Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-12-31
THE CHRISTMAS GIFT
To the American People Crooked
Business in Havana Stopped-Biii
for Increase of Army.

| Mckinley gave tne american AS"~~
| commissioners who brought the Of
fetal copy Of the Treaty OF Peace to
Washington, cordial personal well
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 fur
Their mark OF his appreciation, he will
give, in honor OF the Commissioners,
State dinner at the White House.
In addition TO the treaty, the Com
niissioners brought to the President
| full and detailed report of their work.
The Commissioners were pleased to
learn that the opposition to the rati-
fcation of the 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 oppose the
| treaty have assured President McKin-
ley that, while opposed to our reten-
ton OF the Philippines permanently,
they would vote to ratify the treaty
as soon as it was reported to the Sen
ate.
The Spanish Peace Commissioners
will realize what a mistake they made
when they refused to sell us small
island in the Carolines for a cable
station, as soon as they learn that we
have taken possession OF an island
Wake Island-that will answer every
purpose and will cost nothing. This
island is about two thousand miles
! FROM the Hawaiian islands and about
thirteen hundred miles from Guam,
being almost on direct line between
those possessions. As far back as
1881, Admiral Wilkes surveyed this
island and asserted title, but the is
land being merely coral reef three
miles long, has never been occupied.
But it is all right for a cable station,
and President Mckinley has sent or
ders to Commander Taussing, of the
gun-boat Bennington, to proceed to
the island and take formal possession.
1t is coincidence that on the 4th OF
July of this year. transport bound
for Manila, stopped at Wake Island to
allow our soldiers to get days recre-
alton on land.
President Mckinley stopped a lot
of crooked business when he ordered
that new franchises given by the To-
cal authorities in Cuba, Porto Rico,
and the Philippines. should be re
voked by our military authorities,
whenever they were unfair in their
terms or likely to be against the best
interest of the islanders. A lot of I'M
scrupulous spectators have been en-
gagged in the purchase of railroad,
electric and other franchises from i'm.
pecuneous members of local govern
ments in the towns on all of the
islands, with the expectation that the
United States would recognize them.
Admiral Sampson, who has just re-
turned from Havana, where he has
been on duty as member of the evac-
uation commission, says that while
many Cubans are anxious to set up
an independent government, the bet
ter classes on the island, including
most of the men of wealth and pres
tige in business affairs, are practical
ly unanimously in favor of the United
States taking the island for keeps, in
stead OF only temporarily.
Chairman Hull has filed with the
clerk of the House, the report of the
committee on military affairs in favor
of his bill for the reorganization and
increase of the regular army. The
following extract from the report full
ly explains the nature of the bill;
The bill fixes no maximum strength
for the whole army. Assuming that
the government will require about
100, 600 men for defense of the from
tier, for coast defense and to main
tain our authority in the islands for
whose good order and government
this Nation is now responsible, to-
gether with a reasonable reserve force.
The bill provides for the requirements
of cavalry and infantry, the number
required for each arm of the service,
and a corps of artillery for our sea
coast batteries with two regiments of
artillery for field batteries. The Com
mittee believe the organization as pro-