The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-08-19
PECULIAR DOINGS.

For months past the American peO-
pie have been denied the right to know
exactly what was being done by our
army in the Philippines. only such in
formation being given out as was per-
mitted to pass through the strict CEN
sorship of exacting army officials.
This censorship was enacted, it was
claimed, on the ground that informa-
tion, directly or Indirectly, might reach
the Filipinos should newspaper CORES
pondents be allowed full sway. The
authorities were possibly warranted in
this, and it was an easy matter to sub.
NIT to the rule without serious com.
plaint for all recognize that certain
amount of secrecy is necessary in con-
ducting the war department.
Greater caution than that imposed in
the Philippine islands has always been
main tai ned regarding our Notifications
and coast defences, no one, except he
be an official of the department or
trusted employe of the government,
being allowed to thrust his head inside
the Notifications. An American citiz-
ems who would attempt to intrude in
side one of our forts without a special
permit would be kicked ont, and until
recently no representative of any for
eign power has been permitted to ex-
anime the inside of our coast defenses.
Tbio oooroov 10 noooooorv i, foot IL ia
imperative, for it is decidedly neces-
sary that other governments should
not be acquainted with every detail of
our machines of defense.
But now comes the announcement
through the Associated Press dis
patches that an attache of the British
war Office, bearing authority from our
war department., has been shown every
detail of the Notifications at the mouth
of the Colum bia, also that he has gone
to San Francisco to inspect the forti-
fications there. and that when his in
spections there are finished he will
have completed a survey of all the
harbor defenses in the United States.
He will have gained a complete know
ledge of all our forts. and will be able
to lay before his government every de.
tail of our forts and means of defense,
will be able to show our weak points as
we'll as our strong. and should war
ever occur between the two nations,
has such a knowledge of our defenses
that he can tell where we are strong !
and where we are weak.
Why this representative of the Brit
ish government should have been
granted such privileges is not ex.
planned, but to the ordinary individual
it appears that somebody in Washing
ton has been decidedly indiscrete.
The United States and Great Britain
should always be at peace with each
other, but they may not be. In fact
here is at the present time remote
of war over the Alaskan
oou undary. The spark of war may be
zindled at any time, and should such a
calamity occur, we would be placed at
/ serious disadvantage because of the
which the British have of
,ur forts.
The action of the war department in
his instance might we'll be likened to
he condition that is agitating France
It the present time. Somebody dis
closed secrets of the French war de-
,artment to the Germans, Dreyfus was
and was sent to DEVILS is
and as traitor to his country. If
)reyfus. or; any other officer in the
french army was traitor, of what
rhine is our war department guilty for
laving disclosed the secrets of the de-
'artment to possible foreign foe?
t possibly may not be treason, but it
5 very nearly that crime.