The Press., 1899-07-20
R0XAL 81! !! ss;;;:s ss*S:s
Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
Washington Letter.
washington, July II, 1899

Because the law under which Gen. Mel
son A. Miles has been acting secretary of
war, in the absence of the secretary and
the assistant secretary, was put on the
statute books long time ago, there is a
disposition to regard the occurrence as
without significance. AS a matter of
facts 1t was very significant
of very radical change in the relation
between Gen Miles and the administra-
tion, or of an attempt to trap Miles into
attempting to make some use of his tenn
porary authority that would make trouble
for him. A little thought will convince
most persons of this fact. The law is an
old one, directing the general command
ing the army to become acting secretary
OF war during the absence of the secretary
and the assistant secretary from Wash
ington, but does anybody suppose that
while Gen. Miles was publicly criticising
the acts Of the war department, and Sec-
retary Alger was scheming to find some
plausible way of deposing Miles from the
command of the army, that anything
eould have induced the secretary and
assistant secretary to have absented them
selves, at once, even for a single day.
Their doing SO now was for purpose,
even II that purpose Is unknown. 1t Is
said that no papers, requiring the sigma
ture of the secretary, we're carried to
Gen. Miles while he was acting secretary
lin short, while he was legally the act
ing secretary, steps had been taken in ad-
vance, which prevented his performing
any duties pertaining to that position. II
q trap was set for General Miles, he was
wise enough to avoid being caught. He
was prepared to perform any duties
brought before him, but he did not seek
to make duties.
Comptroller Tracewell, of the treasury
department, who was viciously attacked
by the professional civil service reform
ers, because of his action, last spring, in
deciding that deputy U. s. marshals were
not "federal officers" within the meaning
of the law, says the civil service COM
mission might easily have found some live
Question to to occupy the time they used
in writing to Secretary Gage, requesting
that he direct the comptroller to review
the decision referred to, because that de-
cision had been endorsed by one of the U.
8. supreme court, and even had it been re-
versed by the same high authority, the
question would not be a live one, because
of the recent civil service order of the
president, which specifically placed deputy
marshals outside of the civil service rule.
tary Gage, by civil service reform league
of New York, which Mr.. Gage has answer
ed at length, Mr.. Tracewell said: "These
gentlemen apparently do not recognize
their best friends, for Secretary Gage is
and always has been stanch friend and
supporter of the civil service reform
principles. l have watched his course
carefully and have never known of a
single instance where he has made the
least exception on account Of the politics
of the man he wanted for the service, and
| venture the assertion that he has never
made an appointment or approved of a
for the good of the service, and it is a
mistake for anyone to attack his course
in the name of civil service reform" The
gentlemen who asked Secretary Gage to
have the comptroller review his decision
overlooked the fact that neither the secre.
tary of the treasury, nor the president
himself, has any authority over such a
decision, which only the courts can change
or upset. The comptroller is nearer a
real czar in authority than any official We
have.
Senator Scott, of W. Va, who has late
ly returned from an extended trip on the
of public sentiment in that section thusly
'The advocacy Of expansion Is not con.
fined to any party. The commercial view
of extending the possessions of the q. s
appeals strongly to the people of the
Pacific slope, and there is little difference
of opinion on account of politics. Regard
ing the situation in the Philippines, there
Is very general belief than Gen. OTIS
has failed to measure the full extent oi
the insurrection, and he is criticised fol
not demanding long ago, a larger army
SO as to clean up the work of suppressine
the insurrection. The action of the presi
dent in enlarging the army for the pur
pose Of making vigorous campaign, /,
universally approved"
According to the opinion of ex-senator
Dubois, who is now in Washington, tn,
policy of expansion will cause the repub
licans to abandon the protective tarif
policy and advocate the raising of al
money by internal revenue taxation. FL,
also expresses the opinion that the demo
Gratis will advocate protection and oppos'
expansion, and that both parties, will
oppose trusts in their national platform
Should his tariff predictions prove true
many of the older voters in both parties
will have trouble in finding out jus
"where they are at" politically. O
course, Mr.. Dubois has no better facility
for guessing what either party will do
than hundreds of other intelligent mel
have. His opinion is merely given 70
what 1t Is worth.
ALI women Are Beautiful
1t they have a clear, delicate and ros
skin and bright sDarklin0 ovoa All