The evening times., 1899-04-17
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP


More Troops for the PhllipPines.-
The news Of the withdrawal Of General
Lawton with his command back into Ma
nila abandoning twenty miles Of territory
captured from the Filipino rebels had a
very depressing effect In Administration
| circles today especially in view Of the fact
that the announcement was accompanied
by the statement attributed directly to
General Lawt6n that 100000 troops will
be necessary to pacify the Philippine ISL
|, ands." The last observation Is regarded. as
even more significant than General Law
tons taking his command back to Manila.
1t means. II General Lawton's statement is
corroborated. that the call for the $4,000
provisi0naE vDlnnteers authorized In the
Army Reorganization bill passed at the
close Of the last session OF Congress. Will
have to be issued right away. When these
additional troops are recruited 1t will bring
the military establishment up to its maxi
mum strength allowed by Congress. WHICH
will be little less than 100. 900 all told. AS
we will have to keep some troops in Cuba.
Porto Rico. and at home. 1t will. CT course.
be impossible to send anything like 900
men to the Philippines without further leg
islation by Congress. II is estimated by
members Of the Administration that We
cannot spare over SO. 600 men for the Phil
ippine service even after the army is re-
cruited up to its full strength, which will
not be for three or four months yet under
the most favorable circumstances. Army
officers believe that no time should be lost
in issuing the call for the mastering in Of
the provisional army of 81, 600. The officers
can be appointed at once and they can go
to work gathering up recruits.
The most unfortunate phase OF the
Philippine situation said supporter of
hat will oil
the anti-expansionists another chance to
croak, and thereby further handicap and
eMbarrass the movements OF the Admins
tration. However there will, OF course
be no abandonment Of our present policy
in the Philippines. That is not to be
thought Of for a moment. 1t is lot the
Angio-Saxon way to turn back.
1T may be unfair to criticise General
Otis plan OF campaign in the Philippines.
but at this distance 1t looks very much
as II Otis is hardly equal to the task tlat
IS before him. What is needed. it strikes
me, is a man in command at Manila who
is perfectly at home in a bushwhacking
guerrilla warfare. Such a man is Fight
ing Joe Wheeler. The President should
make haste TO send him to Manila. and
when he arrives there place him in su-
preme command"
MIR. BrS San's Eastern AEent.-The re-
port that William Jennings Bryan has Sc
lected Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont 10
represent his interests in the East and to
all intents and purposes act as his agsn'. Is
scarcely credited by the Bryan contingent
in Washington. This Mr.. Belmont is a
brother of the Perry Belmont with whom
Mr.. Bryan had his recent controversy.
The two brothers do not agree on po It'll
cal matters. Oliver attended the Bryan
dollar dinner and made a speech, saying
that he could support such man as Mr.
Bryan on a free silver platform. This was
said in quite patronizing way, however,
and there are good many friends Il the
Nebraska statesman who doubt Beimon-'s
loyalty. If Mr.. Bryan, they say. real y
feels the necessity of having an agent to
represent his interests in the East, or the !
enemy's country he will do well. they
think, to select someone who is not quite |
such recent convert TO his standard as |
o. II. p. Belmont.
CrOkcr's Change of Nind.-Mr Gro
ker. who appeared before the Mazet IN |
vestigating Committee again today, had |
planned TO sail for Europe tomorrow. but |
he announced last night that he had de- |
cided to postpone his trip until the inves- |
tigating committee got through question /
ing him. He realizes. probably. that it |
would never do TO seem TO run away while |
apparently under fire. Ii is believed that !
Mr.. Mazet and his associates would be
pleased TO have Mr.. Croker depart, as it |
would give Them chance to insinuate
many things which they are in no serious
danger OF establishing by their inyestiga-
tion. The committee will. however. ask
the New York Assembly tonight TO confer
power on them to punish recaicitrant Wit
nesses who decline TO answer leading CUES
tions. as Mr.. Croker and others have done.
II this authority is granted and IL is sus
tanned by the courts Mr.. Croker may wind
up by spending the summer in Jail for con-
tempt of the committee. instead of in Lon
don. Some interesting developments may
De expected in connection with the inves- !
tigation. now that Mr. Croker and Senator
Thomas c. Plat have locked horns in a