Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-12
FREELAND, Pa, OCTOBER 1s, 1896
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, October 10, 1s9

Washington, October 10, 1899.
That Imperialism is costly will be
shown by the estimates which will be
submitted to congress for appropriations
necessary for the army and navy for
the fiscal year beginning July l, 1900
Although all the estimates of the war
department are not complete, enough is
known to make it certain that the
aggregate amount that will be asked
for the support of the army and navy
for the coming season of congress will
reach, and probably exceed 5000, 900, 600,
which will be about $2.65 or s2.7O per
capita. War department officials say
the total amount will be considerably
reduced, If the war in the Philippines
is brought to close, before the appro-
priations are made, but that is very
doubtful, in double sense 1t is
doubtful whether the war over there
will be ended by that time, and doubt
full, even II it should be, whether the
American army on the islands can be
materially reduced for long time
afterwards, If our present policy is to
be continued. Every government which
has tried to govern alien people by
force has found it expensive, and there
are no good reasons for belieying that
the experience OF this country will
differ in that respect from that of
others.
/
Ex-Secretary John Sherman has give n
out vigorous interview against the
suggestion that the United States should
attempt to mediate between England
and the Transvaal republic to prevent
the war which now seems almost certain
to come, which shows that his intellect
is still in good working order. The
Transvaal authorities thought they
made a shrewd move when they select
ed Colonel j. r O'Beirne, a prominent
Republican politician of New York, to
be their diplomatic representative in
Washington, but it hasn't accomplished
anything, because Of rule of the state
department, forbidding the recognition
of an American citizen as the diplomatic
representative of foreign government.
O'Beirne is in Washington, but he has
received no official recognition. He ex-
presses the belief that Mr.. Mckinley
will overrule the state department and
recognize him in his diplomatic capa-
city. If he does, look out for squalls.
!
Thara 10 noccihility that A 4 ~, I
Dewey will be the Republican candi-
date for president, next year, instead of
President Mckinley. A movement has
been started by prominent Republicans
which has that object in view. Ad-
miral Dewey has not been consulted
and has nothing whatever to do with it..
The men in this movement are not
after honoring Admiral Dewey or turn
ing Mr.. Mckinley down. They are
after keeping the Republican party in
power for another presidential term.
They are afraid that Hannasm and
Algerism will handicap Mr.. Mckinley
to such an extent that it will be impos-
sible to re-elect him. The success of
this movement will depend largely upon
the outcome of the next campaign
against the Filipinos; If the war over
there isn't ended soon, Mr.. Mckinley
will be still further handicapped.
/
Although he has more than once
declared that he would not accept the
nomination for vice president, it has all
along been believed in Washington,
that Governor Teddy was after that
very nomination, and that Boss Platt,
who is anxious to get him out of New
York politics was actively assisting him.
The announcement that Roosevelt was
to make flying trip through Nebraska,
speaking almost continually from the
rear platform of his train, has added
strength to that belief. Republicans
who know the situation in Nebraska
are preparing soft spot to fall on by
saying that state pride in Colonel Bryan
may cause the state to go anti-Republi-
can. In view of Colonel Bryan's en-
thusiastic reception tn the state, the
use OF 'may" is really considerate on
the part OF those who know that the
Republicans are practically certain of