Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER,
From our Regular Correspondent

the administration with the expecta-
ton that the conference will produce
practical results probably not cx-
actly along the lines proposed by the
Gar. but still results that will be
beneficial to all the Nations which
will be represented at the conference.
The text of the Instructions to our
Commissioners has not been made
public and is not likely TO be IN ad-
vance of the conference, which meets
next month, but it is known that they
strongly emphasize the position OF
this government in favor of inter-
national arbitration also, that they
favor an agreement for the further
amehoratlon of the horrors Of war,
along the lines of these which Lave
been secured by the Geneva Red
Cross society at various times.
The Military Court Of Inquiry is
still taking testimony, although II had
hoped to finish last week. Although
some prominent officers have been on
the stand, little that was either new
or important was brought out. SIEVE
raj acts of the court have served TO
deepen the impression Of the unpre-
irdiced public, that the Court Is pre-
JUDGED against General Miles, espec-
tally us fiat refusal to summon SIX
particular witnesses whose names
were furnished by Miles.
Representative Packer, Of Pa,
who has Just returned from visit TO
Cuba, said; "The mp esslon l got
was that our troops will have to stay
down there a long time. One of our
leading Generals talked the situation
over with me fully and frankly. His
idea is that Congress made fearful
mistake in adopting the Teller rcso-
luton that disclaimed any intention
Oh our part to annex Cuba. The re-
snpctable and educated element
mostly Spaniards-say they will be
clad to see annexation come about
speedily, but the General was not
sure how far these people could be
depended upon to make lgood their
talk. If an election were held at an
early day, they might vote contrary
to their declarations, about the desir-
ability of annexation. All the Amer
leans over there are of the opinion
that Cuba must, sooner or later be
annexed 10 the [. S., but how soon,
or under what Giro umstances; they
do not pretend to predict"
The disposition at the German En-
bassy 10 consider the Samoan queS-
ton disposed of, now that it has been
arranged that Commissioners repre-
senting the IT, s., Great Britain, and
Germany shall sail from San Francisco
on the 25th inst, with authority to
make temporary changes in the Gov
eminent of Samoa, pending the con-
sideration of their reports by their
respective governments, is not shared
by many Americans. American Of
fcers ana men were killed in ambush
near Apia, and the charge made that
the ambushwas the result of German
treachery. Ii investigation shall show
that charge to be untrue, Americans
will rejoice; it not, they will demand
fall reparation from Germany, and
they will refuse to consider the mat
ter closed until the result of the in
vestlgation is known. Americans
do not regard the appointment and
departure of the Commission as set
ting the matter, but as starting in the
proper way to get at the bottom OF 1t.
If there has been wrong doing,
| whether by Americans, Germans or
Englishmen, it must be not only
shown up. but punished.
Secretary Alger, who has return
ed from a trip to Cuba and Porto
Rico, and resumed his position at the
head ofthe War Department, doesn't
talk ike a man who has any idea Of
resigning; in fact, he very distinctly
says that ne has no such idea. On
the contrary, he talks Of the work in
Cuba and Porto Rico as though he
expected to be connected with it for
a long tine. lie says the greatest
need Of Cuba is education for the
masses, that there Is comparatively
little distress now on the island,
among men, and that The condition
Of the INDECENT widows and children
is being steadily improved, and he
paid this compliment to our boys in
blue: ~ never saw, anywhere, fin
er body of men than the American
soldiers now in Cuba" He summed
up his trip thusly: 81 am more than
satisfied. Of course, | realize that
there is great deal yet to be done,
II ,Iot ,,orfaotion 10 n ,lonf of oin,t,