Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-02-13
N AhHINhTONIETTER.


Gorham in his fight against Mr.. Bry-
ans leadership of the democratic
party, to the extent of voting with
him against the ratification of the
treaty of peace, could see them
selves as others see them, they would
hang their heads for shame. There
never was more unnecessary intro
duction of personal peanut politics
in a matter involving the honor of
the country than the fight against the
treaty, which ended with the vote in
the senate today-unnecessa be-
cause every man who engaged in 1t
knew from the first that the ratifica-
ton of the treaty was absolutely GER
tain in any event, if not by today's
vote, by the senate in an extra ses-
sion. Knowing this, there was no
excuse for the fight; it served no
other purpose than to show that
nearly all of the democratic senators
were more willing to follow the ad-
vice of Gorham than that of Bryan,
even though they had to vote against
the wishes of a great majority of
their constituents, to do so. Not
few of these senators have already
been repudiated by their constituents,
and will retire at the close of this ses-
sion of Congress, and all of them de-
serve the same fate.
The war investigating commission
has completed its report, which will
be handed to President Mckinley
this week. 1t is expected that the
president will very shortly make the
report public, and that, as result of
portion of it, military inquiry
will be ordered of the charges made
by Gen. Miles concerning the quality
of the beef furnished the army by the
Spain, which will give Gen. Miles
an opportunity to substantiate his
charges. If he can do SO, there will
be very serious trouble for the con-
tractors, if not, there will be trouble
for Gen. Miles. While there is some
personal enmity between Secretary
Alger and Gen. Miles, it is not and
has not been, at any time, shared by
President Mckinley, who is only
anxious that the truth shall be shown
so clearly as to leave no doubt in
the mind of any unprecedented man,
and determined wherever wrongdo-
ing shall be shown, that the guilty
shall be punished, regardless of per-
sons or consequences.
While nothing official has been an
nounced concerning the finding of
the Eagan court martial, which is
now in President McKinley's hands,
there are reasons for the belief that
the president has decided what action
he will take, and that his action will
be to modify the sentence of dismiss
al from the army to suspension from
active duty.
Now that the treaty is out of the
way, the senate committee on mill
tary affairs will endeavor to push the
Hull army bill, recently passed by the
house, to the front and keep it there
until passed. One of the amendments
to this bill, agreed upon by. the senate
committee, provides for revival of
the grade of lieutenant general.
Gov. Shaw of Iowa, who passed
through Washington on his way home
from visit to New York, was
impressed by the Iowa Republican,
Association, and persuaded into an
informal talk on public affairs. His
remarks about the Philippines were
right to the point. He said: eff an
nexation means that the Philippines
should ultimately be admitted as states
then there is not an expansionist in
this country; if anti expansion means
that the archipelago should be re-
turned to Spain, then there is not one
anti expansionist in America. If anti
expansion does mean that we should
not deny the right of self government
to people competent to govern them
selves then we are all anti-expansion-
lists" In other words, Gov. Shaw
told his hearers that the policy of
this government would always lean
toward the freedom rather than en-
Shaving of people, Notwithstanding
the ranting of those who pretend to
fear the contrary.
When the house adopts the reso-
luton reported from the judiciary
committee, declaring that the four
representatives who accepted COM
missions in the army, thereby vacat-
ed their seats in Congress, as it will,
it will merely put on official record
what has been practically accepted by
the four gentlemen most directly