Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-25

'iieAi' ehS w oSiiiktoH dTCU winch was tho
feature OF the centennial celebration some
years ago. A strong effort will be made to
nave all the proceedings of dignified char
acter, though the zeal for sightseeing may
hamper these plans. The naval pageantry,
as Is lifting, promises to be imposing. Mo-
body Is really thinking much of politics in
connection with Admiral Dewey, yet once
In awhile the subject Will crop out. 1t is
democrat who thinks that the admiral
might really become the democratic cand!-
date next year. The cleverest thing that o.
II. p. Belmont has done since his entry into
national politics was the suggestion he
made in Chicago some weeks ago. This
was that W. c. Whitney had gone to
Europe on a confidential political mission to
persuade Dewey to become the candidate
of the conservative democrats. The Idea
appealed to everybody by Its humor. and
Mr.. Belmont has got lot of free advertise
ing by reason of his droi suggestion.
One of the first questions which Admiral
Dewey will be asked on his arrival in New
York will be from the newspaper reporters.
They think. probably rightly. that he knows
all about the Philippine commission, and
may take notion to tell them whether
there were really any differences between
himself and the civilian commissioners on
one side and General Otis on the other side.
schurmnn I'm State of Siege.
President Schurman of that commission,
since his return to his home in Ithaca. is in
a state of siege The New York newspapers
him surrounded and they will only raise
the siege when he yields up what they call
the inside facts. 1 saw dispatch last night
from one of the correspondents who has
part of the besieging force acting under
his orders. This correspondent reported
that there were no signs or PRESIDENT
Schurman captivating, but the town was
a pleasant one. the college boys would soon
be back and their aid would be useful in
bringing the Philippine commissioner to
terms. All the newspapers want is nan a
dozen columns from him telling what tne
developments really were. There is mys.
terry about that Philippine commission ana
while President Schurman as an individual
may be entitled to sympathy. newspapers
are entitled to praise for seeking 10 give
publicity to the whole subject
New York, / have been told. Is taking
more interest than formerly in the military
operations in the Philippines. This is be-
cause the war has been in a sense local.
lied since New Yorker became Secretary
of War. That is the way to interest New
York in any subject. When its local bear
ing is felt, then 1T Is possible to secure
some understanding of Its national sig
nificance. While the expansion sentiment
is strong. yet New York was not taking
much interest in the Philippine war be-
cause there were no New York troops out
there who were getting the glory of 1t.
What was wanted was something like the
Rough Riders. The tradition still fingers
here that the Rough Riders fought the
Santiago campaign, and a few months
back the feeling was that If they had gone
out to the Philippines they would have
walked right across the Island of Luzon.
and that Aguinaldo would have at once
made peace with them. 1t would be turn
ing back the pages of the brief Santiago
campaign to suggest that the regular
troops and chiefly the black ones. took
San Juan Hill and saved the Rough Riders
from the ambush in which they walked at
Las Guasimas. that they might claim
the glory of San Juan, but turning back
the pages of war history is a tedious and
go into 1t. The only point is that because
New York had no Rough Riders at Manila,
it was not taking much interest in the
campaign. Whereas now it has the Sec
rotary of War it is showing real concern.
Root Not Well Known.
While Mr.. Root was not well known per-
sonally to a large body of his fellow citi-
zens, he had impressed his individuality
on the community as that of an aggressive
and forceful man. So his fellow citizens
read of the preparations for an active
military campaign without surprise and
with satisfaction. AT first they resented
the hint that his functions would be main
ly to pass on the legal questions in Cuba.
Porto Rico and the Philippines, while
somebody else managed the war. Events
having shown that this hint was not to be
carried into effect. they are content. Their
confidence is shown in the way they ask
questions. I haven't run across anybody
who asked, would ordinarily be the
question. How is Root doing?" Instead
they put the assertion first and the ques-
ton last. Root is doing pretty well, isn't
he?" is the way they phrase it. This shows
genuine confidence. AT the same time they
like to hear somebody who lives in Wash
ington or who drifts around the country
tell that that Root is doing pretty well.
and that the country approves the idea
of a vigorous military campaign, as 1t I'M
questionably does.
l have heard that the new Secretary of
War has already been bothered by having
to pass on some phases of fractional repub-
lican politics in his state. Seemingly
Senator Platts friends his warmest
supporters, though they do not claim him
as partisan or protege of the senator.
Governor Roosevelt is reported to be fairly
well satisfied and to tell his friends that
Secretary Root is all right. because he is
carrying out the policy that the governor
urged upon the President. Naturally he is
pleased to have the Roosevelt policy adopt
ed by the national administration How
ever, in some things his wishes do not
prevail
Gen. Greenc's Success.
Under the surface there has been quite
an outgrowth of talk about the success Of
General F. V. Greene in vindicating one
of his former officers of the list New York
from what were alleged to be the unjust as
pensions of the governor. General Greene
is himself quite reSolute. He secured a
commission for the Manila campaign for
one of the officers who was censured by
the governor because of the poor showing
made in the Santiago campaign. Everybody
who was at Santiago knows that most Of
the officers of the list New York made a
very bad showing for themselves and for
their regiment 1t is possible that some in
justice was done in placing the indi-
vidual responsibility. This seems to be the
view which General Greene took.
Governor Roosevelt has given signs
that his feelings are hurt. He takes ad-
vantage of every occasion to urge the sup
port Of the national administration, and he
will go out to Ohio to make speeches in
the campaign Senator Plat, on his part,
continues to stand out as the champion
also of President Mckinley. He is with
the boys in the trenches on the breast
works. Whenever the line seems to be
weakening he comes out in an interview.
No interview has lately been forthcoming.
and this seems to show that the lines
have not weakened.
CHARLES M PEPPER.