The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-01-06
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Jan. | 1893


WASHINGTON, D. G. Jan. l, 1898.
President Mckinley gave the Ameri-
can Peace Commissioners who brought
the official copy Of the Treaty of Peace
to Washington, a cordial personal well
come and heartfelt congratulations on
their successful work, and assured
them that the Christmas gift they
brought to the American people was
thoroughly appreciated. AS further
mark OF his appreciation, he will give,
In honor of the Commissioners. a
State Dinner at the White House. In
addition to the treaty, the Commits
sioners brought to the President; a full
and detailed report of their work,
The Commissioners were pleased to
learn that the opposition to the ratifi-
cation of the treaty by the Senate had
pract .cally all died out, and that the
treaty was likely to be promptly rati-
fed. Senators who have been quoted
as Intending to oppose the treaty
have assured President Mckinley that,
while opposed to our retention of the
Phlllpplnes permanently, they would
vote to ratify the treaty as soon as it
was reported to the Senate from the
Committee on F,,reign Relations, to
which it will be sent as soon as it goes
to the Senate, which will be immedi-
ately upon the reassembling of Con-
gress.
The Spanish Peace Commissioners
will realize what mistake they have
made when they refused to sell us a
small island in the Carolines for a
cable station, as soon as they learn
that We have taken possession of an
island-WakeI Island-that will answer
every purpose and will cost nothiug.
This island is about two thousand
miles from the Hawaiian islands and
about thirteen hundred miles from
Guam, being almost on direct line
between those possessions. AS far
back as 1851. Admiral Wilkes survey
ed this island and asserted title, but
the island being merely coral reef
three miles long, has never been occu-
pied. But it is all right for cable
station, and President Mckinley has
sent orders to Commander Taussig, of
the gun-boat Bennington, to proceed
to the island and take formal posses
sion. 1t is a coincidence that on the
4th of July of this year, transport
hound for Manila, stopped at Wake
island to allow our eoldiers to get
days recreation on land.
President Mckinley stopped a lot Of
crooked business when lie ordered that
new franchises given by the local
authorities in Cuba, Porto Rico, and
the Philippines. should be revoked by
our military authorities, whenever
they were unfair in their terms or like
-ly to be against the best interest of the
islanders. A lot of unscrupulous spec
ulators have been engaged in the pur-
chase of railroad, electric and other
franchises from impecuneous members
of local governments in the towns on
all of the islands, with the expecta-
ton that the U. S. would recognize
them. 1t is the Presidents intention
to prevent any robbery of the islanders
that can be prevented by watchfulness
on the part of the authorities.
Chairman Hull has filed with the
clerk of the House, the report OF the
Committee on Military Affairs in favor
of his own bill for the reorganization
and increase of the regular army,
which was not ready when the bill was
reported to the House, just before its
adjournment. The report Is very full,
giving una nswerable reasons, in detail
why the bill should be passed. The
following extract from the report fully
explains the nature of the bill: "The
bill fixes no maximum strength for
the whole army. Assuming that the
government will require about 100, 900
men for defense of the frontier, Tor
coast defense and to maintain our
authority in the islands for whose
good order and government this ma
ton is now responsible, together with
a reasonable reserve force. The bill
provides for the requirements o.
cavalry and infantry, the number re-
quired for each arm of the service, and
corps of artillery, for our sea-coast
batteries with two regiments of artil-
lery for field batteries. The Commit
tee believe the organization as pro-
vidcd for ID this bill will make the
most efficient military organization,
at the lowest cost to the taxpayer of
any organization proposed by any bill
bef. re Congress-" The estimated cost,
if this bill becomes law, as there is
every reason to believe it will, in spite
of democratic opposition, is 500, ,OOO, 900
q year. The democrats acknowledge