Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-05-27


nue-Chandler Charges That the
Army Is Held Back to Make 1t
Easier on Spanish BondhOldcrs.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, May 20, 1898.
Under the secretive policy that was
this week put into operation the adj
ministration can change its war plans
even oftener than once in every forty
eight hours, and the Naval Strategy
Board can keep our fleets on con-
tinuous wild-goose chase, without be.
ing criticized. Under this policy, Sec
relary long is the only man who is
allowed to give out u scrap OF news
concerning the movements OF our war-
ships, and nothing indicating their
movements is to be allowed to
be telegraphed from any place
these vessels go to. The reason
given for all this secrecy is that
the Spanish have been regularly
furnished with everything printed
about the movements of our ships and
that the knowledge thus acquired en-
abled the admiral of that Spanish
fleet to avoid Admiral Simpsons fleet.
This may be true, but had there been
less criticism of recent movements of
our warships it is probable that the
new policy would be less strictly en-
forced. The policy is better than the
motive which caused it to be adopted.
1t is learned unofficislly-there are
always leaks, you know - that the
Oregon. the Marietta, and the Buffalo,
the dynamite cruiser brought from
Brazil, have joined Admiral SIMPSONS
feet; that the swiftest vessels in the
fleets of Sampson and Schley are 10 be
sent after the Spanish fleet, while the
monitors and the clover ships are to
maintain the Cuban blockade; that
the plans for the invasion OF Cuba are
to be again taken up and carried out
within short time; that another Call
for volunteers is probable in few days,
and that orders have been issued to
cut all the cables from Cuba, except
the two TO the United States, which
are now under government control.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, about
stated the position OF the Democratic
party towards the war revenue bill,
now before the Senate, in his speech
this week on the bill. He opened by
saying that he doubted whether there
was man in the Senate who was not
ready TO vote all the money and taxes
necessary to carry on the war. but he
would consider it Q neglect OF duty to
vote for too much money. He criticized
the estimates made of the amount that
would be needed, and quoted the Sec.
re,aries of War and Navy to show
that he was right in calling them ex.
cessive, and said that even If they
were not, there was no good reason
why this session of Congress should
provide for all of it. In reply to
Senator Aldrich's questions, Senator
Jones said: II am willing to fix the
amount that ought to be produced by
the pending bill at $l50,OOO. 900; but
believe it would be better and wiser
for US to levy even more taxes rather
than increase our interest bearing OBJ.
legations. II ! had TO take my choice
between an issue OF bonds and an in
crease of taxation. l would prefer to
increase taxation"
The State delegation in Congress
and number of others prominent in
public life accompanied the Alabama
Press Association. which had been in
Washington several days. over to
Philadelphia to witness the launching
of the battleship Alabama. Senator
Morgan g daughter christened the ship.
Mr.. W. Godfrey Hunter. Of Ken
lucky, knew what he was about when
he accepted the position OF U. 8. Minis
ter to Guatemala. His contest for the
seat in the House occupied by Hon.
John S. Rhea was disposed of in two
minutes without a word of debate, by
the House adopting the report OF the
committee stating that Mr.. Rhea had
been legally elected.
Numerous state officials who have
been in Washington this week would
have strongly resented the intimation
OF War Department officials that State
officials were responsible for the delay
in getting the volunteer army into
service had they not feared that to do
so would make it appear to foreign
countries that the State and Federal
authorities were wrangling over the
formation Of our army. Inasmuch as
the greater portion OF the volunteer
army that have been regularly en-
listed under the United States are
to-day without proper equipments, it
would seem that the War Department
officials ought to keep very mum
about the responsibility for delay.
Now that Secretary Alger has sue
cessfully pulled off an important
family event - the marriage OF his
daughter-and has asked Congress to
provide for an additional Assistant
Secretary of War, it is hoped that he
intends moving things little faster in
his department. That things con-
nected with the army have not been
satisfactory may be judged by Senator
Chandler having openly expressed the
opinion that influences were operating
to prevent the army taking any part
in the war, by retarding its preparation
until our navy had destroyed the
Spanish navy and Spain had sued for
peace, and that the reason was TO make
il as easy as possible on the Spanish
bond-holders. Had Chandler been .
Democrat such talk would have been
regarded as near akin to treason:
Dem.