Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-09-14
OUR CAPITAL LETTER.
"END THE PHILIPPINE WAR" is THE
CRY OF THE NATION.
To Save Himself and His Party the
President Must Soon Do Something
Incompetent Otis Is Still In Command
HObart's Health in Hanna,s Hands

END the war in Philippines speedily,
or the result will be disastrous to you
and to the Republican party" That is
the sum and substance of what is being
daily dinned into the ears of Mr.. Nc
Kinley, not by his opponents, but by
leading Republicans, who know how
unpopular that war is becoming all over
the country. Mr.. Mckinley is gradual
ly becoming convinced that the reaction
in public sentiment concerning his
Philippine policy, predicted more than
a year ago by Colonel Bryan, is at hand,
and once fully convinced, there is no
telling what he may do, for this coun-
try has never had president who
feared the public sentiment of the
country as much as Mr.. Mckinley does,
or who tried so hard to make his official
acts meet its approval, regardless of his
own opinion.
The administration appears to be still
determined to leave General Otis in
supreme command in the Philippines,
although Secretary Root is understood
to have recommended change, and to
favor sending General Miles over there.
There is politics in this determination,
and it isn't the sort of politics that re-
fleets any credit upon Mr.. Mckinley.
The Hanna crowd are afraid of Miles
now, and If he should go to the Philip
pines and do what Otis has so signally
failed to do, they would fear him still
more. They know that Otis is not like
ly, under any circumstances, to develop
popularity enough to make him politi-
cal rival of Mr. Mckinley. That is
why they wish to keep Otis in command,
Notwithstanding the overwhelming
evidences from all sources, of his unfit
ness, not to call it by harsher term.
Everyone agrees that Otis is honest,
and that counts for much in o position
affording such chances for dishonesty,
but everyone agrees also with the most
remarkable unanimity, that he has
bungled affairs from the beginning.
/ /
1t is evident to even the most casual
observer of those political currents
which are to be found by those who
know how, just below the surface of
party waters, that the Republican
leaders are carefully paving the way to
drop Mr. Hobart if they shall consider
it eXpedient to do so. The state of Mr..
Hobart's health is made the basis of all
these preparatory stories. This is all
tommyrot Mr.. Hobart has shown upon
several occasions, during the last three
months, notably by his getting Alger to
resign, that his health is good enough to
do what other men, not on the sick list,
failed to do. His health is likely to
remain in a precarious condition, until
Boss Hanna has fully made up his mind
whether it will be best to have him run
again with Mr.. Mckinley, and he isn't
likely to fully decide until the national
convention meets. Then Mr.. Hobarts
health will take good or bad turn, in
accordance with Mr.. Hanna's decision.
t / /
The most striking thing connected
with the hearing on trusts, by the In
dustrial Commission, was daring and
somewhat scandalous attack upon Vice
Chairman Philips, of the commission,
who is connected with an independent
oil company in Pennsylvania, by officials
of the Standard Oil Trust. Mr.. Philips
denied the charge that he had been
mixed up in an offer to dicker with the
Standard Oil Trust, but the charge left
bad taste in everybody's mouth, and
is not calculated to add anything to the
prestige of the commission, which isn't
any too great at best.
t /
After wobblng around the question
for about two weeks, the war depart
ment, under political pressure, issued
the order for the enlistment of two
negro regiments for the Philippines.
This will bring the volunteer army up
to the limit set by congress, which it
has been clear from the first that the
administration intended to do.
t t t
Colonel w. j. Bryan was unanimously
elected a member of the council of
administration, of the Spanish War
Veterans Association, which has just
closed its first encampment, in Washing
ton, although he did not attend the
encampment Ex-Governor Oates, of
Alabama, was also elected member of
the council, as was II. Ii. Blunt,
Louisiana negro, who was q lieutenant
in the Ninth Immunes. General j. w.
Keifer of Ohio, was elected comman-
der-in-chef of the new organization,
which hopes ultimately to embrace all
the state organizations of Spanish War
Veterans which have been found.
How's Thisi
III Ia.ll--..