The Springfield herald., 1900-04-27


tary of war for Information as to the
allowances made to army officers sta
toned in Cuba and Puerto Rico and
the sums expended in providing quar-
ters, equipages and other conveniences
for them. The debate took a wide
range, many senators participating in
1t. Consideration of the Quay case was
resumed and Mr.. Perkins Of California
presented an argument favorable to
Mr.. Quay's claim to Il seat In the Sen
ate under the governors appointment.
The conference report on the Hawaiian
civil government bill was disagreed to
and new conference requested,
Messrs. Cullom, Morgan and Clark Of
Wyoming being named as cOnferrees.
General Miles and the committee
on military affairs of the Senate are ut
odds about his promotion to lieuten-
ant general. He requested the COM
mittee to insert an amendment in the
army appropriation bill authorizing the
President to advance him to that rank,
and the committee expressed 1t in this
way: 1.-The general officer of the line
assigned to the command of the army
shall hereafter have the rank, pay and
emoluments of a lieutenant general
while serving In that capacity" Cen
eral Miles objects to that phraseoloRy,
and wants the amendment changed BY
inserting the word now" before the
word assigned" SO that the President
will be compelled to promote him, but
cannot bestow the honor upon any 9th
er officer in the future. The commit
tee thinks this is selfish, and has lost
Its interest in the subject.
The secretary of the interior has sent
to Chairman Sherman of the House
nj
adverse report on bill to allow min
eral locations and entries on Indian res
ervntions. Accompanying his letter
is a report of the commissioner of In
dian affairs, which says: "If this bill
is allowed to become Il law 1t will open
the way to the giving up the agr1cul-
tural lands In the Indian reserves to
homestcaders. This naturally follows
the allowance of mineral locations, and
there is just rs much reason for allow
ing homestead entries on agricultural
lands as there is mineral entries for
mineral lands. am unqualinedly op-
posed to the passage of the bill" Sec
retnry Hitchcock endorses everything
that Is said in the commissioners re-
port against the bill, and 1t is probably
upon the strength of these adverse
opinions that an adverse report will
be made to the House.
The Senate military committee has
materially amended the Root bill for
army reorganization and decided to
make Miles lieutenant general and Cor
bin major general. The committee in
its amendments was influenced by the
protests which have reached the COM
mittee from army officers who repre-
sented that the bill us drafted at the
War Department contained pernicious
provisions which would demoralize the
army and introduce politics and influ-
ence in the administration of military
affairs. The new bill provides that the
present officers shall continue to be
promoted according to seniority, but
that hereafter any vacancy except that
Of chief Of corps shall be filled by de-
tail from the line, and there shall be no
more permanent appointments in the
staff. The details are to last for four
years, and the officers are then re-
turned to the line, and, in the case of
those below the rank of lieutenant col
Onel, they must serve In the line for
two years before further staff duty.
Admiral Dewey Is receiving commun-
ications from persons residing in vari-
GUS sections Of the country promising
him their support in the coming CAM
paign. These communications con.
gratulate him upon his determination
to enter the political contest, and the
majority of them profess qualification
that he has announced his intention to
have his name considered by the Kan
sas City convention. This is consider
ed very significant in view of the fact
that the letters have come from the
South and Middle West. The New
England Democrats have also been
heard from, and they have promised to
do all in their power to aid the admir-.
ais candidacy. The admiral does not
know what influence his correspond
ents possess, but he is taking measures
to find out thow they stand and the
extent to which they will be enabled
to help him. In the meantime he is
sending n courteous answer to each
note that he receives, and he proposes
to pursue this course during the cam
paign.
Secretary Hay has not yet negotiated
treaties with Nicaragua and Costa
Itica for permission to build the canal,
but he can do so any time he likes.
Both Mr.. Corea and Mr.. Calvo, the
ministers from those countries In
Washington. have received instruc-
tions from their governments on this
subject, and when Admiral Walkers
commission was in Central America it
had repeated interviews with the pres
idents of the countries named, in
which the terms were discussed with
more or less detail. Both Nicaragua
and Costa Rica upon invitation will en-
ter Into an agreement to lease to the
government of the United States
strip of land twelve miles square along
the San Juan river for canal purposes.
The constitutions of those countries
forbid them to ALLEVIATE any of their
territory, but they Will lease whatever
is necessary for n term of 80 years, or
800 years if necessary. at an annual