Middletown transcript., 1898-09-24

hMSMM IN ers are we'll on
U0 the way to Paris,
President McKin-
S%aNM ley will complete
E/(~5M the Cor mission
| NlANA NgRN to investigate the
+! NV IN NI conduct Of the war
| WglANNN2 and will get it to
eS< work at the earl
lest possible moment. He thinks the
Commission can do all of its work in
Was hingtop, calling such witnesses as
were in positions which enabled them
to possess useful information; and be
told one of the Commissioners that
every communication sent or received
by the War Department would be made
accessible to the Commission, and that
the whole power of the government
would Ee used to assist the Commits
sioners in getting at everything they
desired to know. The only desire that
President Mckinley has in the matter
is to show the people of the country
Just how the war was conducted, and
to at the same time discover the things
in our present system that should be
changed in order to get the best results.
| He wist1rs utrthody 10 Do shielded aud
nobody to be prosecuted.
The gentlemen who have consented
to serve on the Commission, are so we'll
known that no one would question
their report when it is made. The
words of such men as these always car
riesconviction to the public: President
Gilman, of Johns Hopkins University;
Hon. Charles DENLY, for more than
thirteen years q. S. Minister to China; !;
Col. James A. Sexton, the newly-elect-
ed Commander-in-Ch Chief of the &. A.
R.; Gen. Granville M. Dodge, who
gained military fame in the Civil War;
DR.. w. W. Keen, whose achievements
have placed him in the front rank of
the medical profession, not only of the
U. S., but of the world, and Capt.
Evan P. Howell. formerly ed itor of the
Atlanta Constitution. The lack of
legal authority to compel witnesses to
tastify, is not regarded as serious
drawback to the Commission. Few
witnesses called are likely to decline
to testify, when they know that the
President wishes them to tell every
thing they know
The ses sions of the Peace Commits
sion, to meet at Paris. Oct. /, are to
be held in the famous ''Salle des Am
bassadeurs," the French Government
having rendered the use of that apart
ment, in which have enacted numerous
international diplomatic dramas, when
the meeting place of the Peace @ om-
mission was first announced. Jus pre-
vious to the departure of the American
Commissioners from Washington, Hon.
VIM. r. Day, who heads the Commits
sion rendered his resignation as Secre-
tary of State, which was accepted by
the Hresident, who then officially an
nounced the appointment of Col. John
Hay, recently Ambassador to Great
Britain, to be Secretary of State. At
the same time Hon. John Bassett
Moore, who accompanies the Commits
sioners as adviser, rendered his resig-
nation as First Assistant Secretary of
State, and it was accepted. Secretary
Hay, who will be in Washington in q
few days will choose Mr.. Moore's suc-
| cessor. The instructions given our
representatives on the Peace Commits
sion have been a well-kept secret. Sur
misses have been plentiful, but there
are no facts before the public. Presi-
dent Mckinley says the policy Of this
government in the negotiations Of the
treaty of peace with Spain will be
recognized as thoroughly American
when it becomes known, and th4t. it
will be endorsed by our people as
whole. More than that he does not
deem it prudent to say at this time.
The sensation mongers hardly got a
chance to spread their Imagination on
the stories Of such serious situation
at Manila that more American troops
were needed, before the sensation was
punctured by an official report from
Gen, Otis, who is in command of our
troops over there during the absence of
Gen. Merritt, who is on his way to
Paris to place the information in his
possession before the American Peace
Commissioners, saying that no more
troops we're needed, and that the situ-
alton was satisfactory from an Amer
ican. point of view.
Maj. General James II. Wilson, who
commanded corps in the Porto Rican
campaign, and who is now at his Del.
aware home on furlough, said when
asked for his views Of the war: 81
have nothing 10 complain of, I am
very much like the grave digger who,
when asked while digging a grave,
who had died and what was wrong, re-
piled; There ANT noting wrong every
body is satisded.'u
Postmaster General Smith, who will
deliver an address at the Omaha Ex-
position on Pennsylvania day. has ac-
cepted invitations to deliver political
speeches at Topeka, and Wichita, Kan
sas, on the 7th and 9th of October. and
has under consideration, Invitations to
make other speeches in Nebraska and
Ohio. He will accept as many Of the
Invitations aa he can.
There is already evidence that the
democrats. In their anxiety to make
political capital. have ovardona tha