The silver lance., 1899-07-28

Admiral George Dewey has f4ed IL
the Court of Claims his claim Ioi
bounty growing out of the battle OF
Manila bay, May l, 1898. Inc secre
tary of the navy has referred to tnls
court a number Of these claims Tor Ju
dicial consideration.
Senator Fairbanks of the high Jonl
commission has had conference WIN
President Mckinley and Secretary
Hay at the White House on the Alas
kan boundary dispute. The senator
reports that from personal 0Dserva-
ton he is firmly convinced that the
contentious made by this government
are correct, and If the modus vivend1
is agreed upon 1t must be upon the
terms of the United States. Senator
Fairbanks has been all over the coun-
try in the vicinity of Kluckwan, Dyea,
Skagway and the territory In dispute
and finds incontrovertible evidence
that the contentious Of this govern
ment are correct. 1t was said that
this government will not yield a foot
of territory and that unless the Brit
ish government agrees upon modus
vivendi on the terms which this gov
ernment offered there will be no meet
ing of the high joint com2pission on
August 2nd.
The Washington correspondent OF
the Rocky Mountain News says: Gen
eral Horace Porter has declined the
secretaryship of war. He was heard
from by cable Friday, and it is under
stood that he explained his desire to re-
main in Paris and worded his refusal
so as to make ii a request to the Presi-
dent to not insist on his Porter's) re-
turn to this country. General Porters
request will be respected. Elihu Root
has been rendered the place by wire.
He has requested several days time IN
which to think it over. The President
wants a lawyer at the head of the Wal
Department, and wants New York tc
get the place. If Root accepts he will
be Alger's successor as war minister
If Mr.. Root should decline. Attorney
General Griggs will probably be pre-
vailed upon to take the place, and in
such an event Mr.. Root will go into the
Department of Justice"
The most absorbing and generally
discussed topic here is the choice OF
a successor to Secretary Alger. Among
the names most prominently mention
ed is that of General Horace Porter,
ambassador to France. Senator Thurs
ton Of Nebraska called at the White
House and urged the promotion OF
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn. Near
ly every general who figured in the
recent war has been mentioned as a
possibility. the name of General James
III. Wilson being about the most prom
inent in this class. A high administra-
tion official said to-day that the next
secretary of war will not only be
New Yorker but lawyer as well. The
authority for this statement was in
consultation with the President to-day
and he stated that while 1t may be
that as yet the selection has not been
finally passed upon. New York, now
without representation, has the stron-
gest claim for recognition.
President Mckinley is planning to
remove the necessity for creating de
partment of colonies. Cabinet mem
bers and other high officials have said
that in no other way could our new
possessions be governed. But to toss
| the question of establishing such a de-
partment into the halls of Congress,
which has final authority, would In the
minds of many politicians be like
throwing a chunk of raw meat into a
cage of lions. The President, it is said,
believes that he has disposed of the
matter by the appointment of Mr.. Root
as secretary of war. His idea was to
place at the head of the War Depart
| ment a man of fine legal training and
administrative ability. 1t is contended
| that Root possesses those qualifica-
| tions and that he is able to deal wisely
| with the big questions that will arise
| in the government of the newly ac-
quired islands. Root will give the great
er part of his attention to such ques-
tions. The equipment of the army and
the conduct of the campaign will be
left to the generals in the department
and to Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn.
They have had so much experience
during the past year that it is believed
| that the army can now be handled
with little friction.
At the Cabinet meeting Tuesday a
cable from Colonel DENLY, a member
of the Philippine commission was read.
1t showed a fairly satisfactory state of
affairs, one of the Cabinet officers said.
but it did not say that negotiations
with AguinaldO were in progress. Sec
retary Hay also had a cable from Am
bassador Choate relative to the bound
ary line negotiations, but it was not
encouraging. Later it was ascertained
that the decision was reached to allow
the round robin matter to drop. AT
an informal conference held at the
White House last night the subject
was thoroughly discussed and such a
policy agreed upon. This, it is stated.
was confirmed at the Cabinet meeting.
Officially the matter will be ignored
and General Otis will be allowed to
treat it as he may deem BEST Privately
it was intimated that the President
might give General Otis some unoffi-
cial suggestions as to the desirability
of less rigid censorship of press dis
patches. His present purpose, however.
is to allow General Otis to deal with
the situation as he sees fit. This was
the advice given him by at least
| two members of the Cabinet In the