The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From d regular correspondent

but there are indications that cause
many to think an extra session prob
able in the neal future. Things are
in a more critical condition in the
Philippines than is indicated by any
thing given out officially. Dewey's
cable to hurry the battleship Oregon,
was given out inadvertently at the
Navy Department. and the officials
have since been trying to make the
public believe that it had no signii-
canoe. They are fooling nobody.
Dewey's record isn't that Of a man
who does things without cause. He
thought he needed the Oregon or he
would not have sent that message,
and it is well-known that he doesn't
need the battleship to fight the Fill
ipinos. 1t has been feared in Wash
ington we since the Filipino attempt
to burn Manila, several days ago
was known, that the destruction Of
property might be made an excuse
for meddling. by Germany or other
foreign powers or a combination of
powers. Long-headed men believe
that there is greater danger Of a war
with Germany now, than there was
at any time while the war with Spain
was going on, and should their fears
be realized, Congress would at once
have to be called in extra session.
The minority Senators claim that
they won a great victory in the new
Army bill, but the more the new bill
is examined, the less substantial that
claim appears. 1t looks more like a
buncO than a victory. The admins
%tration Senators have secured from
the minority about everything that
the Hull bill would have given them
and have escaped an extra session of
Congress, which everybody knows the
administration dreaded. True, the
new Army bill only provides for the
increase Of men for two years from
next July, but that amounts to
nothing when it is remembered that
a majority of both Houses Of the
next Congress will give the admin
istration any additional army legis
lation it may ask for.
"A speech made by Senator Sewell,
who is always an administration
nan when it comes to voting, has
attracted considerable attention. He
expressed regret that Dewey should
have remained at Manila after his
great victory. and that we should
have undertaken to control the Phil
ippines, which he said, contain a
population Of ten million persons who
are almost uncomfortable. He said
that we must now make the best OF
the situation, and that if he was
President he would send enough
TO make short work of the
Filipinos, even to the extent of wiping
them out entirely, if they could be
pacifed in no other way. He pre-
that this government would
find it impossible to satisfy the
and that it was only a ques-
ion Of time when we would have war !
with then. And he intimated that
he Cuban Junta was as likely to
rave been responsible for the blowing ,
Up Of the Maine as Spain was. The /
ipeech would have caused a sensation :
altered by any Senator, but the effect :
vas heightened by Senator SeweIl's t
lose relation with the administra- =,
ion. {
The Senate passed the River and r
1arbor bill, with the Nicaragua i
ANAL amendment, with only three d
dissenting voteS-Pettigrew, Rawlins a
nd Teller, and friends of the Canal {
n the House say that they have a
enough to prevent the u
lnendment being voted ont of the
i'll, and parliamentary skill enough :;
0 prevent its being juggled out. /!
Representative Johnson, of Indiana,
lade another highly sensational
peech, attacking not only the policy !
f the President, but his personal in
but it did not receive as much
as the first speech he made |
long similar lines, the general i'm ;
being that Mr.. johnson is |!
wing to get ven with the President
e helped to elect, for some real or /
incied personnel grievance. ;
Secretary Ayers position is any
ing but a pleasant one at this time. !
is w%ell-known that some of the
residents friends wish to get Alger !
1t Of the Cabinet, an! that having I
lied up to this time to get the !
resident to ark for his resignation, I
ey have tried to bring about his !
sisnation 10y other methods, one of I
hlch is believed to be responsible |
the constantly repeated stories I
at the resignation was about to be
rthe"mIn2. Secretary AIger has +
rved notice upon these men, and
upon the President, that I
viii n"t willingly resign, Ly stat
: that 80 fan as his W will Is con- :
rned, he intends remaining i" the
until tha and az H. |