The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-02-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, D. c., February Goth.
MR. EDIToR:-Accordingto a statement
made by member of the Court of Inquiry,
which this week beg ins the taking of tcs-
timonv on the embaimed beef charges, the
Court regards itself as sitting as Il Court
Martial to try General Miles on the charge
of lying, although without authority to
pass sentence should it find him guilty.
No other construction can be placed upon
this language, used by the member of the
Court referred to: I'VE look to Gen. Miles
to prove his allegations. We have no
concern as to the witnesses as to that side
of the inquiry, and it is incumbent upon
Gen. Miles to secure and produce before
us those whom he expects to establish his
case In other words, the Couit believes
Gen. Miles guilty, but will give him Il
chance to prove otherwise. Gen. Miles
will produce siXty-odd officers who re-
ported from the field against the beef is
sued, including Gov. "Teddy' of New
York, and the proof will be made so hot
that it is likely to scorch Secretary Alger
and other officials as wel.as the beef con-
tractors.
There is some talk of a compromise on
the Army bill. which is now before the
Senate, but it is not coming from demo-
Gratis. Senator Cockrell, who reported the
democratic bill to the Senate. says that
measure will give the administration, tenn
porariy, all the troops it can possibly
have ANY need for, and that further than
that he and his democratic colleagues are
not inclined to 60. 1t is believed by many
that the contemplation of imperialism
made by Mr. Mckinley in his Boston
speech was intended to help the Hull
Army bill in the Senate. This may or
may not be true. Democrats in Congress
were glad, of course, that Mr.. Mckinley
should have diSclaimed imperial inten
tons, but, believing the saying that acts
count far more than words, and, having
their wits about them, they fail to see the
point of the disclaimer, while he insists
upon having at his command large stand
ing army and refuses to accept the demo
cratic offer of temporary force large
enough for his admitted intentions. The
Hull bill provides large number of juicy
plums in the shape of commissions for
civilians in the regular army, and the at
tempts is being made to get democratic
| and populist support for the bill by offer
ing big chunks of this patronage to Sena-
tors. This week is likely to determine
| whether the bill can be passed or not.
The scheme to make this government
pay private company a subsidy of $780,
| 600 a year for 20 years for the use of a
| Pacific cable, was thought to have been
| knocked out sometime ago, but it is on
| deck again as an amendment to the Sum
dry Civil bill, proposed by Senator Frye.
1t cannot be knocked out in the Senate on
point of order as the Nicaragua Canal
bill was in the House. nor can the same
tactics be followed in the House when the
bill goes back with Senate amendments.
| That is why the Senators who are trying
to get the Nicaragua Canal bill through
have had what is practically the Hepburn
bill added to the River and Harbor bill, as
an amendment. They have not under
taken an easy job as it is understood that
| Car Reed has declared his intention to
prevent Canal legislation, no matter what
is to be held up to do so, but the Senators
are confident of getting the best of the
Car, who is said to oppose the Canal only
because he is unwilling that work should
| be begun upon it under the Mckinley adj
ministration.
There are few democrats in Congress
who are opposed to our paying the SEQ
600, 900 to Spain which the treaty of peace
calls for. as most of them recognize it as q
treaty obligation which must he paid
After the ruling out on point of order
of the Nicaragua Canal bill, as an amend.
ment to the Sundrv Civil bill, it was only
a question of waiting for the same point
to be raised against the amendment pro
viding for this appropriation, for it to re-
ceive the same treatment. Two separate
bills have already been introduced making
this appropriation, one by Mr.. Cannon ant
one by Mr.. Gillett The latter's bill also
contains the McEnery resolution, which
the Senate adopted last week. When 6
vote is taken on this appropriation there
will not be half dozen democrats re
corded against it, although the democrats
are all practically opposed to the perma
| nnnt retention of the PhilippnpS The
prompt payment of this money is qdes
ton of national honor, not of policy.
Senator Tillman got i'll a good joke on
Senator Lindsay when he interrupted the
atter's argument in favor of abolishing
the two years cruise that is now a portion
of the regular course of the Naval cadets
by repeating the old time verse beginning:
Mother may go out to swim.
| Amidst the laughter of the Senators and
the occupants of the galleries Mr.. Lindsay
declared it was the best speech he had
ever heard Mr. Tillman make, and then
proceeded with his own speech.
Hon. c. Y. Holman. q prominent Maine
| democrat. who has been looking over the
political field in Washington, said among
other interesting things 1T would not
| surprise me to see Il permanent rupture
among the republicans in the near future,
as an outcome of which Gen. Miles, Sena-
tor Hoar and Speaker Reed will be found
lined NJ in vigorous opposition to the
| President, Secretary \ lgep and SenatOl
Hanna. II such a sChisnl would llG ttG