Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1898-10-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Sept. 80, '9s.
The presence of the representa-
tive of Aguinaldo, the Philippine
lnsurgent general, who came
from Manila with Gen. #. V.
Greene, who brought reports
from Admiral Dewey and Gen.
Merritt on the situation in the
Philippines. has not caused a rip
pie in Washington. He has no
Official Status and can have none.
That portion of the Philippine
Islands not in possession of the
U. S. troops must be recognized
as belonging to Spain, until the
peace commission at Paris decides
what disposition shall be made of
the territory. Aguinaldo's man
is bright lawyer and has made
a very clever statement of his
claims to the public. He has al
so talked with the president, as a
/ private individual, and he SAYS he
may so to Paris and ask hear
Ing from the peace commission.
No matter what he may do, there
is little likelihood that Aguinaldo
will have anything to do with the
government Of the Philippines,
Members Of the commission en-
gagged in Investigating the con-
duct of the war evidently regard
it as an extensive job, as a num-
Der of them have gone to their
/ homes to arrange their private
business so as to give their entire
attention to the Investigation.
| Daily sessions have been held
this week, but the taking of test1-
mony will not begin until next
Monday. when all of the commits
| sloners expect to be on hand.
| The public will not be admitted,
but representatives of the press
associations will be present when
testimony is being taken. Capt.
| 3. P. Howell, one of the COM
missioners, says the president as
sured him that speedy punish
ment would be ineted out to every
man found guilty OF wrong doing
by the peace commission, regard
less of his position. The com
mlssioners ask that complaints
be forwarded to them, and prom
ise a thorough investigation of
every complaint made.
Few relics of the war have at
tracted more attention than two
flags exhibited in Washington
this week. One was the Spanish
royal standard that was hauled
down when the Cristobal Colon,
which Lieut.. Hobson is now
working to save, and confident of
success, surrendered to the Brook
lyn and the Oregon, in the naval
battle off Santiago, which ended
in the destruction of Cervera's
fleet, and the other is the battle
flag of the battle ship Oregon,
which was carried throughout the
famous trip of the Oregon from
the Pacific to the Atlantic, and
until the war closed.
Senator Chandler, one of the
men IN public life who always has
opinions and who is always ready
to express them, regardless of
who may be pleased or displeased
by them, doesn't blame Secretary
Alger for the troubles in the
army. He said of Secretary AL
ger: lie has intended to do his
duty faithfully and courageous1y.
Unfortunately he has too little
power. Nearly every act of his
must be performed through a.
bureau chief appointed for life
and over whom he has little con-
troll. He cannot remove him. He
can give him specific orders on
many points, but he cannot get
rid of him, even if he is sure that
another officer would do better.
The secretary remains in Office
four years; the bureau chief until
he dies or is retired at sixty-four
years of age. This is most un-
wise organization of the war de-