The Press., 1899-09-28
Washington Letter.
washington, Sept. 25, 1899.

"ooAAn6VOAs COPV ~Os Aooos
'Porto Rico will have civil govern
ment, and practically all of the U. s.
troops will be withdrawn from Cuba, be-
fore congress meets" So said a senator,
who had just had talk with the presi-
dent, to a friend. He added that the
most of our troops would have been out
of Cuba by this time If the yellow fever
had not got a foothold among them and
down south. After the yellow fever made
its appearance, 1t was thought best to
leave the troops already on the islands,
there until cold weather, for fear that
they might bring the disease with them If
brought home earlier. The authorities
seem satisfied that there Is no longer
necessity for keeping any considerable
number of US. troops In Cuba, although
the form of the military government over
the island Is likely to be kept up as a sort
of warning restraint, for some time. 1t
is stated unofficially that Gen. Brooke has
asked, on account of his health, to be re-
lieved of his duties as military governor
of Cuba, and that his request will be COM
piled with. He Is coming home on a
visit soon, and it Is considered doubtful
whether he will return. The man most
likely to succeed him Is Gen. Leonard
Wood, now In command of the Santiago
district.
The committee In charge announces this
as the last week In which contributions
to the Dewey home fund-now about $780,
600 can be made; also that Admiral
Dewey has said that he will accept the
home in the same spirit exhibited by the
donators of the fund. An attempt will be
made to push the total up to $4,000 but
unless there are a number of large individ-
ual contributions, it will hardly succeed.
Gov. Stone, of Pa, is hobnobbing with
numerous Washington friends he made
during his service in congress-, and Mrs.
Stone Is dividing her time between social
pleasures and the company Of her daugh-
ter and granddaughter, who live in
Washington. Gov. Stone thinks we are
going to keep right on with the "good
times" He said: "This country Is en-
tering upon a career of greater pros
perity than it has ever known. We are
fast becoming the workshop of the world,
and the granary of the nations. We pro-
duce more than any country on the globe,
and we can sell to the people abroad
articles essential to their comfort and
well-being cheaper than they can produce
them. Our exports now run up to 81. .0OO,-
600 day, and are increasing at rapid
rate. One of our freight cars will carry
three times as much as an English car.
We can load ore on the great lakes at s
cents ton, which cannot be duplicated In
cheapness by any competitor. Our work
men get double the wages of foreign work
men, but they do more than twice the
| amount of work, because of their greater
skill and ingenuity. With all these odds
In our favor, 1t Is easy to see that In the
century that Is being ushered In the U.
s. will take its predestined place at the
head Of the procession of nations, and 1
doubt not that it will keep that place for
all time"
Many army officers wives, who have
been figuring on nice little fall jaunt to
the Philippines, on government tran
sport, and pleasant winter over there,
with or near their husbands, have had
their dreams rudely shattered by the war
department, which believes with General
Otis, that Manila Is not desirable resort
for American officers wives, as long as
the rebellion is going on, and Is conse-
quently refusing all applications for trans
portation for the wives of officers who are
now In the Philippines. So numerous
have these applications become that Sec
retary Root has had circular letter
politely refusing them and giving reasons
for the refusal, prepared, which is mailed
in answer to every application received.
T. J. Shaffer, president of the Amalga-
mated association of iron and steel work
ers of the U. S., was an interesting wit
ness before the Industrial commission.
He is about the only man connected with
organized labor who has had good word
to say for trusts. He said when asked his
opinion of the effect of trusts upon organ
ICED labor: "You will excuse me If 1 say
that I have so much respect for such COM
binations that l do not even call them
trusts. In my dealings with combinations
in the iron and steel business everything
has been most satisfactory. If these syn
dicates are kept under proper control by
laws of congress or state legislatures,
strikes can be avoided and fair wages can
be obtained. The combination does not
eliminate competition and cannot do It,"
He also had some very positive, opinions
on the question of immigration, eaying
that the government should learn from
every immigrant whether he intends to re-
main in the country, require him to take
the oath of allegiance, and to possess an
educational and money qualification, and
possibly impose head tax, which would
effectually shut out the lowest and least
desirable class ofimmigrants. Mr. Shaffer
also expressed the opinion that in the long
run, the labor saving machinery intro
duced takes care Of all the men who are
displaced by 1t.
| VOLCANIC ERUPTIoNs are grand, but
Skin Eruptions rob life of joy. Bucklen's
| Saliva ouroc thopo oloo Old Pup