Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-02-11
ABOUT THE TREATY.
Commission Report Soon to be Made
Publlc-The Nicaragua Canal Bill.

~N~RNaN ~FVVh W ~ ats&a~s~
Public-The Nicaragua Canal Bill.
tfroin our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. Off the sena.
tors who aided Senator German in his
fight against Mr.. Bryan's leadership
OF the Democratic party, to the extent
Of voting with him against the ratifi.
cation of the treaty OF peace, could see
themselves as others see them, they
would hang their heads for shame.
There never was more unnecessary
introduction OF personal peanut poll
tics in matter involving the honor
OF the country than the fight agains,
the treaty. which ended with the vote
in the Senate today-unnecessary
because every man who engaged in il
knew from the first that ratification
OF the treaty was absolutely certain.
Knowing this. there was no excuse
for the fight; it served no other pur-
pose than 10 show that nearly all oil
the Democratic senators were more
willing to follow the advice of German
than that of Bryan, even though the,
had to vote against the wishes of q
great majority of their constituents,
to do SO. Not few of these senators
have already been repudiated by thei,
constituents, and will retire at the
close OF this session of Congress, and
all OF them deserve the same fate.
The War Investigating Commission
has completed its report, which will
be handed to President Mckinley
this week. 1t is expected that thu
President will very shortly make the
report public. and that. as result OF
portion OF it, military inquiry will
be ordered of the charges made by
Gen. Miles concerning the quality Of
the beef furnished the Army by the
contractors, during the war with
Spain. which will give Gen. Miles ar
opportunity to substantiate hi.
charges. II he can do so. there will
be serious trouble for the contractors
| if not, there will be trouble for Gen
Miles. While there is some personal
enmity between Secretary Alger and
Gen. Miles, it is not and has not been,
at any time, shared by President Nc
Kinley, who is only anxious that the
truth shall be shown so clearly as to
leave no doubt in the mind of an I'M
preirdiced man, and determined wher-
ever wrongdoing shall be shown, that
the guilty shall be punished, regard
less of persons or consequences.
While nothing official has been an
nounced concerning the finding of the
Eagan court. martial, which is now in
President McKinley's hands, there
are reasons for the belief that the
President has decided what action he
will take, and that his action will be
to modify the sentence of dismissal
from the Army to suspension from
active duty.
Now that the treaty Is out Of the
way, the Senate Committee on Mill
tary affairs will endeavor to push the
Hull army bill, recently passed by the
House, to the iropt and keep it there
until passed. One of the amendments
to this bill agreed upon by the SEN
ate Committee, provides for revival
of the grade OF Lieutenant General.
The outlook for Nicaragua Canal
legislation at this session, was bright.
ened considerably when the House
Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce made the amended Hep
burn bill substitute for the Morgan
BILL which has been passed by the
Senate, instead of reporting it as ar
entirely separate BILL The early pas
sage Of the substitute by the House
would send the bill to a conference
committee, which ought to be able to
agree upon measure that would be
fairly satisfactory to those who wish
the canal built at once, and which
would at least make sure that it will
be built in the near future.
Representative-elect Long, of Kan
sas, will succeed Jerry Simpson, and
who is now in Washington, said OF
his state: kansas is now back In
the Republican column, and though !
am not an aspirant for prophetic hon
ors, am free to state that it will re-