The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-03-02
Washington Letter.
Washington Feb. "a, 1899

future. Things are in a more critical
condition In the Philippines than is in
dicated by anything given out officially.
Dewey's cable to hurry the battleship,
Oregon, was given out Inadvertently at
the navy department, aud the officials
have since been trying to make the pub
Tic believe that it had no significance.
They are fooling nobody. Dewey's re-
cord isn't that Of man who does things
without cause. He thought he needed
the Oregon or he would not have sent
that message, andit is well-known that
he doesn't need the battleship to fight the
Filipinos. 1t has been feared in Washing
ton ever since the Filipino attempt to
burn Manila, several days ago was known,
that the destruction of property might be
made an excuse for meddling, by Germany
or other foreign powers or a combination
of powers. Long-headed men believe
that there Is greater danger of war with
Germany now, than there was at any time
while the war with Spain was going on,
gress would at once have to be called in
extra session.
The minority senators claim that they
won a great victory In the new army bill +,
but the more the new bill is examined, the
less substantial that claim-appears. 1t
looks more like bunco than victory.
The administration senators have secured
from the minority about everything that
the Hull bill would have given them and
have escaped an extra session of con-
gress. which everybody knows the ad-
ministration dreaded. True, the new
army bill only provides for the increase
of men for two years from next July, but
that amounts to nothing when it Is re-
membered that majority Of both houses
of the next congress will give the admins
tration any additional army legislation it
may ask for.
A speech made by Senator Sewell, who
is always an administration man when ii
comes to voting, has attracted consider.
able attention. He expressed regret that
Dewey should have remained at Manila
after his great victory, and that we should
have undertaken to control the Philip
pines, which he said, contain population
of ten million persons who are almost un
centrollable. He said that we mnst nov
make the best of the situation, and tina
II he was president he would send enough
troops to make short work of the Fill
pinos, even to the extent of wiping then
out entirely, If they could be pacified i
no other way. He predicted that thi
government would find it impossible t.
satisfy the Cubans, and that it was onl
a question of time when we would hav
war with them. And he intimated tha
the Cuban junta was as likely to hav
been responsible for the blowing up O
the Maine as Spain was. The speec
would have caused sensation uttered b
any senator, but the effect was heighter
ed by Senator Sewell's close relation wit
the administration
= The senate passed the river and harbC
bill, with the Nicaragua canal amendment
with only three dissenting votes-Pett
grow, Rawlins and Teller, and friends c
the canal in the house say that they hav
strength enough to prevent the amend
ment being voted out Of the bill, and pal
liamentary skill enough to prevent il
being juggled out.
Representative johnson, of Ind, mad
another highly sensational speech, attach
| ing notionly the policy Of the presiden
but his personal integrity, but it did nc
receive as much attention as the firs
speech he made along similar lines, til
general impression being that Mr.. Johl
son Is trying to get even with the pres
dent he helped elect, for some real {
fancied personal grievance.
Secretary Alger's: position Is anythin
but pleasant one at this time. 1t
l well-known that some Of the president
, friends wish to get Alger out Of Il
cabinet, and that having failed up to tn
r time to get the president to ask for h
resignation, they have tried to briy
about .his resignation. by other method
one Of which is believed to be responsib
for the constantly repeated stories th
g the resignation was about to be fort
coming. Secretary Alger has serv'
notice upon these men, and incidental
upon the president, that he,will not wi
t ingly resign, by stating that SO far as
v own will is concerned, he intends renal
ing in the cabinet until the end of the a
ministratiOn.
y The failure Of Chairman Boutelle,
i the house naval committee, to satisfacto
9 lily explain why the bill reported, appr
priated $545 ton to pay for Krupp arm
q for, the battleships Maine, Missouri al
d Ohio, and to tell what foreign cover
ments were paying for the same armo
resulted in the house reducing the amou
il to $445 ton. In order to get the amou
9 restored, the navy department has plac
the information before the senate tn
, might have prevented the reduction belt
made by the house. Russia is payi
$575a tor, for the Krupp armor that
: being used on the two warships Il
Cramps are building, and Great Brita
is paying 1868 ton for the same armc
The two American companies which ma
armor offered to furnish the Krupp arm
b for the four battleships for $545 tor
p hence the placing. of that amount in I
bill,
y