Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-03-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
Washington. March 3, 1895

Washington. March ), 1899.
Mr.. McKinley's backdown from his
army bill bluff will go down in congress
sional history as the most complete ever
made by president. The democratic
victory is complete. The new army bill
} is practically just what WAS offered to the
administration BY Senator Cockrell, on
behalf of those senators who opposed a
large standing army-it provides for con.
tinuing the present status OF the regular
army of 5000 men for two years from
next July, aud for enlistng $1,000 volun.
teers for the same period. The admins
tration senators fairly fell over each other
in their anxiety 10 accept Senator Cock
rells offer. The next congress, which
will be republican in both branches, will
probably inflict a large standing army on
the country, but that will not deprive the
senators who killed the bill, to do SO at
this time, OF deserved credit.
Our Philippine policy is bearing fruit
quickly. In addition to having an expen-
sive war with the Filipinos on our hands,
Dewey's despatch to hurry up the battle
ship Oregon indicates the belief on his
part that there is danger OF war with
more powerful opponents. Just how
great this danger is can only be guessed,
because officials are conceaiing what in
formation they have and pretending that
the despatch from Dewey, which was
made public by mistake, had no meaning.
Little information can be gained from
private dispatches from Manila as they
are all strictly censored, but 1t is known
that conditions are critical, and that
European consuls there are making some
stiff claims on account OF the recent par
tial burning OF the town.
Mr.. Mckinley has been catching it
again from members of his own party in
congress. Senator Sewell, who voted for
:he ratification Of the treaty and for every
thing else that has been asked for by the
administration, was so stirred up by the
progress OF the war with the Filipinos,
that he let out the fact that he had been
supporting the Mckinley policy against
his own judgment. He said emphatically:
II never was in favor of the acquisition
of the Philippines" and added that he
had begged Mr. Mckinley to order Dewey
away from Manila, after he won his vic
tory. Mr.. Sewell thinks the Filipinos
will have to be practically eXterminated
before we can control the Philippines
He also thinks that we shall soon be at
war with Cuba, because of the admins.
tration policy.
Representative Johnson, OF Ind, re-
publican, made long speech, nearly
every sentence of which contained an at.
tack upon Mr.. Mckinley. He said of
those who attacked Alger and praised
Mr.. Mckinley that they have lacked
the courage to lay their AK to the root Of
the evil and censure the gentleman who,
to reward him for his political services
and disbursements in the campaign Of
'96, appointed him CAlger) to his present
position, and had maintained him there
ever since, notwithstanding his incom.
potency and against the righteous com.
plants that have been made against him"
He said that Mr.. Mckinley's recent Bos-
ton address twas nothing more nor less
than carefully devised misstatement Of
the ISSUE" and Of our Philippine policy:
81 insist that the whole policy is not
simply an error, but that it is a crime,
and that the chief executive OF this nation
is the one who has precipitated upon US
the embarrassments and difficulties by
which we are now confronted Speak
ing Of the claim that Mr.. Mckinley acted
upon the advice OF Dewey, in demanding
the Philippines, Mr.. Johnson said: "The
chief executive cannot screen himself be-
hind the gold lace of the hero OF Manila. -
He expressed the opinion that the real
reason for Mr.. Mckinley's policy was
"his concessions to the selfish capitalists
Of the country his surrender to their de-
mands. These are the gentlemen who
furnished the money for his nomination
ard election, and who, doubt not, have
pledged him rel oinination and re-elec-
ton. These are the gentlemen who are
already graspng after special privileges
in the Philippines, in Cuba, and in Porto
Rico It vas, imagine, f1r their especial