The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-08-10
WASHINGTON.
from our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Aug. Z. 1Sny

washington, aug. 7, 1899.
Will there be a change in the Philip-
pine policy Of the administration ?
That question has been asked quue
frequently since Senator Burrows made
the llat-footed declaration that Nc.
Klnley's reelection was largely &c.
pendent upon the successful ending
OF the Philippine war before the Presi-
dental campaign. There is no doubt
that the administration fully realizes
the correctness OF the statement made
by Mr.. Burrows, but so much was not
intended TO be made public, so early
IN the game, and, while nothing has
been openly said on The subject, there
has been much private abuse of Bur
rows III administration circles tor hav-
ing let such troublesome cat out of
the political bag. Although Secretary
Root has yet done nothing openly to
confirm the talk about his being in
structed to win Gen Miles over to
the administration side, by allowing
him to have the direction at the
Washington end of future military
movements in the Philippines. there
are many who think there is founda.
tion tor the talk. The plain truth of
the situation is, that unless satisfac-
tory peace-satsfactory to the people
at large, not to the Office holding bri-
gade, who will express satisfaction at
anything done by the administration
is brought about before the Preslden.
tial campaign, Mr.. Mckinley will not
have a ghost of show for re election;
and those most familiar with the situa-
tion do not believe that a continua-
tion of the military methods of Gen.
Otis will do it. The people will over
throw any administration that stands
for a perpetual war in the Philippines,
or anywhere else.
The deficit for the first month OF
the new fiscal year was close to $o,-
100000. Officials speak of this as
satisfactory showing, but it remains to
be seen what the people will think of
a showing, which if maintained during
the remainder of the fiscal year will
mean deficit for the year of more
than $Ioo, 900. That certainly
will not be satisfactory.
The very mild nature OF the state
ment made by Mr.. Alger just before
he left Washington, and which he was
pleased to call a vindication of the
charges against his administration of
the War Department, indicates that
ne was persuaded not 10 attack the
administration publicly, but whether
he will be of the same mind after talk.
ing with Pingree, who is nothing if not
a straightforward shoulder fighter of
everything that gets in front OF his
plans, remains to be seen. Members
of the administration are hugging the
belief that Alger will not give away
the secrets he knows.
In the absence of more important
news the suppression of a Cuban daily
paper in Havana and the arrest OF its
staff, by order of Gen. Ludlow, mill
tary commandant of that city, has
been much discussed. AT the War
Department it is said that Gen. Lud-
low acted without any orders from
Washington and that no further ex-
planation of his action has been rece-
ived then was contained in the press
dispatches. On general principles the
average American believes in a free
press and free speech and for that
reason nearly everyone who speaks of
the matter condemns the suppression
of the paper by Gen. Ludlow. Gen.
Garcia who is still In Washington
talked freely of the matter, as he sees
it. He said: "The suppression of the
Havana Reconcentrado was, in my
judgment, a serious mistake. 1t was
the Spanish custom, you know, to
arrest editors and suppress their pap.
ers for daring to criticise Spanish
methods, and it would seem from Gen.
Ludlow's action that he is pursuing
the Spanish policy which has so justly
and so rightly been denounced by the
U. S. Again, this act on the part of
the military authorities will be con-
strued by many Cubans to mean that
the civil authorities are mere figure
heads and will no doubt produce bad
feeling. There can be no independ-