The evening times., 1899-03-23
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP


Otis Call for More Troops.-Mem-
bers OF the. Administration circle do not
conceal their anxiety over the situation In
the Philippines and also in Cuba. Unless
the reports from both localities are greatly
exaggerated the Administration has
pretty big contract on it's hands. The re-
port that General Otis had called for more
troops is regarded as especially significant.
'Of course the troops will be sent, said
a prominent official today. but it is ex-
ceedingly unfortunate that the call for
them should come at this time. 1t will be
used by the anti-expansionists as an ad-
ditional argument why we should withdraw
from the Philippines. The plain truth is,
however, that the anti-expansionists are
chiefly responsible for the unsatisfactory
state of affairs that exist in the Philip
pines. They have encouraged the rebels
to continue their warfare. But for the be-
lief that large portion Of the people of
the United States were opposed to the an
nexation Of the Philippines the Philippine
rebels would not hold out for week.
They have been advised to keep up
their resistance to the authority of the
United States and that the next Admins
tration would probably give them their in
dependence. AS a matter of fact, the man
who talks anti-expansion at thSs time
when the Government is engaged in put
ting down a rebellion is a traitor to his
country The future disposition of sthe
Philippines has not been determined. II
is a matter that Congress must se.te but
in the meantime our honor and sef-respect
demand that we should make our authority
respected throughout the Philippine archi-
pelago Until that is accomplished and
order restored there 1t is not proper to
keep up the so-called anti-expansion agi-
tation. There should be no division among
the American people upon the subject.
Congress is the place where the question
must be decided eventually and it strikes
me that the antiexpansionsts would do
well to reserve their fire until the meeting
of the Fifty-sixth Congress.
THE outlook in Cuba is far from salts
factory. We find ourselves handicapped by
| not having a clearly defined policy and
believe that the President in the near flu
ture will find himself compelled to call an
extra session of Congress. ! believe that
the Jekyl Island conference between the
President and Mr.. Reed related to the sub
ject OF an extra session. Mr.. Mckinley,
am informed, has become convinced that an
extra session is almost a necessity and he
naturally was anxious TO know what CO.
operation Mr. Reed would give to the Ad-
mlnistration in establishing a definite colo
nial policy. | am satisfied that if the
Reed Mckinley conference was at all sat
isfactory TO the Administration there
will be an extra session of the Fifty sixth
Congress inside of the next thirty days"
West Virginia Democrats are making out
what they believe to be a strong case
against senator-elect Nathan B. Scott. of
that State. They believe that upon the
evidence which they will submit when
the Senate meets Mr.. Scott's certificate
of election as member of that body will
be rejected. Hon. John T. McGraw has
charge of preparing the brief against Mr..
Scott. Mr. McGraw was the Democratic
candidate for Senator at the time of Mr..
Scott's alleged election. One of the points
| made against the validity of Mr.. Scotts
election is that two of the members of the
| Legislature who voted for him were ineli-
| gible by reason of having accepted COM
missions in the Volunteer Army OF the
| United States 1t is also claimed that even
| with these two votes Scott failed to re-
ceive the requisite majority of the legisla-
| ture to entitle him TO a certificate OF cleo
ton. The case of Colonel Dupont, of Della
ware is cited as having some bearing on
| Scotts case. Dupont lacked one OF a ma
! jority OF the Legislature, and the Senate
subsequently refused TO recognize his claim
| to seat However, Mr.. Scott will have
| powerful friends at court among the Re-
publican leaders in the Senate, and they
| will endeavor to keep him in the Senate
| II possible.
The DnIy-CIark FiEht.-Agents of
Marcus Daily. who fought the election of
w A. Clark in Montana to the Senate so
bitterly, have been in Washington recently
| presumably on still hunt after Mr..
| Clark's scalp. 1t is said that they have
been quietly collecting evidence to sustain
| the charge of bribery which Mr. Daily made
| against Mr.. Clark. Some very sensational
| developments are anticipated in this con-
| nection when the Senate meets next De-
| cember. The DAILY people estimate that
! Mr. Clarks election cost him all the way
| from $500, 600 to $S00,000 No figures have
been given out as to the amount that Mr..
! Daily spent 10 defeat Mr.. Clark.
| BaiIey's Senatorial AmbitiOn.-An
explanation of Representative j. w. Bal
| ley's dramatic abdication of the leadership
of the minority on the floor of the House
| just at the close of the last session is found
| in the announcement that he is a candidate
| for Senator Chiltons seat in the United
! States Senate. Senator Chilton's term will
/ expire on March 4, 1901. and the next Texas
| Legislature will elect his successor Sena-
tor Chiffon will be a candidate to succeed
himself and the indications point TO a live
| ly contest between Bailey and Chiffon
| The friends of Senator Chiffon do not
| think that Mr.. Bailey will have an easy
time defeating him. Bailey's popularity in
Texas they say. has been on the wane for
some time. Senator Chiffon on the other
hand from all accounts has been steadily
gaining friends in every section of the
State. Both men are anti-expansionists so
neither will have any advantage over the
other on that account. Chiffon is in pos
session of the seat, which ought to count
for something in the contest.
EASTERN SHORE POLITICS.