Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-05
OUR CAPITAL LETTER.
SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS IN THE
NEWS FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Letting Out Bad News From Manila,
But What Is tho Purpose-secrotary
Alger Again Proves His Unftness.
Dewey Home Fund Increases Slowly


and it is not likely that he would
approve anything the administration
did not wish public. Hence, the publ
cation of the statement that it would
be impossible for General Otis to con-
! qner even the entire island of Luzon,
not to mention the remainder of the
group, so that it would stay conquered,
without large increase In his army,
was allowed to pass the censor for a
purpose. Not being in the onfidence
OF the administration,-few persons,
even among the most prominent Republ-
cans, are-it cannot be positively stated
what that purpose is, but the inference
is that 1t is intended to pave the way
Tor one or two things; q call for volun-
teers to reinforce Otis, or to make the
people OF this country satisfied with some
dicker that is about to be made with the
F1lipnos, and which they could natur-
ally be inclined to be dissatisfied with.
The preponderance Of opinion in Wash
lngton is that it means more volunteers.
Orders have been sent to the civilian
members of the Philippine commission
that they must do nothing to interfere
with the military plans Of General Otis,
which Is confirmation of the reported
wrangles in the commission.
t
Representative Dalzcll, of Pennsyl-
vania, who stands about as much show
as Payne, the New York anti-Platt can
didate, dropped into Washington a day
or two ago and announced that he was
a candidate for speaker. He could not
control three votes in the Pennsylvania
delegation, counting his own, to save
, his neck. Bingham is the dummy can
didate OF the Pennsylvania delegation,
and will remain such until Quay decides
who shall get these votes.
/ t
The administration was very par
ticular to have the widest circulation
given to the report of the beef court of
inquiry, but it has now discovered that
t all OF the 100000 set aside to pay for
: the inquiry has been used up, and has
y. ordered work stopped on the printing Of
the testimony, upon which that report
u was supposed to be based after it had
q all been put in type. 1t has all along
IS been contended by many that the ad-
:, ministration never intended to make
l. the testimony public, and this action
makes 1t look as though that contention
was correct.
le No surprise was caused In Washing
n ton by Senator Platt's flat-footed declar-
Iy ing that Mckinley and Hobart would be
re renominated. Sc far as Mckinley is
>. concerned, Platt has been mortgaged
since early in the present administers
~ tion; his endorsement of Hobart mean
" that II he ever had any Idea of helping
y to get Roosevelt second place on the
~ ticket, 1t has been abandoned, but
e. whether because he wasn't pleased with
" Roosevelt or whether the latter wasn't
20 pleased with the idea of second place, is
:, a matter OF conjecture, but the former
Is more likely to be true. The declara.
IL tion OF Senator Penrose, who is Boss
n Quay's man and mouth-piece, in favor
i. OF McKinley's denomination is nothing
10 more than bid for administration helr
l., for Quay in his contest to get his seat in
the senate. This was doubtless pleas
y ing to Mr.. Mckinley whether he means
u to help Quay or not, as he found Quay
a decidedly 'uppish' towards the admin.
lStration while he was in the senate.
of t t
D. Secretary Alger has been putting his
h. foot in it again, Several days ago, he
Il caused an order to be issued by the wal
it department, instructing the military
p authorities in Cuba to give clearances
he to Cuban vessels under the Cuban flag,
TX and at the same time stating that the
r vessels flying the Cuban flag would not
I'd be under American protection. As
N there is no Cuban government, there
% can be no recognized Cuban flag; hence
to the order strikes the average man as
% ludicrous. Somebody called Mr. Nc.
Kinley's attention to the order and he
IS directed that it be referred to the attor.
N ney general for an opinion. This
opinion, it is expected will knock the
G. order out. 1t might answer for Cuban
,r vessels to go from one Cuban port to
!, another, under such a clearance, but in
any port outside Of Cuba, the masters OF
w such vessels would be at anybody's
TO mercy; they would have no consul to
y appeal to In case Of unjust treatment OF
IN any sort, and no standing in any court
:; of admiralty. Alger's specially appears
-, to be doing the wrong thing.
=, t /
n. The Dewey Home Fund isn't growing
9. as fast as it might. 1t did not reach a
Ia total OF ST., 900 until last week. Unless
al 1t gets move on, it will not be big
te enough to buy Washington house by
Al the time Dewey gets home.
- G. A. r.. Department of Pennsyivania.
~ Annual Encampment.
u Wilkesbarre, June to 10, 1899.