The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-29
~JUST A Chats
By WE. CHRISTIAN

shoulder of Secretary Alger. Secretary
Alger in his office little while later
laughingly repeated the remark to some
newspaper men who We're there The
words were significant only in
showing how much at sea
the administration is as TO
whether or not Cervera is at sea. For
that matter all the officials of the war
and navy departments seem to be mixed
up. Certainly President Mckinley shows
the effect of the strain upon him. stood
very near him on the White House por-
tico the other afternoon when the DIS
trict Volunteers passed under the heavy
porte cochere just starting for ChlcKa-
manga, and the deep wide rings under
his eyes were absolutely blue-black.
observed him closely. / was afterward
told that he was losing much sleep, in
sisting that he be walked at whatever
time of night any news might come.
The President has two elephants on
his hands in Alger and Miles, the two
keeping the War Board in state Of
INDIGESTION and dissension. Then. too,
even the President agrees with Alger in
not wanting Miles to go to Cuba. The
inside talk is. and | do not think it has
been printed, that if he should go to
Cuba and distinguish himself he might
rise up as Presidential possibility of
no small pretensions. Thus it is that
Alger is advocating the sending of the
army to Porto Rico, and upon this rock
the board at each meeting seems to
split.
Then another discussion cropped out
at the time General Merritt left for San
Francisco and the Philippines. 1t was
stated to me by one to be relied upon
that the President was seemingly anx-
ious to aid General Merritt in every way,
but that no sooner would Merritt get to
the Adjutant Generals office than he
would find all the orders somehow coun-
fernandez Thus there were four forces
pulling apart. namely, the Secretary of
War; the President, the Adjutantt
General and General Miles.
1t was. perhaps, decided that Gene
raj Merritt would go to the Philippines
until Alger put in his hand. 1t is pre-
sumed when this move was settled upon,
paying off an old score bury Merritt
by sending him to the Philippines. II
may turn out just the other way, but
the reason was interesting.
General Ayers record. ii will be re-
membered. was seriously challenged
when he was summoned TO the cabinet
and it was stated that he was court
marshaled for cowardice in the face of
the enemy. The finding Of the court
martial was signed by Generals Grant
and Sheridan and Merritt. but, for some
reason, President Lincoln set aside this
finding. Yet Gen. AIa-ritt one Cf those
who signed. still lived and Alger took
what he thought to be an opportunity
of revenge. But Merritt's record is I'M
questioned, and his opportunity may be-
great one. resulting in a counterpart
Of Dewey at Manila instead Of in the
sinnocnous desuetude" to which Alger
would have consigned him.
In the line of my work took occa-
sion during the week to get together the
figures and distribution OF the United
States and Spanish army respectively. /
got the figures together with not Il lit
tie labor. and as they had nor pcen be-
fore printed, / think they will be inter-
esting.
/ found that there were in the United
States army up to Friday night 3l,UUO
regulars and $4,000 volunteers. Ten
thousand Of these regulars have enlls-
ted during the last month The yolun-
teers are composed Of six army corps,
one at Camp Alger near Washington,
1900 men: two at Tampa;
two at Chickamauga. and one at Mobile.
These last five corps contain each "
600 men Then there are at Chattanooga
$4,000 volunteers and in the sea-coast
defences about 10000.
OF the regulars. about % regiments
are ut Tampa of 1,272 men each; most
OF the others are on the coast.
Against this $4,000 Of Z. $. Regulars
and Volunteers are to be placed the
Spanish army as follows: In Spain, So,
900: in Cuba. 10000; in Porto Rico,
10000: in the Philippines. $4,000.
The troops in Cuba are composed of
100000 Spanish regulars, 10000 guerril-
las. and 10000 volunteers. These guer-
rillas are Cubans who are fighting for
Spain and who use the Cuban mode of
warfare. The 10000 volunteers are
made up of shop-keepers. artisans and
the like. 1t is Of no use probably to go
more into detail.
Just a little Washington street scene:
the organ grinder was in the clean wide
street of pretty afternoon, playing
'.the wearing of the green" that sweet
Irish ballad There was n whistling ac
commandment which simply startled the
natives for blocks. Everybody looked
ont Of the hotel and newspaper and other
windows. and everybody was delighted.
The whistling was simply treat. 1t
was little niger" with two fingers
in his mouth 'whistling' and keeping
time with the wearing Of the green"
Nickels and ten cent pieces and some
quarters We're thrown out and the ut
tie mig gathered them mp. Finally the
Dago who coudn't speak English well,
pointed to the windows as if to know
whether the money was intended for the
negro. Then the little coon simply
grinned and walked off and the Dago
cursed and rolled his organ off. Another
time / saw the same little negro re-
peating the prOcess-and if the Dago
were losing money he was gaining expe-
rience Of American life as INTERPRETED by |