The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-12
Capital Chat.
Washington Gossip, Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
OF the 0iobe.
uI y r.

III :
WASHINGTON, FEB 11.-(Special.)-
President Mckinney is being severely
criticised by Republicans for his semi
official announcement that he does not
intend to relieNei Otis from command OF
the United States1; troops at Manila.
W hen 1t was FIRST announced that he In
tended to send ga new commission to the
Philippines, withr:Judge Taft, of Cincin-
natl. at it's head. 1T was thought that
this meant the retirement of Otis In
civil and military capacity. AS soon as
the report became circulated that the
president intended to dispense with Otis
services there was general rejoicing
among those who know the mistakes the
present governor and, commander there
has made. Itowas mot long after. how
ever, before the Corbin clique In the war
department got in its work, and word
was semi-oficially given out from that
department and from the White house
that Gen. Otis was not to be relieved
in either capacity at Manila, but had SIM
ply applied for leave Of absence to re-
turn to the United States to visit his
family for few months. This means
that, In spite of all the criticism which
has been heaped upon Otis by his own
military associates and by the people of
the country, the president intends to
keep him there, and 1t Is suggested that
dictation Of Adjt. Gen. Corbin. who was
the autocrat under Gen. Ayers regime.
1t seems that Gen. Corbin has not en-
tirely lost his influence in this depart
ment since Secretary Root assumed his
duties as its head. 1t was believed that
the new secretary of war would assume
full and complete command Of the de-
partment, but recent events indicate that
Gen. Corbin Is at least the influential
hfIn .s~~~ ,~1, okk liz
to the routine duties, as it was said he
would when his appointment was first
announced Root showed a disposition
to rebel after being in office few weeks,
but such pressure was brought to bear
upon him and such influence used that
as a matter of fact he is little more than
fgurehead, as was Gen. Alger.
1t was Mr.. Roots desire soon after he
learned the details of the department,
and after he discovered the mistakes
made by Gen. Otis in the Philippines. to
have him recalled at once. At one time
he demanded of the president that Otis
be relieved at Manila. and, 1t Is said by
his friends, threatened to resign If his
demand was not aeceded to-. This may
or may not have been true. AT any rate,
OTIS is not to be removed. and Secretary
Root still remains q war department fig
urehead n &c
RI
President Mckinley is also being Sc
verely criticised for. the appointment Of
new Philippine commission. Very few
people can see any necessity for this COM
mission when 1T Is known that the first
one failed to do anything of any benefit
In bringing about peace with the Filfpinos.
AS matter Of fact. reports have come
from Manila to the United States show
ing that had not the peace commission
been sent there In the f1rst-place the
trouble on the islands might have been
enced months f:ago.o 1t seems that the
commission, instead Of harmoniziag or
bringing aboutA any good results in deal
Ing with the Filipinos, really injured the
United States cause and cost the gov
eminent vast amount of money for
bringing about what was the greatest
failure of the war. Now for the president
to again send commission, though it
may be composed of more capable men
Is considered unwise by representative
men In Washington, whe-assert that it
would be far better to set,lp civil gov
errment at Manila and put in land
OF the civil end sof the situation a man
VINO Is more capable than the general
VINO is now in charge of both the civil
ana military, wings at Manila SIS
1t Is going to, cost the government g.
good deal Of money to- send. this second
commission to the Philippines. and few
can see that any. good results will be
obtained from this action. It is said
by some that the president simply took
his course to head Off any adverse crit
icism in the coming presidential cam
paign. Whether or not this is true is q
question that no one here seems to be
able to decide. The fact that the presi-
Gent announced that this new commission
would be sent to the PHILIPPINES without
consultation with any of the representa-
tive Republicans in either the house or
senate Indicates that he did not propose
TO give congress any opportunity to deal
Win the Fhiiipplne question, fearing,
many think. that 1t would be detrimental
10 his interests as a candidate for re-
election to the presidency. There is q
possibility that the president will vet dis
cover, advised ,as he presumably was nv
MS political friends to do this to mako
political capital or to head off political
criticism, that he has made very great
oitihoer At least prominent statesmen
mere predict that this will be the ont
come. 49,
There appears to be no doubt now that
Admiral Dewey will visit MICHIGAN wis
consin and Minnesota, and go throupb
the Dakotas and Montana to the eoast
states. making. his principal stop while
on the west coast at San Francisco On
his return he will take the Southern
route back to Washington. At this time
no itinerary has been made I'M nv the
admiral for THIS trip. and all his future
movements will, without doubt, be sub
1ect to revision. but it is his desire to
make the journey above mentioned
There is no reason why the admiral
cannot do this because his new relations
With the navy department will be of an
entirely advisory nature and this will
give him an opportunity to travel. write
novels or do anything else that he NAV
care to do. He will be called in fire.
quently, without doubt to consider i'm
portant questions which may arise from
time TO time in the navy department. At
the present time there is no purpose TO
form an admiralty board, unless the
bureau experts find that they are unable
to agree expedftieusly on the type ard
ef aracter of the new ships authorized, ia
which event the whole subject will be
taken out of their hands and placed with
the new board comprising high ranking
naval officers, of whom Admiral Dewey
will be the senior member and presiding
officer 1t is the purpose of the secre-
tary of the navy to leave the admiral
entirely free from vexatious subjects and
not to ask for his advice except on mat
tiers of the highest Importance Should
the formation Of some new naval policy
become advisable the admiral would
naturally be looked to for advice Il will
be readily understood from the position
the admiral VIII be placed in that there
is no reason why he cannot make this
lengthy trip and others later on if he
desires to do SO.
An amusing. story is being circulated
here to the effect that one of those peri.
edic upheavalsl, which disturb the other
wise placid waterseeof Washington So
ciety is lust NOW ia full play. The last
one VAS the tilt for nrecedance hetueen.