Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-11-04
The Politician.

Prof. Schurman, Col DENLY and Prof.
Worcester-at the White House, dur
ing which the members of the Com
mission gave verbal outline of their
preliminary report on the Philippines.
AT the close of the conference Pres
ident Mckinley requested the Com
missioners to put their preliminary re-
port in writing at once, in order that
it may be made public. The report
will be unanimous in recommending
thatthe U. s, retain the Philippines
permanently, as essential to the COM
merclal development of the islands
and the extension of American com
merce in the far east; it will also show
that this government is not response
ble for the beginning of hostilities
with the Fllipinos and that at no time
could we have honorably withdrawn
from the islands after occupying Ma
nlla. The President Is naturally pleas
ed that the opinions Of the members
OF the commission should be Identical
ly those held by himself, which have
been the basis of mis- policy in dealing
with Philippine matters, but he is not
surprised, because his position is the
only logical one that could have been
taken under the circumstances.
Since 1t became known in Washing
ton that Vice President Hobarts con-
dition was hopeless there have been
many expressions of sympathy and
sorrow. Mr. Hobart has endeared
himself to all who came in contact
with him as few men in public life
have done, and no one has felt more
saddened than President Mckinley,
who loves Mr.. Hobart as a brother.
Since his illness tooh a dangerous turn
hourly bulletins have been received at
the White House. 1t is no disrespect
to Mr.. Hobart that there should be
much talk in Washington of his sue
cessor as presiding officer of the Sem
ale. In little more than a month
Congress will meet, and the first duty
OF the Senate will be to elect a presi-
dent pro tempore to preside over its
meetings.. Senator Frye, having prev
iously held the position and proved
himself a model presiding officer, the
opinion is general that he will be
elected, unless he declines the honor,
which his friends do not expect him
to do.
Bids were opened at the Navy De-
partment this week for the construC-
tion Of six armored cruisers provided
for at the last session of Congress.
| .-e bidders were Moran Bros. & Co.,
Seattle, Washington; William r. Trigg
& Co., Richmond Va; Fall River En-
CINE Co., Braintree, Mass; Burlee
Dry Dock Co., Port Richmond, N. Y;
Neafie and Levy Ship and Engine
Budding Co., Philadelphia, Pa; Town
send and Downey, N. Y; Columbia
Iron Works, Bath, Me-; and Lewis
Nixon, Elizabethport N. ]. Congress
fixed the limit of cost for each of these
cruisers, exclusive of armament, at
s1,141, 800, and provided that not
more than two of them should be
built in one establishment. The bids
all within the limit the highest being
that of Moran Bros. & Co., $1,122,000.
The other bidders nearly all named
two prices, one or a single vessel,
with a reduction if they built two. The
time mentioned in the bids for deliv-
cry of the completed vessels varies
| from q to 80 months, only one bidder,
Townsend and Downey, naming the
former. AS soon as the bids are all
scheduled they will be turned over to
Secretary Long, who will announce
the successful bidders. In view of the
increase in the price of all kinds of
steel the bids are considered satisfac-
tory.
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Vanderlip, who was chairman of the
Dewey home fund committee, gave an
informal dinner in honor of Admiral
Dewey this week, at which the com
miutee finished its work and received
the thanks of the Admiral. Naturally
the Admiral was warmly congra,ulat-
ed, as he is on every hand, upon his
coming marriage to Mrs. Hazen, widow
of Gen. W. B. HaZen, who was at the
head of the Signal Service when he
died and daughter o. the late Wash
| ington Mclean.
Prof. Schurman, of the Philippine
Commission, who was one Of the first
Americans to interview the Sultan of
Sulu after the United States acquired
|. g sovereignty of the Philippines, said
Of the cock and bull stories, which
have been circulated aboutthis govern
ment and the Sultan of Sulu: 1T
seems to me that were it not for the
ignorance displayed, the present hue
and cry about polygamy and slavery
in these islands would be absolutely
criminal In taking over the Sulu
group we have acquired no rights of
any sort 1here except these bequeathed
us by Spain. She was bound by her
agreement with the Sultan not to in
terfere wit hthe religion or customs
of the islands, and it would be most
unwise for the slower methods Of civil
lzation and education. The Sulu
group proper contains about 100000