The Monte Vista journal., 1899-09-02
WASHINGTON NEWS.

! deal with the case Of Captain Carter.
as shown by the record, but will point
out the connection Of others with the
case and direct special attention TO
them. This, II 1t proves true, will ac-
count for the long period the attorney
| general has given to the case. The
record Ia exceedingly volunlnous, and
the labor and time involved In its ex-
animation. simply in Its bearing on
| Captain Carter alone. would be I'M
mense. Following out its ramifcations
rs TO others would require much addi
tional labor and time.
According to recent advices received
at the War Department the experiment
| Of cnlisting natives of the West In
dies into the American army has
proved quite successful in the case OF
the Porto Rico battalion OF fhe United
States volunteers, which body com
plcted its organization a few weeks
ago. This battalion 's commanded
by Major l.. +. Davidson and Is the
only one OF It's kind In the army. Lieu.
tenant Bryant. battalion adjutant, has
written Major Johnson Of the adjutant
generals office speaking In high terms
| OF the composition OF the battalion.
He says the Porto Rican soldiers are
| fine lot OF men, obedient and willing
| to learn. They take great pride In be-
ing soldiers OF the United States army
and always dress ciean and neat. His
opinion Is that Porto Rican soldiers.
officercd by Americans. will be a sue
cess and II valuable addition to the
United States army.
| n.t -
ncse from the Philippines Is very en-
barrassing TO the administration.
which IL placed between two fires-the
Chinese government on the one hand
and the English and German govern
ments on the other The only informa-
ton In official circles concerning Gen
cral Otis action through the protest OF
the Chinese minister. II Is stated nt
the War Department that General Otis
| has sent no notice OF his order. al
| though the Chinese government has
| had time to instruct It's representative
here to exert his influence TO have the
obnoxious decision OF the general coun-
termandcd. The British and German
residents In the Philippines are report
ell 10 have called upon their home gov
ernments To intervene on the grounds
that the order prevents them from
bringing into the islands Chinese la
borcrs. cooks. etc. and interferes with
the development of their property.
The most important phase OF General
Otis action Is the complications which
II may cause In our friendly relations
with China. The administration can
take no action until General Otis Is
heard from. and surprise il expressed
that he has not more promptly report
ed an order which involves our rcla-
lions with friendly government.
With about 100 commissioned place,
yet To I'LL In the ten new regiments un-
der organization. Secretary Root finds
himself overwhelmed with applications
even greater In number than the sum
total Of those received at the begin
ming Of the Spanish mcricnn war. II
Is said at the War Department that the
large majority of the men who held
commissions In the volunteer army In
that war are again applicants for ser
vice In the Philippine campaign, rein
forced by nearly all OF those who held
non-commissioned places. This same
willingness to re-entcr the service Ii
said 10 he observable amosg the en-
listed men. and the officials elite NJ n
ease In point Colonel Rcll's regiment.
the Twcnty-seventli volunteer infmn-
try. made up Of ~ per cent. Of men
who served rs volunteers In the Span-
ish'Amcricnn war and y per cent. who
We're In the regular army In that war,
or "A total percentage Of ~ In one rcr1-
ment. Secretary Root has resolved TO
entertain no personal applications FOR
commissions. and Insists upon all iseing
referred through the regular channels
Although recruiting for the ten new
volunteer regiments has not yet been
actively started In all parts OF the
country. :,iJi men have already been
secured for them. Additional re
crnitine stations are being established
In different parts OF the country.
The correspondent Of the Chicago
Record writes: There nrr two law
y.rs In III" cabinet. Secretary OF War
Root and Attorney General Grigg-
and. although their official association
has been of short luru tion. they have
already disagreed. As stated last
night. Secretary Root took with him on
his visit To the President "a plan for n
civil government for Porto Vlco. H..
Il Of the opinion that the President has
authority to extend our laws 10 tn.
Island. and Is especially earnest In the
desire To do something 10 relieve the
| I''l''. NH' Vi>a
eliminating tnrir. Mcmh~rs Of thc
insular commission and prominent
Porto l,icans have Informed III. Pres.
idcpt that the customs duties collect.
cI In Porto Rico nj present are n r.-
rious burden Ia the people. who are
suffering from the lack of nccc~snrics
Of life. Nearly every sn" who has Wis.
licd the island agrees that the duties
should II" lowered. The recent dcvas
iation by n hurricane called forth mn
order. with ia" approval Of the rrrsl-
dent. whereby the duties upon certain
goods w"r" suspended and they given
free admission. There has lscn no
question of the consfiiniionniity Of th'-
charitable net. and Secretary Root
takes the view that M order from ih.
President extending our custom laws
over the island until Congress can ne,
would lr inquest tionnhly legal. liz,
wants 10 relieve the suffering psopl. In
the flr-t place. give them markets for
their tobacco. coffee nnd other pred.
ucts nni lrill them In self government.
lie would have free trade between the
Island and the United Stntrs and n civ.
u government In every muniripniiy.
The President wns pleased with his
recommendations. hut before taking
action upon them consulted Attorney
General Griggs. The latter did no,
ngrcc with some of Secretary Roots
views on the law point. Involved and
questioned the Presidents authority to
give Porto lticV A civI1 government
lie advised the 1'rc.Ist~nt TO rcfruiu