The Opelousas courier., 1898-08-20
Washington, ID. g., News.
From ouT Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug. is, 1898.

Washington, Aug, is, 1898.
Mr.. Mckinley is still in doubt as
to the policy we should. pursue
towards the PHILIPPINES. 1t was thai
doubt that caused the temporary
peace agreement, signed by repre-
sentatives of the two governments
to provide that the Commissioners
to negotiate the treaty of peace
which shall determine the final dis
position of the Philippines should
meet at Paris, not later than Oct. l
when it would h;h7e been easy te
have saved Il montl by having the
Commission melt September /
The Spanish govsrnment has been
quick to recognize this doubt on
the part of Mr.. Mckinly, and to
act ,pon 1t; it has issued state
ment to the Spanish people saying
that theH had- reason to believe
the peace commission would allow
Spain to retain the philippines
What the policy of the administra'
ton is to be towards the Phillip.
pines will be palmer after Mr.. Nc
kinley names the five American
peace commissioners. The only one
yet known is Secretary Day, who
may be considered as Mr.. McKiu-
ley's mouth-pjecc and personal re,
preventative. 1t is daily becoming
palmer that a great mistake was
made in allowing Spain to have
any say as to the disposition of the
Philippines. While there are differ
ences of opinion among our people,
as to our keeping the islands, the
opinion is practically unanimous
that Spain should not be allowed
to retain them, It will be farcical
for US to talk about driving Spain
out of Cuba and Porto Rico for the
sake of humanity, and then allow
Spain to keep the Philippines af-
ter they were practically in our pos
session. We should not contine
our humanity to the Cubans, else
foreigners will refuse to believe
that it is humanity.
The government is preparing to
send food to Cuba, not only for the
insurgents, but fox all that need it,
including the Spanish soldiers, but
the Red Cross Society is ahead of
the government as it is already
distributing food and other relief
in Cuba.
If the democrats do not elect a
majority Of the House, this year, it
will not be the fault of the demo
cratic Congressional Campaign
Committe, which is preparing for a
vigorous campaign with confident
expectations of success. While the
Committee will, as usual, furnish
the candidates with the kind of
literature they think will be most ef-
fective in their districts, it will also
distribute literature criticising the
war revenNe law, because Of it's
being harder upon the poor than
upon the rich; showing up some of
the many evils resulting from Sec
retary Algei's using the war de-
partment as republican partisan
machine, and the financial question
will not be neglected, bnt will be
discussed in accordance with the
Chicago platform. Democrats who
have visited the committee head
quarters, without exception, regard
the close of the war at this time as
decidedly advantageous for the
democratic party, because it will
enable them to bring out her ques-
tions to the attention of the voters
and because it will prevent the
other side going into the campaign
with false plea that a vote against
the coduct fo republican candidate
would be a vote against war. It
has not yet been determined the
whether the administration should
be attacked for It's action in giving
Spain too much to say through the
three joint commissions provided
for in the terms of peace, when it
could just AS easily have settled
everything in the terms themselves,
which Spain would have been
bound to accept anyway, although
such action is being strongly advo-
Gated.
There is some very strong talk
among the Senators and Represen-
tatives, who have been in Wash
ington since Sampson was advanc-
ed eight numbers and promoted to
be Rear Admiral, while Schley,
who was also prmoted to be Rear
Admiral, was only advanced six
numbers, which makes Sampson
one number ahead of him, instead
of one number behind him as he
was before these promotions were
made. While it is not regarded as
likely that any attempt will be
made to hang up SIMPSONS promo
tion in the Senate, it is almost GER
tain that occasion will be taken in
both House and Senate to show
that he ows it more to favoritism
than to anything he did. It will
not be surprising, either, should
the resolution offered by Represen-
tative Berry, extending the thanks
to Congress to Schley for destroy
ing Cervera's fleet, be adopted.
1t is stated at the war hepart-
ment that no troops will be dis
charged until it is known how many
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