Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-08
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
New Island Possessions Discussed BY
the Cabinet.
| SESSION OVER Two HOURS
The President Says He Will Stand
by Evans.
GENERAL OVENSHINE CALLS

| The cabinet met at II o'clock this morn
| ing and was in session for two and half
| hours. The length of the session gave the
| impression that extremely important mat
| tiers had been under consideration, but at
| the conclusion the members stated that
| practically all the time had been consumed
| in discussing the new island possessions.
as brought up by Secretary Root. 1t was
| one of the best attended meetings of the
| cabinet in some time, and Secretary Root
| took occasion to give the views that have
| been reached by him since his incumbency
| of office. The discussion was not directed
| to any definite object, but to prospective
| problems.
Secretary Root discussed what he thought
| might be necessary in the government OF
| Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines. His
| idea Is that Porto Rico is getting ripe for
| a civil government, and that it will soon be
| a proper plan to substitute civil for mill
| tary governors in that island. He also
| thinks that this will be the proper step in
| Cuba at later period. How soon these
| things may be put in execution. II at all,
was not suggested by him, being left en-
| tirely for the consideration of the cabinet.
| In fact, his talk was not for the purpose OF
presenting definite plan to be decided IN
| the affirmative or negative at this time
| The wide difference in the manners, GUS
| toms and disposition of the Filipinos, Sec
rotary Root thinks, will make necessary
| for 1T several forms Of government. He
| believes that an autonomous government
| can be established at an early date in some
| Of the islands For Luzon military gov
| eminent will have to continue until the end
| of the rebellion, and until the people show
| some fealty to the United States. What
| forms Of government are best for other is
| lands the Secretary did not say.
| Postmaster General Smith reported
| large increase in the money order business
l in Cuba and that there is demand
| for labor in the island. He regards the in
| crease in the money order business as show
| ing a better financial condition In the is
| land.
| A delegation of veterans who have been
| attending the encampment at Philadelphia
was received at the White House by the
President today. The delegation consisted
of Indiana men from the neghborhood Of
| West Terre Haute 1t was headed by Rich
ard McIlroy. At the conclusion of the In
terview Mr. McIlroy stated that he and
| his comrades had come to see the Presi-
| dent to express their confidence in Com
| missioner Evans of the pension bureau, and
| to say that his administration of the office
| met with their approval. They told the
| President that 1.-The better element of the
| G. A. r. was fully satisfied that Commits
| sioner Evans had done his duty fairly and
| honestly, and to such limit as was al
| lowed by the law"
| Mr. McIlroy said that in response the
President said he was glad to hear such
| sentiments expressed and to know that
Mr.. Evans had such stanch friends. He
| concluded by expressing his own confidence
| in Mr. Evans, and by saying that he eX-
| pected to stand by him.
| 1t Is not known at the White House when
the committee appointed by the national
encampment will come to Washington, but
| they are expected within a few days.
| Gen. Ovenshine Calls.
| Brigadier General ovenshine. who has
| just returned from the Philippines, called
on Secretary Root today and had a brief
conversation with him before the Secretary
| went to the cabinet. General Ovenshine
accompanied the Secretary to the White
| House and saw the President for a few
| minutes.
FOss Sees the President.
| Representative Foss of Chicago, whose
| recent trip through Europe has attracted
| much attention. particularly his conference
| with Emperor William and Admiral Dewey,
| arrived here today and went to the White
| House for a talk with the President Mr..
| Foss is the author of the personnel bill
which has worked such complete reorgan-
| i7ation in the navy. and his trip abroad
| was mainly to observe the administration
of foreign naval affairs.
Protest From Cuban Planters.
Mr.. Quesada, the Cuban commissioner,
| has presented to the President kilograms
received from the tobacco raising interests
of Cuba. protesting against the proposition
| to admit Porto Rican tobacco into Cuba
| free of duty. One of the dispatches comes
| from the president of the tobacco growers
association at Havana and the other from
the chief plantation owners in Santa Cara
province.
1t il understood that Secretary Root is so
| DESTROYS of relieving the distress of Porto
Rico that he looks favorably upon this
plan of admitting Porto Rican tobacco TO
Cuba. When the plan was tried once be-
| fore, only $4,000 worth of tobacco was
sent to Cuba from Porto Rico. This, 1t is
claimed, would afford no relief to Porto
Rico, and would give Cuba an outside COM
petition which she is unable to bear at this
| time.
M. Quesada was at the White House to-
day, and the representations made were
along the foregoing general lines.
Representative FOss Naval Needs.
Representative Foss of Illinois had an ex-
tended talk with President Mckinley this
morning. Mr.. Foss has just returned to
this country from long tour through Eng
land and the European countries. Mr. Foss
is a member of the naval affairs commit
tee of the House and crossed the ocean
for no other purpose than to secure all the
information possible on naval affairs. Not
said Mr. FoSS, but to all that is good
which can be of use to us. I went into the
prominent navy and shipbuildng yards
everywhere. Investigated the subject of
docks, which is important one with us,
visited marine barracks and armor plate
plants. studied the subjects of national
naval reserve and of naval policy board.
/ have, in fact seen much which will be of
benefit to me, and, l hope, to my country,
the greatest on earth" Continuing, Mr..
F'oSS said:
Legislation for the Navy.
'I think the next Congress and those
which follow will enact much legislation
as to the navy. I am going to give much
time between now and the assembling Of
Congress to formulating legislation. I ex-
pect to return here early this winter and
consul the officials of the Navy Depart
ment about different features"
Mr.. Foss did not think it wise to impart
his views now on some of the subjects to
which he gave thought and attention in
Europe, bat on others was more communi-
cative.
II am convinced" he said, that we will
have to adopt some system about building
I