St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-03-08


Investigation of tho Charges of Genera
Miles.
There appears to be no prospect of al
early ending of the army commission
investigation into the charges Of Gen
eral Miles regarding the beef supplies t
the army In Cuba and Porto Rico, bu
testimony Will be taken at several points
In the west before conclusion is reached
In the meantime, General Miles shows
no little anxiety about the matter, ant
although he does not attend the sessions
of the commission, it is generally be-
lieved that he Is back Of all the unfriend
ly testimony brought forward, and thai
he Is diligently in search Of testimony
tending to substantiate his allegations
The majority Of the regular army officers
about Washington are not inclined tc
give their support to General Miles, but
regard his course as calculated to re-
dound to the injury Of the army. Unless
the commission report absolutely In
favor Of General Miles in his controversy
with the administration, his days as
commanding general Of the army are
him will, it Is regarded as certain, be fol-
lowed by court martial, or relief from
all active duty, while the present admin
istration remains in power.
The Stories About Secretary Ayers
Retirement.
Every few days the statement appears
in certain newspapers that Secretary
Alger Is about to retire from the cabi-
net, accompanied by the statement that
the president will be gratified when the
change occurs.
These stories have been given circula-
ton so often that they no longer attract
attention here, and are accepted as part
of the plan of men inimicable to Secre-
tary Alger, to worry him and the presi-
dent until they finally sever their official
relations. The opinion Is strongly enter
tanned here that the systematic attacks
upon the secretary of war are not made
so much with the view of injuring him
as to cast discredit upon the administra-
ton. In short, it Is regarded as game
of politics TO break the administration
down before the next presidential con-
test. Among the members of the SEN
ate the president has no warmer friend
than Senator Spooner of Wisconsin, and
there Is no one to whom he talks more
freely, unless it is Senator Hanna. / met
Senator Spooner a few days ago in the
room Of cabinet minister, and he was
very emphatic in denouncing the at
tacks on Secretary Alger, saying that the
manner in which he was being bounded
was outrageous, and that time would
accord to the secretary full justice. He
said it was evident that yellow journal
ism had started the stories to the discred-
1t Of Secretary Alger, and that, like all
diseases, they must have their run.
There was no disposition on the part
of the president to withhold his con-
fidence from the secretary, and there
never had been minute when he dis
trusted his fidelity, ability or patriotic
motives in administering the affairs of
the war department. Senator Spooner
said the president would not allow Alger
TO retire from the war department, if
he wanted to do So but that he would
remain throughout his administration,
having his entire confidence.
Free Rum In Alaska.
Although a vigorous and systematic
fight was made by the temperance or
CARNATIONS throughout the country to
prevent the repeal of the prohibitory law
which has been in operation in the ter
ritory Of Alaska, without satisfactory
80 81, g
forts and they were defeated. In the new
code of laws passed by congress in its
closing hours of the late session, a Sec
ton was incorporated extending to
Alaska the high license system which
now exists in the District of Columbia.
The lower branch of congress held out
for the local option system, which now
prevails in Illinois, but the senate pre-
ferred the license system of this district,
and in the end, after several conferences,
the house yielded to the senate, much to
the regret of the temperance advocates,
who thought local option was preferable,
IL prohibition was not to be continued,
to a free license system. 1t was notice
able that neither branch of congress
gave is sanction to the prohibitory sys-
TEN, which has been attempted in Alas
ka for some time, but attended with sig
nal failure but considered 1t wise to in
augurate a policy which might serve as
a partial check to the liquor traffic, and
at the same time bring In revenues to the
territory. Governor Brady holds to the
opinion that enough money will be real
lied from licenses to pay all the ex-
penses Of the territorial government.
Naval Cadets at Large.
The selection of the five naval cadets
at large made by the president was at
tended by no end of complications. There
were more than q hundred seemingly
meritorious applications. many Of them
backed by the strongest political and
social influence, and the president was
placed in an embarrassing position. Ev-
cry member of the cabinet was pressing
for the appointment of some young mar
frcm his state, and finally the president
had to discard all recommendation and
make the selections as seemed to him
Just and right without regard to politi.
cal influence. The appointments made
were: John S. V. Gridley, son Of Cap.
tain Grdley, who commanded the Olym.
pia Dewey's flagship at MANILA; Isaac
C. Bagley a brother of Ensign Bagley
the first naval officer killed In the war
Henry c. Beckworth, son of Enginee
Beckworth; Gustav Busbee; grandson
of Admiral Worden of Monitor fame; AL
ava N A or nh q clsara O prn pdoop ~ Ganoro
w. T. Sherman; Nixon w. Elmer. sol
Of Captain Horace Elmer of the navy
now deceased. There is great disappoint
ment among the friends of the many can
didates who failed to secure appoint
ments, but the president appears to hav
| noted without repard 10 nnlilical infln