Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-09-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.


END the var in the Philippines
speedily, or the result will be dis
astrons to Jon and to the Republic
can party" That is the sum and
substance OF what is being daily
dinned into the ears OF Mr.. McKin-
ley, not By bis opponents, but BY
leading Republicans, who know how
unpopular that war il becoming all
over the country. Mr.. Mckinley
ia gradually becoming convinced
that the reaction in public senti-
ment concerning his Philippine pol
icy. predicted more than o year ago.
By Col. Bryan, is at hand, and once
fully convinced, there il no telling
what he may do, for this country
has never had o President who fear
ed public sentiment as much as Mr..
Mckinley does or who tried so hard
to make his official acts meet its
approval.
The most striking thing connect
ed with the hearing on trusts, by
the Industrial Commission, was q
daring and somewhat scandalous
attack upon Vice. Chairman Philips
Of the Commission, who 10 connect
ed with an independent oil compa-
ny in Pennsylvania, BY officials of
the Standard Oil Trust. Mr.. Phil
ips denied the charge that he had
been mixed up in an offer to dicker
with the Standard Oil Trust, but
the charge left a bad taste in every
body's mouth. and IL not calculat-
ed TO add anything to the prestige
of the Commission. which isn't any
too great at best.
Senator Stewart is fine speci-
men of stalwart radicalism i'm oil
his views. He never trims on any
question, aud conservatism 10 un-
known to his mind. He has got it
in for France for several reasons,
the latest of which is the second
conviction Of Dryfus, and says that
country really has no government
at ell, and that we should break of
diplomatic relations until France
gets government. The Senator
threatens to offer a joint resolution
to that effect when Congress meets
also bill repeating all official re-
cognition of the exposition at Paris,
next year.
The administration appears to be
still determined to leave Gen. Otis
in supreme command in the Phil
ippines. although Secretary Root is
understood to have recommended
change and to favor sending Gen.
Miles over there. There is politics
in this determination, and it isn't
the sort of politics that reflects am
credit upon Mr.. Mckinley. The
Hanna crowd are afraid of Miles
now, and if he should go to- the
Philippines and do what Otis has
50 signally failed to do, they would
fear him still more. They know
that Otis 10 not likely, under an,
circumstances. to develop popular
| ity enough 10 make him politica
rival of Mr.. Mckinley. That il
why they wish to keep Otis in com
mand, Notwithstanding the over
whelming evidences from all sources
of his untitness, not to call it by !;
harsher term. The agent OF til
nonpartisan Associated Press, in .
long letter FROM Manila, just pub
lished, after going into details
showing the failure of Otis, sum
mp by saying /: 'sThe secret of q
whole trouble here IL that the gov
ernment has left small man 1.
deal with Q most delicate problem,
requiring broad statesmanship.
Everyone agrees that 0tis.is honest
and that counts for much in q po-
sition affording such chances for
dishonesty, but everybody agrees
also with remarkable unaninity
that he has bungled affairs from the
beginning"
After webbing around the ques-
ton for about two weeks. the War
Department. under political pres-
sure issued the order for the en-
listment oil two negro regiments
Tor the PHILIPPINES. They will bring
the volunteer army up to the limit
set bI Congress. which it has been
clear from the first that the admin
istration intended to do.
NIvIs.