Gilpin observer., 1899-08-31
WASHINGTON NEWS.

munitions of war to the Philippine
islands. Assistant Secretary Cridlcr
states that the suspension order affects
only DIR. Bedloe. He made it plain, in
addition. that DIR. Bedloe's trouble IS
not due to charges of giving aid to the
Filipinos. but arises In part out of the
certificate of American ownership
said to have been granted by him to
the steamer Abbey, which was seized
by the gunboat McCulloch September
%. 1898, at Batangas, where she had
landed a cargo of arms and ammun'
ton.
No one knows when Attorney Gen
eral Griggs will make his report to the
President on the Carter case, although
there are persistent intimations that it
will be made soon. There is some
ground for the belief that the attorney
generals report, when 1t Is forthcom-
ing. will be much broader than has
heretofore been intimated. 1t is said
In some quarters that 1t will not only
deal with the case of Captain Carter.
as shown by the record, but will point
out the connection of others with the
case and direct special attention TO
them. This, If it proves true. will ac-
count for the long period the attorney
record is exceedingly voluminous, and
the labor and time involved in its ex-
animation. simply in its bearing on
Captain Carter alone. would be i'm
mense. Following out its ramifications
as to others would require much addi-
tional labor and time.
According to recent advices received
mt the War Department the experiment
g s,ts, - -,
dies into the American army has
proved quite successful in the case of
the Porto Rico battalion of the United
States volunteers. which body com.
pleted its organization a few weeks
ago. This battalion is commanded
by Major l.. p. Davidson and is the
only one of its kind in the army. Lieu
tenant Bryant. battalion adjutant, has
written Major johnson of the adjutnnt
generals office. speaking in high terms
of the composition of the battalion.
He says the Porto Rican soldiers are
n fine lot of men. Obedient and willing
to learn. They take great pride in be-
ing soldiers of the United States army
and always dress clean and neat. His
opinion is that Porto Rican soldiers,
Differed by Americans. will be n sue
cess and valuable addition to the
Unlteu STATES 1rny.
General Otis order excluding Chi
nese from the Philippines is very en-
barrassing to the administration,
which Is placed between two fires-the
Chinese government on the one hand
and the English and German govern
ments ON the other. The only informa-
ton in official circles concerning Gen
eral Otis action through the protest of
the Chinese minister. 1t is stated at
the War Department that General Otis
has sent no notice of his order. al
though the Chinese government has
had time to instruct its Representatives
here to exert his influence to have the
obnoxious decision of the general coun-
fernandez. The British and German
residents in the Philippines are report
ed to have called upon their home gov
ernments to intervene on the grounds
that the order prevents them from
bringing into the islands Chinese Ia
borers, cooks. etc. and interferes with
the development of their property.
The most important phase of General
Otis action is the complications which
it may cause in our friendly relations
with China. The administration can
take no action until General Otis is
heard from. and surprise Is expressed
that he has not more promptly report
ed an order which involves our rela-
tons with friendly government.
With about 100 commissioned places
yet to fill in the ten new regiments I'M
der organization. Secretary Root finds
himself overwhelmed with applications
even greater in number than the sum
total of those received at the begin
ming of the Spanish American war. 1t
is said at the War Department that the
large majority of the men who held
commissions in the volunteer army in
that war are again applicants for ser
vice in the Philippine campaign, rein
forced by nearly all of those who held
non-commissioned places. This same
willingness to re-enter the service is
said to be observable among the en-
listed men. and the officials cite as Il
case in point Colonel Bells regiment,
the Twenty-seventh volunteer infan-
try, made up of 4S per cent. of men
who served as volunteers in the Span
ish-American war and per cent. who
were in the regular army In that war;
or II total percentage of 81 in one regi-
ment. Secretary Root has resolved to
entertain no personal applications for
commissions. and insists upon all being
referred through the regular channels.
Although recruiting for the ten new
volunteer regiments has not yet been
actively started in all parts of the
country, 2.T6l men have already been
secured for them. Additional re-
cruiting stations are being established
in different parts of the country.
Lieutenant ID. II. Jarvis, commander
of the revenue cutter Bear gives an
account of the rescue of gold seekers
who rushed into the Kotzebue gold
country. Alaska, in the summer OF
1898. On arrival there he found n ter
ribe condition of affairs. Men had died
of starvation, scurvy and by drowning.
and he obtained "A list of forty-eight
deaths. over 1000 of the gold seekers
had wintercd there. The Bear. after
relieving us much of the distress As