The Springfield herald., 1899-07-28
WASHINGTON NEWS.

Admiral George Dewey has filed IL
the Court of Claims his claim FOR
bounty growing out of the battle oil
Manila bay, May 1, 1898. The secre
tary of the navy has referred to thiS
court number of these claims for Ju
dicial consideration.
Senator Fairbanks of the high join
commission has had conference with
President Mckinley and Secretary
Hay at the White House on the Alas
kan boundary dispute. The senator
reports that from personal obserra-
ton he is firmly convinced that the
contentious made by this government
are correct, and If the modus vivendi
is agreed upon ii must be upon the
terms of the United States. Senator
Fairbanks has been all over the coun
try in the vicinity of Kluckwan. Dyea.
Skagway and the territory in dispute
and finds incontrovertible evidence
that the contentious of this govern
ment are correct. II was said that
this government will not yield foot
of territory and that unless the Brit
ish government agrees upon modus
vivendi on the terms which this gov
ernment offered there will be no meet
ing of the high joint commission on
August 2nd.
The Washington correspondent of
the Rocky Mountain News says: Cen
eral Horace Porter has declined the
secretaryship of war. He was heard
from by cable Friday, and ii is under
stood that he explained his desire TO re
main in Paris and worded his refusal
so as to make il Il request to the Presi-
dent to not insist OH his (Porter's) re.
request will be respected. Elihu Root
has been rendered the place by wire
He has requested several days time in
which to think 1t over The President
wants lawyer at the head of the Wal
Department. and wants New York &c
get the place. If Root accepts he will
be Ayers successor as war minister.
If Mr.. Root should decline Attorney
General Griggs will probably be pre-
vailed upon to take the place. and in
such an event Mr.. Root will go into the
Department of Justice"
The most absorbing and generally
discussed topic here is the choice OF
a successor TO Secretary Alger. Among
the names most prominently mention
ed is that of General Horace Porter,
ambassador to France. Senator Thurs
ton of Nebraska called at the White
House and urged the promotion of
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn. Near
ly every general who figured in the
recent war has been mentioned as
possibility. the name of General James
III. Wilson being about the most prom
inent in this class. A high administra-
ton official said to-day that the next
secretary of war will not only be
New Yorker but lawyer rs well. The
authority for this statement was in
consultation with the President to-day
and he stated that. while it may be
that as vet the selection has not been
finally passed upon. New York, now
without representation. has the stron'
gest claim for recognition.
President Mckinley is planning to
remove the necessity for creating de
pnrtment of colonies. Cabinet mem
bers and other high officials have said
that In no other way could our new
possessions be governed. But to toss
the question of establishing such Il de-
partment into the halls of Congress,
which has final authority. would in the
minds of many politicians be like
throwing chunk of raw meat into n
cage of lions. The President. II is said,
believes that he has disposed of the
matter by the appointment of Mr.. Root
as secretary of war. His idea was To
place at the head of the War Depart
ment n man of fine legal training and
administrative ability. 1t is contended
that Root possesses those qualitica-
tions and that he is able to deal wisely
with the big questions that will arise
in the government of the newly ac.
quired islands. Root will give the great
er part of his attention to such queS-
tions. The equipment of the army and
the conduct of the campaign will be
left to the generals in the department
and to Assistant Secretary Meiltlejohn,
They have had so much experience
during the past year that it is believed
that the army can now be handled
with little friction.
AT the Cabinet meeting Tuesday
cable from Colonel DENLY, n member
of the Philippine commission was read,
1t showed fairly satisfactory state of
affairs. one of the Cabinet officers said
but it did not say that negotiations
with Aguinaldo We're in progress. Sec
retary Hay also had cable from Am
bassador Choate relative 10 the bound
ary line negotiations, but it was not
encouraging. Later it was asccrtained
that the decision was reached to allow
the 'round robin matter to drop. All
an informal conference held at the
White House last night the subject
was thoroughly discussed and such a
policy agreed upon. This, it is stated.
was confirmed at the Cabinet meeting
Officially the matter will be ignored
and General Otis will be allowed to
treat it as he may deem best. Privately
it was intimnted that the President