The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-23
WASHINGTON NOTES.
Special Correspondence.

SHOW tifdt III some states the national
Guard was but a name. This has not
been charged against New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachu-
setts, and perhaps few other states,
in which annual camps have been en-
forced, and degree of discipline OBJ
tained that was akin to the discipline
in the regular service. Nothing could
have been much more convincing of the
unpreparedness of the National Guard
than the arrival at Chickamauga of the
Michigan regiment that was provided
with excellent uniforms, but only five
rifles to each company. This was bare
ly enough to provide the sentries with
arms. Worse than that was the con-
dition of the Ohio cavalry which reach
ed camp with but one carbine to the
whole command. Different explana-
tions have been given of this lack of
preparation, but from sources that
seem to be entitled to respect, 1t is
learned that some states that have had
great difficulty in collecting from the
government the amounts advanced by
them to equip the troops for the re-
bellion have determined that the gov
ernment shall be obliged to do its out
fitting, SO as to avoid the expense to
the states of maintaining agents here,
for thirty years after the war, to col
lect the money put out in order to IA
cilitate the movement of equipped
troops. One advantage to be gained
by forcing the government to equip
will be uniformity of equipment of the
troops Still, equipping takes time, and
General Miles is of the opinion that IL
is better to take time to get ready than
it will be to take defeats as the result
of unreadiness.
Generalization by War.
Soon after the meeting of Congress,
in December the expectation was free
ly INDUCED on the Republican side Of
the House, that there would be no oc-
casion for keeping Congress here later
than May 1, and Speaker Reed was
quite confident that all the necessary
business of the country could be dis
posed of before that date. OF course
at that time the cloud of war was not
30 thick, as 1t soon became. But to the
speaker, who has never held the opin-
ion that the war was unavoidable, and
who still refers to it as something that
might have been avoided, the hope of
an early adjournment was based upon
political and humanitarian reasons.
Politically he believed that the fore
ing of war would break up the finan-
cial recuperation of the government.
interrupting the tendency on the part
of the revenues under the Dingley law
to exceed the expenditures in times of
peace. And now, when the expenses
exceed the income million or more a
day, the effect of war is demonstrating
the demoralizing tendency in govern
ment of that condition. All small
economies, all regard for adminlstra
tive rules, seem to have suffered a let
ting down.
Very soon the president may be ex-
pected to yield to the political demand,
successfully resisted until now, that the
civil service law shall not apply to the
government printing office, where it
has been we'll applied, until the pres
ent public printer came in to defy the
law and the president, who is sworn to
support It, The "looting" of the print
ing Office to suit the sLoilsmen will be
that backward step" which the presi-
dent once said in congress must not be
taken with reference to the civil ser
vice law. The war excitement will OBJ
scure this backward step.
Senior Msndonca.
Senior Mendonca, as Brazilian minis
ter, went away generally regretted.
have heard it said by two secretaries
of state of different parties, that no
wiser or more fully enlightened man
has occupied a diplomatic station here
for thirty years. Added to this high
opinion of his diplomatic ability, his
agreeable personality and a cordial ap-
probation of and sympathy with Amer
lean institutions, have endeared him
to the people quite as much as the gen.
erous hospitality for which the Bra
lillian legation has been famous for
years. Dr. Mendonca was fortunately
not new or strange minister to the
United States in the yet most trying
moment in the history of the Brazilian
republic. When the naval revolt against
the republic broke out, and De Mello
undertook to overthrow the admins
tration of the then president of Brazil,
DR.. Mendonca knew that behind the
admitted object of the revolt was a
determination to restore the monarchy.
Like a watchman on a tower, he con-
stantly observed every movement of
the revolutionists to secure from the
United States that recognition of bel
ligerency for which De Mello first, and
afterward Saldanha de Cana, mada
strenuous efforts. At one very critical
moment this perpetual watchfulness
and solicitude probably saved the re-
public, with the aid of Secretary of
State Gresham. De Mello, impatient Of
the slow progress made in the south OF
Brazil in setting up the form of gov
ernment by the rebels, hurried away
to Desterro, and left Saldanha in COM
mand of the revolutionary fleet in Rio
harbor. Soon after Saldanha announc-
ed a government at Desterro, and pro-
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