Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-11-03
From our Regular Correspon lent.
WASHINGTON, oct -, IS9

Commission Nearly Ready for Work.
From our Regular Correspon lent.
WASHINGTON, oct ~, 1899.
Imperialism is to bring many new
things, and among the rest new
committee of the House, which can be
depended upon to report just such leg
islation concerning the imperial colo
MES as may be ordered by His Maj
estv, William /. Under ordinary cir
cumstances all bills introduced in the
House relating to new territory owned
by the government would he referred
to the committee on Territories. But
the chairman of the committee on
Territories in the last House, who
cannot be denied the same position in
the next House without marked
breach OF courtesy, is under suspicion,
so his committee is to be supplanted,
so far as the new possessions are con-
cerned, by new one which can be de-
pended upon. Whether the name of
the new committee has been selected
is not positively known, but the
proper name for it will be the Commit
tee on Imperialism, for as such it will
be popularity known. There is also
some talk of establishing similar
committee in the Senate, where there
has already been wrangling between
the committee on Territories, and that
on Foreign Relations over the control
of bills relating to the new posses
sions, but such a programme cannot
be carried out in the Senate as easily
as in the House. The Republicans
have a majority in the Senate, but
there are a number of Republican
Senators who are opposed to imperial
ism and all its trimmings.
Mr.. John r. Mclean is confident
that he will be the next Governor of
Ohio. He was in Washington for a
day this week, and he told his friends
that the prospects for Democratic sue
cess were improving eve-y day and
that he had not the slightest doubt OF
his election. He also said that Col.
Brysn's short visit to the State was of
great benefit to the Democrats, not
withstanding Republican statements
to the contrary.
A striking case of bad judgment
and management on the part of some
official connected with the Navy De-
partment came to light this week,
when it was announced that the con-
verted yacht Vixen, which was re-
Gently ordered to South American
waters. would be put out of commits
sion and probably sold. After the
Vixen had been fitted up with mod
ern battery and otherwise equipped as
q gunboat, it was discovered that there
was not room aboard her to carry a
sufficient amount of provisions for her
crew, for even a moderately long voy-
age. 1t is evident that somebody neg
lected their duty in not making this
discovery before the government had
gone to the expense OF converting the
yacht into a gunboat.
The country has no reason to feel
proud of the final action of the Naval
Board of Construction as 10 the plans
of three new battleships, which were
this week determined upon, since it is
admitted, even by the members of the
board, that these battleships, when
completed, will be inferior in almost
every respect to the latest battleships
OF Great Britain, France, Germany,
Russia and Japan. Because Ameri-
can crews are the best in the world is
no reason why millions of the peoples
money should be spent in building in.
ferior ships for them, and Congress
should prevent these vessels being
constructed. II we can't build battle
ships equal or better in every way
than those other nations are building,
we would better build none. The
board also decided upon the plans for
three new armored cruisers. The
oldest part OF this whole business is
that, although these six wsrships are
to cost more than $50, 900, 900, not one
of the famous fighting officers of our
navy were consulted or even asked to
make q suggestion to the board,
which is composed OF naval officers
known as able theorists, but not as
fighters.
Senator Proctor has not given up
the idea OF holding Admiral Dewey in
reserve rs an anti-McKinley candidate
for the Republican Presidential nomi-
nation because the Mckinley crowd
succeeded in alarming the Admiral
about his health 10 the extent of
causing him to abandon his intended
trips to Atlanta and Philadelphia.
On the contrary, he is more deter
: mined than ever, and the announce
ment that Admiral Dewey would
make trips to the South and the West
in the early Spring is understood to be
due to Proctor's influence; and a
friend OF Proctor's said that the Nc
Kinley crowd had played right into
Proctor's hand by keeping Dewey
quiet this winter, as boom started in
the Spring, if the conditions seem to
warrant one, will be much more likely
to be effective than one started at
this time. Admiral Dewey is now a
Washington real estate owner, the
deed for the house purchased for him
with the $50, 900 donated for that pur-
pose being now in his possession.
All the members Of the Philippine
Commission, except Gen. Otis. are in
Washington, but the Commission will
not begin holding meetings until next
week. DEN.
BURGLARY is becoming a high art in
Seattle and a few evenings ago $780,