Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-26
WACHINGTONLETTER
SECRETARY ROOTS EN-
ERQY.
increase of Troops.
WARM TIMES IN THE
PHILIPPINES.

<Fxor Our Regular Corr-spOOoeneD
WAszneroN, D. c.. Aug. n, So
Heeretary Root is giving the country
usrikinr exhibition of what can be
,.spumplished by hustlinR, even IN the
.monfh of August, which has got to De
90 generally recognised in otticih cir
.-1eu N vacation time. he has caused
.~vrrxthins connected with the send
my OF the volunteers to the Phillip
wsaes to be advanced considerably
from the FIRST estimates, and II - now
practically certain that the last OF the
Frnk ten regiments will be landed at
Manila not later than October, and AZ
rxuaements have already been made by /
~vhfoh the other ten regiments, the
order for the enlisting OF which was
~nlx ISSUED several days ego, will
reach Manila within o week. before or /
altar December LIST.
NONE IvKR BITTER KQUIPRED.
no troops ever took the field any
sEhexe better equipped than these men
-.vSll be or better provided IN every re-
~rTrt for cam paiRning in the tropics.
Tnev will all be armed with the kraR-
Irr1eprep fie, v hicb the War Depart
snsrt now has . full supply, ana am
-Iu eupplied with smokeless Rmmunf-
4isn. when all the troops get over
4hsre NfIibe mose than oO.SOo men M
the Philippines II Is not ee,ieVeo
shst 80 mAnyemen VIII De nesueo 70
4nrde to have them there so that every
town taken from the FilipiDos osn De
hel6. instead Of abandoned, a. IN she
1nUf enmpaiQn. II there is as much
hnsflinu at the other end as there has
heWn IN Washington, the campaign
win be short and decisive
aruDIED TIE CONDITIONS.
Secretary Wilson, who has just re-
eurned from . western trip all the way
- ahe Pacific coast. upon which be
-.w-ulnx 20 study agricultural conditions
- a. IN make the work of the AgT1c III
surnl Department as helpful to the
Rnxmers in that section As possiDle,
save the talk aboHt sentiment m the
weAt against the fbihppine poIcg VI
HAresid ent Mckinley 10 all mAnuiae-
ues,red IN the east, and that he did not
meet a single anti, west OF Chicago,
nI,hnuah ne met hundreds OF men, 80
al sfati0nRs ef life. He found the
tanners prosperous all through the
wet. and especially sein the corn belt.
He says the wheat crop OF that session
viii be = little short. but that the eToE
~ corn and oats and other farm pro
ds.rfa are enormous. Speaking Of the
amer atlon sentiment in the west. Sec
xntnrV Wilson said: "The people Of
lsUt understand this question better
shan do those of the east. They kpoV
fhat Dewey was sent to the Philippine'
90 protect ouE large and growing trade
wzth kne Orient.
THE TRADE IN CHINA.
We have lHbored to build up trade
zwa1h China and japan, and when the
wnr began Spain had q feet In Orient
n waters ready TO attack and destroy
uur commerce. She also WAS ready e
encourage privateering, and Dewey
TEnnt TO Hong Kong to be ready 4
urO4est our shipping he destroyed
the Spanish Feet as the sale way 9
xsrnvenG It from preyin upon Ameri
can merchant ships.
Had the battle resulted II
- victory for Spaln rather than 10
Dewey. the Sps nish heet would haV
lNacORPed the Pacific to attack our west
ern ports. The people out west real
fxe this, and they also realize tina
Dewey's victory and the subsequen
events which trs nsferred the Pnlhp
an extraordinary impetus TO the com
neree of this country with the Orient
GOODS PIEED UP.
At All the Pacific ports the docks ar
ulled I'D with goods awaiting, shipmen
10 the Orient, and we have not ship
suough 10 carry them. The people Q
the west regard the Pacific as al
American lake, which should be GOV
cred with ships carrying the America
Gag, and don't know out they Ax
about right. Why, went on one biI
shin. loading at Tacoma, and / founl
An the esrgO lumber, wheat and hou
from the state of Washington; butte
and eggs from Iowa and Michigan
fruit from California and Oregon stee
from Alabama; cotton goods from tn
CnrOlinas bicycles from Chicago no
items from New England, and some
4hznR from moro than half the state
IN the Union. This cargo was bOun
for China and Japan, and it represent
ed every section and nearly eve
Nv branch of industry in the Or
ited States. It showed me more cleA
Nv than had ever seen before the gel
erAl interest we all have in this Or
DnSAl trade"
saEN. MERRITT AND THE PRESIDENT.
Gen. Merritt, who was the firl
Am erican commander in the Philil
pines has gene to Lake Champlain
President McKilley's request, presun
ably to talk about PhilippiHe affair
This has revived the rumOr that Gem
raj Merritt would return to the Philil
x.ines, but no confirmation can be 81
zAined in official circles.
The Warrington committee that
collecting money for TIE Porto Bic
hurricane sufferers has reeeivs
checks for $3.50 each FROM PresideI
Mckinley. Vice Presidents Hobart an
BeSretary Boot The Latter hes a