Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-03-25
TO BE GUESTS THIS WEEK.
Satisfactory News From Otis Frye
on Panama Canal.
lfrom our Regular correspordent.l

nifty between President MCKINLEY
and Speaker Reed, are now busy try
ing to invent plausible explanations
Of why those two bitter enemies"
are t. be guests this week under the
same roof, at Jekyl Island. This sort
Of thing would be amusing if it were
not disgusting to those who believe
in truthfulness and fair dealing to-
wards public men. as we'll as towards
private citizens. That there has been,
at times, differences of opinion on
important public questions between
President Mckinley and Speaker
Reed, just as there has always been
at times between other prominent
members Of the same party, is known
to all men, because neither of them
ever hesitate about stating their
opinions; but that there has been, at
any time, any personal enmity be-
tween them or any desire on the part
of either to split the Republican par
ty into factions for the individual
benefit or revenge Of either, is untrue,
and nobody knew its falsity any bet
ter than those who concocted the
stories. Next year will be Presiden-
tial year. and this class Of yarns may
be expected to increase, because the
Democrats know that nothing but a
division of the Republican party can
give them any possible show TO win.
The latest news from Gen. Otis is
decidedly satisfactory. His active
campaign against Aguinaldo and his
repeated victories have resulted in
breaking the backbone of the Philip
pine revolt, and everything now
points to a speedy ending of the fight
ing. and the capture Of Aguinaldo is
hoped for Admiral Dewey has noti
fed the Navy Department of the arri
val in Manila Bay of the battleship
Oregon, in splendid fighting condi-
ton.
Senator Frye, chairman of the Sen
ate Committee on Commerce, who
knows the subject about as well as
any man in the country, does not
smile upon the efforts of the French
Panama Canal company to interest
Senators and Representative in the
Panama canal the latest of which is
Congressional free excursion, at the
company's expense, of four or five
weeks duration, for the purpose of
inspection, etc. Mr.. Frye said; II
shall not go on the trip of inspection
planned by the Panama Canal COM
pany. | was urged to go, as were
other members of the Senate and
House. The men who are to godown
there on a pleasure iaunt know about
as much now concerning the merits
of one route over the other as they
will when they reach home. | have
been building the Nicaragua Canal for
twenty five years. Away back when
Dick Thompson was Secretary of the
Navy, we had committee to inves-
tigate the feasibility of routes We
sat for about six months and exam
ined a multitude of witnesses These
witnesses established the utter impos-
sibility of a sea level canal over the
Panama route, as de LessepS had
proposed. Then the Chagres river
was considered. The investigation in
that line established that man could
not control the waters, although God
might. The committee made no re-
port, and about the only direct out
come of the investigation was the
establishment OF u S. coaling sta
ton by the Navy Department, in
compliance with our personal requests.
When | was in Paris Senator Frye
was one of our Peace Commissioners
they were after me perpetually re-
gardiug the Panama Canal l met
friends of the project on every hand. Z"
1t is very evident that Senator Frye
thinks we should steer clear OF the
Panama canal scheme.
Maj Demreitt, a member of the
staff of Gen Otis, is in Washington
on sick leave. AS he came direct
from Manila, his opinion is entitled
to weight. He said Nobody who
has seen the Philippines could ever
be in favor of surrendering them. |
I'm satisfied that it is to the lest inter
ests of this country to keep them, for
their resources are varied and valu.
able, and they will eventually be a