Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-10-07
"SINEWS OF WAR"
LEVYING AN ESSMENT TOPUR
CHASE A HOUSE MAJORITY.


Study of How Not to DO 1t
Rooscvclt's Prospects of Election
Very Slim-Chandler Wants To
Gloss Over Incomrctcncy of the
! Administration by an Extra
ordinary Plea - Investigation
! Necessary of the War Vessel
Steals.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
: WASHINGTON. Sept. 30, 1898.
Boss Hanna has been appealed TO
by Mr.. Mckinley to save the House
10y the same methods he carried the
Presidential election-the unlimited
use OF money. Hanna il now in
Washington preparing to make as
sessments on the men who put up the
Doodle in 90 Chairman Bsbcock, Of
the Republican Congressional Cam
psign committee, told Mr.. Mckinley
that unless something was done nj
once the Democrats would certainly
elect majority Of the House. That
is why Hanna was tclrgraphcd for.
/ II money can elect Il majority OF the
House, Hanna i going To do il, unless
the men who contributed money for
him to use two years ago, go back on
him
AT the present rate Of progress Mr..
| Mckinlcy's commission will not get
through investigating the War Depart
mcnt by the time the Presidential
campaign opens \ week ago the
commission was organized, and not a
line Of testimony has been taken; IN
I fact, a majority Of the commission
have been away from Washington
nearly all of this week. They say the
taking of testimony will be started
next week. The kick against making
! the investigation secret has caused
the commission To modify its original
| intention So far ~ To agree To allow
| representatives Of the press assocIi-
tions To he present when testimony Is
being taken.
! Democrats who attended the New
/ York Democratic State Convention
say that Roosevclt's defeat il assured,
! and that his nomination will help ,Ee
! Democratic candidates for Congress.
! They are calling Teddy" "dime
novel candidate" u" comic valentine
man full Of grit, nerve and wheels"
and other picturesque things The
German vote will go almost solidly To
the Democratic ticket, and many
other Republicans will refuse to vote
for a tax -dodger. as Roosevelt has ac-
knowledged himself To he. Some Of
the old Blaine men will also knife him.
Little Billy" Chandler dropped
into Washington this week and gave
out somewhat remarkable interview.
He legan 10y admitting that many |
mistakes were made in the conduct Of
the war. and excused Alger, placing
all the blame on the army officers who
are at the head Of the various bureaux
of the War Department But the
tervicw was its closing paragraph,
which means, il il means any thing. n
notice served upon Mr.. Mckinley's M
vestigating commission that il must |
not expose encouragement. The |
paragraph closes with this thinly |
yelled appeal To the commission not
to find out anything discrcditable
The whole world looks on with won
der and admiration and recognizes the
United States as again one Of the
great powers Of the earth. Shall we
refuse this position and dishonor and
disgrace ourselves by demonstrating
that we did not know how To make
war: not even how tn transport our
men and supplies; tn locate our
camps; to subsist our armies and to
take care Of our sick and wounded
but have War Department full Of
incompetents from head to footY How
degrading such scandalous scheme,
We should take warning from the
spectacle which France now presents
in the Dreyfus case" Senator Chand-
ler's appeal u patriotism To help
shield incompetent. neglected. and
criminal officers is halderhash. II will
not lower the country in the eyes Of
the world To punish the men who
caused unnecessary suffering among
our soldiers.
Of the next Congress next spring IL
the opinion Of MANY. because il j.
doubtful whether it will he possible To
get all necessary legislation put
through during the shor: session Of
the present Congress. but il is not
true that the Democratic leaders in
tend tn try To force nm extra session,
il they elect majority Of the next
House. On the contrary, il is the de-
sire of the Democratic leaders to
avoid nm extra session Of Congress.
Representative Bailey, of Texas.
who is nav on n stumping tour. said
on this subject before he left Wash
ington: "As q matter of party poll
tics, il we succeed in getting control of
the next House. as firmly believe we
will, hope that We may he able to
avoid an extra session Of Congress.
An extra session would he full Of dan
gar to our party and might lose us
the Presidency in 1900"
The navy conducted its side o! the
war in manner 81 satisfactory that
il il not likely that any proposition
will he made in Congress to investi-
gate the navy, but il may be set down
as certain that resolution will be of.
fered by a Democrat and supported by
all the Democrats in Congress 20 in
vestigate the purchase Of vessels from
private individuals and corporations
by the government. IL is admitted
by officials that extravagant prices
were paid for number OF vessels, but
they say that the government was
bound to have the vessels and had TO
submit to the extortion Of the owners.
Even il this were known to be true,
such an investigation would still he
needed; to inform the country OF the