Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-09-23
ALREADY A FARCE.
THERE WILL BE NO iNvESTiGA.
TON OF THE WAR METHODS.

Should BS-lnS ISaSS NOHliHiS'
sion Departs Under "Sealed
Orders''-Moves on the Congress
siOnal Checker-B Board The
Amenities Among Men of War
Maine Republicans Not Happy
Political Prospects.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10Th, 1898.
Mr.. Mckinley may be compelled to
abandon that investigation of the war
by a commission, owing to his in
ability to get men of prominence TO
serve thereon. John Sherman, who
was kicked out OF the Cabinet because
it was alleged that his wits had gone
wool gathering, punctured this cem-
mission scheme when he called atten-
ton TO the fact that it could not COM
pei witnesses to testify. That is fatal
defeat. The commission can only
take voluntary testimony, and every
school-boy knows that military officers
are not likely TO volunteer to give
testimony that will reflect upon their
superiors. Mr.. Mckinley may sue
coed in forming his commission. and
it may 60 through the form OF making
an investigation, but there will be no
real investigation until it is made by q
Congressional Committee cloaked with
all the authority of a court of law.
Then the facts and the rascals will be-
come known.
The Peace Commissioners have had
their pow-wow with Mr.. Mckinley, re.
ceived their instructions, and departed
for Paris, via New York. 1t would be
easy to follow the majority of the
Washington correspondents, and give
what purportcd to be the substance
of those instructions, but as the in
structions have never been put upon
paper and are absolutely unknown out
side of the administration and OF the
Peace Commission, they can be guessed
at by one man about as well as by an
other. So each of our readers may do
his own guessing.
This administration has made a
speciality of handling seats in the U. s.
Senate as though they were petty
Federal appointments. The scheme
to send Senator Mcmillan, of Michigan,
to England as American Ambassador
in order that Secretary Alger might
step into his seat in the Senate has
had to be abandoned, owing to the I'M
popularity of Alger since the public
has known of his culpable mismanage-
ment of the War Department., but it
was at once succeeded by new one,
which only needs the consent of Sena-
tor Hoar, which has been once refused,
to 60 through. This scheme is TO send
Hoar TO London as Ambassador, put
Secretary Long in his seat in the Sen.
ate, and make Assistant Secretary
Allen, Longs successor in the Cabinet
Pressure is now being used to bring
about acquiesence on the part OF Sepa-
tor Hoar, but its success is by no means
sure. Hoar doesn't wish to leave the
Senate, of which he regards himself as
one OF the principal owners, and it is
doubtful whether he can be forced to
do so, as John Sherman was. The
scheme docs not commend itself to
Republicans from other States, as
Massachusetts already has one Am
bassador.
The use OF the power of the War De.
partment to prevent parade of troops
in New York City, which Gen. Miles was
for some reason anxious to have take
place, and which he had positively
said would take place, was in itself an
Insignificant matter, but it shows the
bad feeling existing between Miles and
the Department, and the intention of
the department to humble Miles when
ever possible to do SO.
According to stories which have
reached Washington, there is more
trouble among Maine Republicans
than that caused by the falling off in
their vote. There has been opposition
to Senator Hale in the party ranks for
a long time, and his marked friendli-
ness for Spain, just previous to the
war, increased it to formidable pro-
portions. Car Reed has encouraged
this opposition rs much as he could
without openly participating therein,
although he has repeatedly said that
he would not accept n seat in the Sem
ate himself; but the statement that
Joe" Manley would be a candidate
for Hale's seat may result in making
Reed help Hale to get reelected, IS he
would rather see the devil in the Sem
tie than Joe" Manley.
There isn't the slightest doubt that
the Republicans are becoming alarmed
over the prospect OF the capture of the
House by the Democrats. Chairman
Babcock and Secretary Overstreet, of
the Republican Congressional Com
mittee, have both made visits east
within week, one to Boston and the
other to New York, and there are rea-
sons to believe that both ol tn. m went
after the same thing-money to be
used i'll the campaign. That the sen i.
ment of the country is now with the
Democrats is what all the cores
pOndents of the Democratic Con-
gressional Committee say, and all the
callers at committee headquarters tell
the same story. Unless there is great
change before election there is every
reason to expect that sufficient Demo-
cratic gains will be made in the follow
ing States to give the party control of
the House by good working ma
jority: Kentucky. Virginia, North
Carolina, West Virginia, New York,
New Jersey. Ohio, Illinois. Wisconsin,
Massachusetts and Connecticut. One
Democrat, after sizing up the situa-
ton said: "The only thing fear is
that the situation may change again
before election. But don't see no "
it can" Dem.