The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-06-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D, c., May goth, 1889

Aguinaldo, when they left his line,
after their recent stay of several days,
in Manila, comforting with the Amer
lean Commissioners. that neither
they or any other sent by the Fiji
pinos will be again admitted to our
lines, unless they came authorized to
make an unconditional surrender.
This means business and, in order to
put Gen. Otis in better condition to
force compliance with his terms, more
regular troops will be hurried to him
as rapidly as possible. President Nc
Kinley is just as much averse to call
ing out more volunteers as ever, but
he recognizes the fact that it may
become necessary to do so in the near
future, and if the necessity arises, he
will meet it. Among the Presidents
recent callers was Hon. John Barrett,
who was appointed Minister to Siam,
by Mr. Cleveland, and who has just
returned from Manila, where he spent
ten months studying the situation.
Mr.. Barrett said: Il was not origin
ally in favor of the permanent reten-
tion of the islands, but the more |
studied the question of our standing,
politically and commercially, in the
Pacific, the more convinced became
that our control there was essential
to ouA prominence and prosperity in
the far East. We stand to-day as one
of the great powers of the Pacific. If
we should withdraw control over the
Philippines, we should abdicate
position that stands second to none
and come after Great Britain. Russia,
Germany and Japan. The vast in
terests of our Pacific coast forbids
this The East, and especially New
England, should cooperate in this
move.n OF the present situation, Mr..
Barrett said: Next to the rainy sea-
son, the worst thing our troops have
to contend against in the Philippines
is the news of the anti-imperialist agi-
tation in this country, which is being
sedulously gathered, and finds its way
to the insurgents. They think this
movement means great deal, and
that if they keep on long enough, the
agitation in America will come to
their rescue" Upon subject in
which practically everybody in the
United States is deeply interested, Mr.,
Barrett said: "All this talk about
Admiral4 Dewey's health is mislead-
ing. | saw great deal of him, and
spent a day with him just before |
came away. He is not i'll in the sense
that he needs anything more than
rest and quiet. 1t is not generally
known that he never left Manila Bay
from the time he entered it until his
final departure few days ago. In
all that time, the other officers and
his aids made many trips to Hong
Kong and other points for rest and
recreation"
The Civil Service order which has
been so long deferred by more i'm
portant matters has been issued by
President Mckinley. 1t excerpts
something like four thousand posi-
tions from the Civil Service rules
positions which every member of the
Cabinet agrees should not be under
those rules. 1t does not except the
employees of the Government Printing
Office. There is some talk about
another special order being issued,
excepting those employees, but moth
ing official can be had to that effect.
The Dewey Home fund is not grow
ing as fast as was hoped from the in
dications when the movement was
first started, but it is growing steadi-
ly. Contributions have been made by
President Mckinley, Vice President
Hobart, and many other prominent
men. The fund has just passed the
Sc, 900 mark.
The failure of the Cuban soldiers
to apply for their share of the money
sent to be distributed among them
has caused no uneasiness in Wash
ington. The general sentiment in
official circles is indifference as to
whether they take the money or not,
and no serious trouble is anticipated
from the disgruntled leaders who have
persuaded the poor devils, who need
the money so badly, to go away from
Havana without it, rather than sur
render their arms.
The South Carolina Congressional
delegation has been urging the Post
Office Department to re-open the post
Office at Lake City, S. c., which was
closed after the brutal killing of the
colored postmaster, but Postmaster
General Smith has not decided to
accede to their request, but has sent
a special agent there to look over
things and to report whether the Office
should be re-established. Inasmuch
as jury, made up from that commu-
nifty refused to convict men who were
clearly proven to have participated
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