Morris tribune., 1898-12-31

Z WASHINGTON LETTER.
1Fromt the Tribune's Correspondent
Instruction. Dec, 18th, 1898,

fetal copy of the Treaty of Peace to
Washington, cordial personal wei
come and heartfelt congratulations
on their successful work, and assured
, them that the Christmas gift they
brought to the American people was
thoroughly appreciated. AS tur-
Their mark of his appreciation, he will
give, in honor of the Commissioners,
a state dinner at the White House.
In addition to the treaty. the Com
missioners brought to the President,
a full and detailed report of their
work. The Commissioners were
pleased to learn that the opposition
to the ratification of th9 treaty by
the Senate had practically all died
out, and that the treaty was likely to
be promptly ratified. Senators who
have been quoted as intending to OPP
pose the treaty have assured Presi-
dent Mckinley that, while opposed
to our retention of the Philippines
perminantly, they would vote to rati-
| fly the treaty as soon as it was re-
ported to the Senate from the Com
miltee on Foreign Relations. to which
it will be sent as soon as it goes to
the Senate. which will be immediate
ly upon the reassembling of Con
gress
WAKE ISLAND. Spanish Peace
Commissioners will realize what a
mistake they made when they refused
to sell us a small island in the Caro-
llues for cable station, as soon as
they learn that we have taken pos
session of an island-W AXE Island
that will answer every purpose and
will cost nothing. This island is
about two thousand miles from the
Hawaiian islands anu about thirteen
hundred miles from Guam, being al
most on a direct line between those
possessions. AS far back as 1851, Ad-
miral Wilkes surveyed this island
and asst rted title, but the island be-
lug merely coral reef three miles
long, mas never been occupied. But
It Is all right for cable station, and
President Mckinley has sent orders
TO Commander Taussig, of the gun
boat Bennington, to proceed to the
island and take formal possession.
1t is a coincidence that on the 4th of
July Of this year, a transport bound
for Manila, stopped aJ Wake Island
to allow our soldiers to. get days
recreation on land.
JoBBERY STOPPED. -PresidentMcKin
ly stopped lot of crooked business
when he ordered that new franchises
given by the local authorities in Cuba,
Porto Rico, and the Philippines,
should be revoked by our Military
authorities, whenever they were I'M
fair in their terms or likely to be
against the best interest Of the island
ers. A lot of INSCRIPTIONS specula-
tors have been engaged in the pur-
chace Of railroad, electric and other
franchises from impecuneous mem
bers of local governments i'll the towns
on all of the islands, with the expec
tation that the Z. S. would recog-
nize them. 1t IS the Presidents in
tention to prevent any robbery Of the
islanders that can be prevented by
watchfulness on the part OF the aut-
hOrities.
GOVERNMENT FOR CUBA. Admiral
Sampson, who has just returned from
Havana, where he has been on duty
as member Of the evacuation com
mission, says that while many Gu
bans are anxious to set up an indie
pendent government, the better elias
sas on the island, including most of
the men of wealth and prestige in
business affairs, are practically una
nimously in favor of the U. S. taking
the islands for keeps, instead Of only
temporarily. The Adnlirals own
opinion is that the Cubanu are in no
condition, at this time, to successfully
establish and maintain a government
Of their own, and, while he doesn't
say as much, the impression one gat-
hers from talking with him, is that he
doubts whether they ever will be.
ARMY ILL Chairman Hull has
fled with the clerk of the House, the
report of the Committee on Military
Affairs in favor of his bill for. the re-
organization and increase Of the regu-
lar army, which was not ready when
the bill was reported to the House,
just before It's Christmas adjourn