The National tribune., 1899-09-28

NtlSDll, vi lililHtSDtt,
an absence of so years, is visiting his
| native country, Norway. At Evanger,
where he was born, the municipal authori-
ties gave him a banquet, at which he made
a speech in the old Eoss dialect.
Secretary Root has sent out circulars
requesting photographs of every COM
| missioned officer of the Army TO file with
the efficiency records III the War Depart
ment. These photographs are to be all Of
one size, unmounted, and to have the
name of the officer, his rank, and date
the photograph was taken inscribed upon
the back.
The enrolment of recruits for the vol
unteer army progresses steadily, the total
up TO last Saturday evening being 1851
The greatest progress has been made by
the 3Sth regiment, which has enlisted
LIPS men. The Both regiment comes
regiments are making fairly good head
way. The 4Sth, at Fort Thomas, has
III men, and the 49th, at Jefferson Bar
racks, has 81 men.
Secretary Root says that all the troops
will be at Manila by. Christmas.
The War Department is considering a
plan to divide the Philippines into four
separate commands. and give the General
il command Of each all the troops that
he needs to take care of his Department
It is bclieYe1 tlat the first duty win he to
give protection to the peaceful nhabitantS
against the Tagals, who force them into
acts of hostility. IF they can once be
assured Of the Governments intention to
remain in the islands. and its power to
protect them, they will gladly assist in
fighting their old-time enemies, the Tagals
1t Is proposed To make one Department of
the country north of Manila, and put Gen
Macarthur in command. The Second De-
partment will be the country south of
Manila. and be commanded by Gen. Law
ton. The third department will have
Lingaycn or Dagupen for its headquarters,
while the fourth will include all the islands
south of Luzon. For these two no COM
manders have as yet been mentioned, but
probably Gen. John G. Bates will be one
of them.
Congress failed to provide any Chap
lains for the new regiments, and conse-
quently the boys will have TO forage around
for spiritual 'ministration, or else supply
it from their own ranks.
x%#
1t would seem as if all the wives of the
officers who are ordered to duty in the Phil
ippires want to accompany their husbands
on the transports, and the War Depart
ment is besieged with applications to this
effect. But as Gen. Otis has protested
against the presence of any women in
Manila while the war is going on, Secre-
tary Root has denied all the requests.
The contest over the Democratic leader
ship in the House took new phase last
week Neither Richardson, De Almond,
nor Bankhead. who are the leading candi-
dates for the minority nomination for
Speaker, seem to be as acceptable to the
great mass Of the Democratic members as
It has been supposed they were, and there
has been talk of putting up Bailey, of
Texas, again. But Bailey has his eye
on the Senatorship and as the leadership
i'm the last House brought him more trouble
than gain, he does not want to be bothered
with it at this juncture, and an entirely
new man may be selected.
Senators Hoar, Mason, and Wellington
will form the nucleus to the Republican
opposition to the Administration in the
Senate this Winter, but as their opposition
will be based upon anti-expansion they
will be an embarrassment to those Senators
who are IN favor OF vigorous policy in
the Philippines, but want to oppose Nc
Kinley on other grounds. There is
very strong faction in the Senate which
is more or less openly Of the opinion that
it will be impOlitic to renominate Mckinley,
and their views will become more pro-
nounced in the event of Ohio going Demo-
cratic or Republican by very small ma
jority. Their only main difficulty now is
to agree upon a more acceptable candidate
If Reed had not gone wrong on expansion,
he would be available, but he is out of the
question.
am pained and surprised to see by the
papers that the Americans in Central
| America have joined in round robin
| against our Minister to that country
DR.. VIM. Godfrey Hunter, of Kentucky
He is accused of mismanaging several
important cases, and of general Indifference
| to the interests of Americans residing in
Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa
Rica, and Salvador. This is astonishing,
for Hunter has always been regarded as
genial, capable politician, with good
deal Of the boss in his makeup. His home
is in Burksville, KY, and in that part of
the State which was strongly Union during
the rebellion, and Republican ever since.
He served as a Surgeon in the Union army,
and went into politics, being elected as
Republican to the Legislature, and then
several times to Congress. He was q
strong candidate for Senator when the