The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-01-27
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

StructlOn OF the nicaragua Canal. anu
if the House Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce would drop the
bunch of Canal bills it is wrestling
with, and report the Morgan bill, even
few amendments, there would be
reasonable certainty OF It's becoming
law at this session. But, if that Com
mlttee reports an entirely new measure,
as all the secret opponents of the Can
al wish to do, and as it seems likely to
do, the chance of getting it through
will certainly not be encouraging. 1t
is either the Morgan bill or no bill at
this session.
Gen. Otis and Admiral Dewey, who
certainly ought to know better than
anybody else, do not expect a conflict
with the Philippine insurgents. In
their official reports to the Govern
ment, they say that they have perfect
control of the situation in and around
Manila, and that they are gradually
succeeding IN making the rank and
file of the insurgents understand that
Americans are their best friends, not
their enemies, as Aguinaldo has re-
Gently been trying to make them be-
lieve. AS soon as that task is accom-.
plished, the rest will be easy. Things
will move faster over there after the
treaty has been ratified.
All sorts of arguments are being
advanced in all sorts of ways to arouse
opposition to the acquisition fo the
Philippines by the U. S. One of the
most unique being the offer of Mr..
Andrew Carnegie, to pay from his own
bank account, the $20000,O00 the
treaty of peace calls for, if President
Mckinley will with draw our soldiers
and ships and.allow the Philippines TO
govern themselves. That offer is
buncomb pure and simple. There are
no circumstances under which the offer
could be accepted, and nobody knows
J. that any better than Mr.. Carnegie.
by the treaty of Peace, the Philippines
pass from Spain, their recognized own
er, to the U. S., which will be held
responsible by the nations of the world
for the protection OF the interests of
their citizens in the islands. What
ever may be decided upon, after we
have learned more about the islands,
the assumption of sovereignty over
them by the US. is a present duty
that cannot be shirked.
Representative Berry, of KY, is not
with the "aunties," as may be seen by
the following, from speech made by
him: "While have not in my own
mind yet concluded what is best to be
done with that new and beautiful
country, down under the equator,
called the Philippine Islands, as much
may be said by the people who occupy
it, am ready to listen to suggestions
and to hear from men like Dewey and
men like Otis, and others that are
there representing the U. S. what their
conclusions are as to the best course of
the government of the u. S. towards
these people, and having heard that,
to give it and other circumstances full
consideration. But, do not propose,
in spite of that treacherous scoundrel,
Aguinaldo,-that scoundrel who was
brought in ship of Dewey's from
Hongkong to Manila-even in spiteso
the German Empire, to stop one
moment in forming my conclusion as
to what are the interests of the U. S.
even it it involves the fact that we
shall have to whip Germany as we did
Spain.
Death can certainly be accused of
having been partial to the New Eng
land delegation in Congress, when it
strikes down so close together two
such prominent men as Senator Morrill,
and representative Dingley. The fu-
neral of Mr.. Dingley took place today.
in the hall of the House of Represen-
tatives, in the presence of almost the
same audience of prominent officials
and persons, who attended the recent
| funeral of Senator Morrill,, in the
Senate Chamber. Mr.. Dingley was
not an orator, but he was a statesman
of hard, horse sense, and wide expert
ence, whose advice was always well
come in the highest republican coun-
ellis, and usually followed. He knew
the tariff as only half dozen men
have ever known it, and the present
tariff, which bears his name, is monu-
ment to the good use'to which he put
his knowledge. A joint Congressional
Committee left Washington, after the
funeral with the remains, which will
be inferred in Maine.
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