La Junta tribune., 1899-03-18


provision authorizing the President 10
call out retired officers for active duty
other than the command of troors.
When they are so employed they shall
receive the full pay and allowance of
their rank. This means that expert
eEced officers who have been retired
from active service because of wounds
or other disabilities which prevent
them from enduring the hardships and
performing ethe duties of an active
campaign can he utilized for quar- cr
masters. comnissaries. inspectors ard
in other positions where experience is
needed. II this authority had been
granted at the beginning Of the war n
great deal of trouble and suffering
would have been saved. but Congress
refused TO pass law placing retired
officers of the army upon the same lev
ri as retired officers of the navy In this
respect. because it deprived them Of
patronage. and green men from civil
life We're selected for political reasons
instead.
Congress was lavish in its appropri-
ations for public buildings nj the late
session, more so than for many years.
While Mr.. Rcd has been In the chair
he has resisted this sort of legislation.
None but the most important cities
nav q DuDilt
he has been speaker. There are now
only twenty-eight buildings Under con
struction by the government, the small
est number for n generation, but sixty
i've new ones We're ordered mt The late
session. not including the new govern
ment printing office in Washington,
which is to cost S20o0.oJO. the new
department of justice. which is 10 cost
81 900. 600. new dormitor:es and recita-
ton rooms and other quarters for the
naval academy. S2,oOo.o01. Il public
library In Washington To cost S250.0o0.
which is presented by Mr.. Carnegie.
and large numbers pf buildings cf va
rious sorts for the use of the army
and navy. The sixty-five buildings re-
ferrcd to are exclusively court houses
and postofficos. In this way between
Sl3.00o,Oo0 and SlI.O00.O00 will be dis
tributed throughout the country in
payment for labor and materials, and
add that much more TO the activity
and prosperity of the country.
All the brevets conferred upon the
officers of the army and all the promo
lions made in the navy for bravery dur
ing the war. even that of Lieutenant
Hobson. failed because the friends of
Admiral Schley would not permit the
promotion of Admiral Sampson. Adj
illIHl StIlty steHlS ~ HaNe hIIbWH
what he was doing when he committed
his interests TO the care of the Populists
in the Senate and appealed to them to
prevent the promotion OF Admiral
Sampson over his head. The President,
| the Navy Department. the officers OF
the navy almost without exception. the
committee on naval affairs, and n large
| majority of the Senate are partisans of
Sampson, but Schley had Butler, Petit
grew and Stewart looking ont for him,
and they won their point by threatening
to talk out the session II the matter was
taken mp. Admiral Sampson has tax
en- no part In the controversy. He has
not been in Washington. he has not
written to any senator or member OF
Congress, nor to any department on the
subject. He has been aboard his flag
ship continually ever since the contro-
versy began, be-. Admiral Schley has
been at the capitol every day button
| holing Butler. Pettigrew, Stewart and
other senators. He is n frequent visi-
tor in newspaper offices also.
The compromise clause in the river
and harbor bill is very broad and will
be construed by President Mckinley
as il was construed In the Senate by
\ Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Frye, as commit
| ting the government of the United
States to the construction of a canal.
Therefore no intermediate corporations
or concessionaries will be necessary.
and the Maritime Canal Company and
| Mr.. Cragin's syndicate will be sent to
the Court OF Claims to settle the equl-
| ties involved in the rights and privi-
leges of their concessions. The next
step will he negotiations with Great
| Britain for modification OF the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty. ~ that there may
be no question as to the rights of the
United States 10 build and control the
| waterway. Our government will as
sume the responsibility of preserving
peace along the line of the canal and
| the neutrality Of the canal will be rec
ognized, and we will agree not to dis
criminate IN favor OF any nation In the
way Of tolls or transportation faclli-
ties. 1t may be said that such treaty
is already agreed upon, and there IN
some reason for thinking that the text
has already been prepared for sigma
ture. Negotiations for n right Of way
with the governments Of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica will be necessary, not for
amy corporation, but for the govern
ment. OF the United States. In Nicar-
aqua that VIII be attended with more
or less difficulty and will require the
| services of skIliful diplomatist. Ii is
, probable that President Mckinley Will
appoint special envoy to visit Mana
qua for this purpose.
1t is stated that President Mckinley
has decided rot to avail himself of the
authority granted by the compromise
| army bill TO organize a provisional
army of $1,000 volunteers. After con-
suiting with the officials of the War
| Department the President has decided
TINT, in view OF the prei ent favorable
outlook " Cuba. and the prospect of
tile complete suppression Of the Philip
pine insurrectio:. nt an early day. 1t
will not be necessary. after the present
volunteer forces have been mustered
out. to nave more than 65,OOO men al
lowed fci tl.e regular army until July