Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-03-27
WASHINGTON LET TER.

w QSna99QLOW, n1uTCtt GOdss, AOOOs
The Washington correspondents
who were a few days ago concocting
detailed stories alleging the existence
of enmity between President McKin-
ley and speaker Reed, are now busy
trying to invent plausible eXplana-
tions of why those two stbitter enc
mics" are to be guests this week un-
der the same roof, at .Jekyl Island.
This sort of thing would be amusing
if it were not disgusting to those who
believe in truthfulness and fair deal
ing towards public men, as well as
towards private citizens. That there
has been, at times, differences of
opinion on important public questions
between President Mckinley and
Speaker Reed, just as there has al
ways been at times between other
prominent members of the same par
ty, is known to all men, because
neither of them ever hesitates about
stating their opinions; but that there
has been, at any time, any personal
enmity between them or any desire
on the part of either to split the re-
publican party into factions for the
Individual benefit or revenge of
either, is untrue, and nobody knew
its falsity any better than those who
concocted the stories. Next year will
be presidential year, and this class of
yarns may be expected to increase,
because the democrats know that
nothing but a division of the repub-
lican party can give them any posi-
BILE show to win.
The latest news from Gen. Otis is
decidedly satisfactory. His active
campaign against Aguinaldo and his
repeated victories have resulted in
breaking the backbone of the Phil
ippine revolt, and everything now
points to a speedy ending of the
fighting, and the capture of Aguinal-
do is hoped for. Admiral Dewey has
notified the navy department of the
arrival in Manila bay of the battle
ship Oregon, in splendid fighting con-
dition.
Senator Frye, chairman of the SEN
ate com mittee on commerce, who
knows the subject about as we'll as
any man in the country, does not
smile upon the efforts of the French
Panama Canal Company to interest
senators and representatives in the
Panama canal, the latest of which is
a congressional free excursion, at the
company's expense, of four or five
weeks duration, for the purpose ofin-
specfion, etc. Mr.. Frye said, "Ishall
not 60 on the trip of inspection plan
ned by the Panama Canal Company.
I was urged TO go, as were other
members of the senate and house.
The men who are to go down there
on pleasure jaunt3 know about as
much now concerning the merits of
one route over the other as they will
when they reach home. have been
building the Nicaragua canal for
twenty five years. Away back when
Dick Thompson was Secretary of the
Navy, we had committee to investi-
gate the feasibility of routes. Yves sat
for about six months and examined
a multitude of witnesses. These wit
nesses established the utter impossi-
bility of sea level canal over the
Panama route, as de Lesseps had
proposed. Then the Chagres river
was considered. The investigation
in that line established that man
could not control the waters, although
God might. The committee made no
report, and about the only direct out
come of the investigation was the
establishment of U. S. coaling sta
tion by the navy department, in COM
pliance with our personal requests.
When was in Paris (Senator Frye
was one of our peace commissioners
they were after me perpetually re-
garding the Panama canal; I met
friends of the project on every hand"
Tt is very evident that Senator Frye
thinks we should steer clear of the
Panama canal scheme.
Maj. Demeritt, member of the
staff of Gen. Otis, is in Washington
on sick leave. AS he came direct
from Manila, his opinion is entitled to
weight. He said: ''Nobody who has
seen the Philippines could ever be in |
favor of surrendering them. I am
satisfied that it is to the best interests
of this country to keep them, for their
resources are varied and valuable, |
and they will eventually be source
of large profit. 1t is not going to take |
very great while to completely re-
duce the insurgent Filipinos to sub
lection. The more enlightened and
well-to-do class of mixed Spanish |