Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-11-30
FREELAND, Pa, NOVEMBER 80, ls
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, d. c., November IS, 1899.
1t would seem from the latest appear
ances that the administration and its
supporters in senate and house are
about to abandon their hypocritical
policy and pretensions relating to the
war in the Philippines and admit what
the Democrats of the country have been
contending all along, that the struggle
against the Filipinos is war OF con-
nuest. In a recent speech Senator
FRYE, OF Maine, chairman of the COM
mittee on commerce, a prominent mem
ber of the committee on foreign
relations, and who will by virtue of his
Office as president pro TEN of the senate,
succeed to Vice President Hobart's
place as presiding officer, made some
important admissions. During his re-
marks he said: 81 regard the Philip
pine archipelago as worth dozen
Cubas. In every way it is superior, and
we want to reap the benefits OF that
superiority. Look at Manila, only two
days from Hongkong, with our nag
planted there in the heart of the Orient.
Shall we haul it down and get out? We
will not allow the doors to be shut to
our commerce in the East, and we are
not afraid to say so." If this means
ANYTHING at all, it means that Senator
Frye has dropped his mask and is now
boldly glorying in war of conquest
and determination.
!
From the announcement OF Senator
Cullon, of Illinois, day or two ago, it
would seem as though Republican ex-
travagance knows no limit. The Illinois
senator has declared his intention of
introducing early in the next session a
bill providing for an extensive remodel
ing OF the White House and some say that
the historic mansion will be abandoned
entirely as place of residence for the
presidential family, since the building is
already unfit for habtation because of
unsanitary conditions and the constant
encroachments of official business into
that portion of the mansion which should
be kept for the president and his family.
The plan, it is said, is to secure an
appropriation of 81 900, 900, with which
to build new building for the presi
dents home, and thus to leave the
present historic structure free for use
an office for the transaction of strictly
executive business. The plan is no
doubt admirable, but an appropriation
of 81 100000 is eXtravagant and wide
departure from those standards which
Jefferson sought to inculcate as essential
elements to our national life,
1t is expected that the contest for
minority leadership in the house of
representatives will be transferred to
Washington in few day. Hon. William
Sulzer is expected soon to open up head
quarters here, having done some good
work before the Democratic conference
at Chicago where he is said to have re-
ceived the pledges of a number of south
ern and western members, so that at
present he lacks only about dozen of
the requisite number of votes to make
himself the successor of Hon. Joseph
Bailey, of Texas. Representatives Rich
ardson, Of Tennessee, and Judge De
Almond, of Missouri, are also in the race
to stay and have devoted followers.
1t is very evident that ex-Speaker
Reed does not see in the Ohio election
an assurance that Republicans will win
in the next election. At Business
Mems banquet in New York city re-
Gently, Mr.. Reed cautioned the gentle
men present that political matters are
not proptous for his party. There is
Significance in the warning of Mr. Reed,
and every sign points that the McKin-
ley administration sees the danger
81 ahead. If the opposition to Nash in the
recent election in Ohio can be joined,
as seems more than likely, then Ohio
will cast its vote next fall in favor of
Bryan.
Admiral Dewey was called upon last
week at his residence, by a delegation
OF prominent citizens of Columbus, Ohio,
who invited him to visit that city. The
formal invitation was engraved on two
solid gold plates valued at several hun
dred dollars. The plates were elab-
orately finished and constitute what is
believed to be the finest invitation ever
presented to United States official.
/ / t
There was much genuine regret in
Washington when intelligence of the
death of Vice President Hobart at his
home in Patterson, N. j., was received
Although an uncompromising Republi-
can at all times, the Democratic sena-
tors had no cause to complain of his
parliamentary rulings, and his nrbanity
and courtesy were unfaiing.