The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-07-14

dent at the white house Saturday
night. He arrived in the afternoon
from Oyster Bay in response to a tele-
graphic request from President Nc
Kinley to come to Washington for
consultation.
Governor Roosevelt was met at the
depot by the presidents secretary,
Mr.. Cortelyou, and driven direct to
the white house, where he was received
by the president. There was a short
conversation between the two distin
guished men before dinner. After
wards, together with Secretary Hay,
Secretary Long, Attorney General
Griggs and General Oorbin, they sat
upon tho western verandR of the exec
utive mansion for long consultation.
His visit set ahoat various rumors,
among them that he had been called
to Washington to be rendered the Of
fee of secretary of war, to be given
command of brigade in the Philip
pines and to designate an entire
regiment for service there. He de-
clined to discuss these, protesting the
presidents purpose was merely to
consult him regarding the organiza-
tion of the new volunteer army, espe-
cially the personnel of the officers, He
was asked in so many words whether
the president had rendered him the
secretaryship. He replied to this ques-
tion only with laugh.
The governors best friends in
Washington say that regardless of the
facts as to the presidents tender or
failure to make one, the governor
would much prefer his present po-
sition as of the Empire state to
a fractional term in the war depart
ment, and his treatment of the ques-
ton renders this theory as to his atti-
tude most plausible.
Governor Roosevelt dictated the
following interview to the Associated
Press:
''The president has told me that he
wished recommendations based upon
the efficiency of the men recommend
ed, and that he will heed no others,
The presidents attitude in the matter
in the face of the terrific political
pressure to which he is and will be
subjected is such as to intitle him tC
the support of all men who feel tina
politics has no place in the army, who
feel that it Is, in a peculiar sense, thu
property Of the whole country, ant
) that in the giving of commissions an(
promotions alike absolutely no con
+ sideration should enter outside Of thu
merit of the men as soldiers.
"My own recommendations will b
limited to the men | had under me, o
: saw in action, and to the members 0
e the New York volunteer regiments 0
= whose merits have, as governor, no
merely official knowledge, but also th
knowledge gained from personal in
e quiry among their superiors. F"
v Referring to, the general situation
I in the Philippines and the policy c
= the administration with reference t
those islands, Governor Roosevelt said
) "Of course any American worthy c
Q the name must stand behind the pres
!, ident in his absolute purpose to brin
the instruction in the Philippines t
an end. I have no question that b
= the beginning of the dry season Ger
q eral Otis will be in shape to stamp OF
) all resistance. Then the presider
can and will see that the reign Of al
q solute law and justice follows.
,. cannot be too clearly kept in min
that the whole trouble is due to th
= men who for two months prevente
IS the ratification of the treaty of peaC
Is and to those who declined to give tt
le president the troops he needed upo
the terms he asked. Those who toe
part in the first movement to oppoi
Is the treaty have on their souls Il
Of guilt of most of the bloodshed both
id our own troops and that of the nativ,
TO of the Philippines; and the would-l
1. traitors who have since been encou
~ aging Aguinaldo and his followers
IL the limit of their small capacity sha
C. the guilt so far as their feeble powe
in permit.
~ "Those who opposed giving us Il
. forces we needed thereby show,
10 themselves enemies of their count
er and of the flag Every man who
e. voted IN the senate may have the sati
n faction of knowing that he has done
Ia that he could to bring discredit on Il
flag and disgrace upon our arms.
IS is all the more to the credit Of the a
p ministration that it has steadfastly pu
ie- sued the path Of national honor al
he steadfastly upheld the interests al
-, the good name of the nation as
whole, in spite Of the way it has be-
ny hampered by those who sought to b
trnv the nalinn We hnrn . rinht