political
trick at once vulgar and Ineffective.
The idea of the War Department-that
is to say, the President-having fixed
and impartial rule Of public policy in
respect of mastering in or mastering
out of troops, appointments, assign
ments and the like is an insult to the
public intelligence. The verdict
of all unbought men is that
there never has been an ad
ministration with which pulls were
SO necessary and public patronage so
completely controlled by personal or
political favors. The patronage OF the
government in this war, small in time
but pvofigate in expenditure, has gone
to benefit republicans or gold demo
Gratis" who in 1896 by their apostasy
helped Mr.. Hanna to put Mr.. Mckinley
in Office Verify they have their reward.
When they bolted they expected re-
ward, of course. The quota of Ne
braska is largely in excess. The war
is over. Spain is conquered, submis-
sive, abject and helpless. There is no
pretext now for keeping up volur-
teer army unless it be to dominate by
arms conquered provinces aud hostile
populations. Not half, but nearly all
the volunteers ought to be disbanded.
The war taxes should be abated and
swept away. The President well
knows that Col. Bryan's regiment was
raised by him, not to perform police
duty in Cuba, but to fight and uphold
the honor of the country in battle. The
war being over, it would be a natural
and graceful thing for the President to
muster out the regiment commanded
by the gentleman who was his oppon
ent in the last Presidential election, re-
ceiving six and half million of votes,
and who, out for the arts OF corruption
and the intimidation of working men,
would now be filling the Presidential
chair. II the President had the proper
feeling, which could rise above petty
jobbery to the higher atmosphere of
great administrative trust, he
would direct this regiment to
M pouotarad o,,t NJ sa-1,;oo ot onoo
There are number of people who be-
lieve that the same spirit of party
which led TO the appointment of so
many unfit persons for the Spanish
war is animating the administration in
this matter and that there is some
game of trickery TO hold on to this reg
iment in order to fetter and restrain
the political utterances of the clio.
quent orator who commands it, Proba
bly,, at this hour, it would not be pleas
ant for Mr.. Mckinley to have Mr..
Bryan speak ont freely on political
questions. However Mr.. Bryan might
avoid personalities or imputations OF
bad motives, his utterances would neces-
sarily bear hardly on an administration
born in sin and controlled systematical-
ly by the favors of money, favorltism
and corruption. A portrayal of the
needless and wholesale suffering of the
American soldiers at home and abroad
would carry more weight than abund,
ant embarrassing reports from hired
and packed commissions of investiga-
ton. If the administration thinks to
score a point by muzzling the great
leader of the democratic hosts, and to
take advantage of the patriotic offer OF
himself and his men to serve the coun.
try in actual war, so as to accomplish
its maneuvre, it is sadly mistaken. The
silence of Bryan would be more potent
By far than the venal praise of the
Presidents favorites. The Algerines
may be crafty, but the people under
stand them very well. The time has
gone by when they could perpetrate the
foulest deeds and stife all comment by
the cry of patriotism" and standing
by the country in time Of war" They
must now face the people and undergo
the prolonged torture of public scru-