Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-04-14
WASHINGTON LETTER
MR.. DEWEY'S AMBITION
The Porto Rican Question.
THE RETURN OF G ENERAL OTIS.
The Canal Bill-Republicsn Leaders
Not Alarmed.
DEWEY'S AMBITION
THE RETURN OF G ENERAL OTIS
IFrom Our Regular Correspondent. :!
Washington, April 8. 1900.


Washington, April 8. 1900.
The Dewey cat is now outlof the bag
and in full sight of everybody. The
Admiral has simply allowed himself to
be used by those democrats who still
have hopes Of keeping Mr. Bryan out OF
the democratic nomination.
= It is the the democratic nomi-
nation that the Admiral ex-
poets to get. He has declared himself
to be democrat. although he has new.
or cast vote, and says the only time
he ever desired TO vote when Mr.. Cleye
land was candidate for President.
The only effect of his candidacy will
be humiliation for himself, It is now
known shat lis announcement has fall
en- as Hat everywhere else as it did in
Washington, and the democrats in
Congress, who ought to know the SEN
timent OF their constituents, say that
Dewey has no more chance OF being
nominated by the Kansas city conven
ton than Grover Cleveland has.
REoRET HIS ACTION.
Among Admiral Dswey's real friends
much regret is expressed that he
should have listened TO advice that
must end in bringing him great humil.
istien. The Organizes are slready
adding gall to that humiliation by sug-
costing that Dewey may possibly be
given the nomination for Vice Presi-
dent on the Bryan ticket. Just think
of that, will you'll The hero of Manila
Bay, the man who did more than any
other one man to give the U. 8. the
Philippines, and who has been referred
to as the father of expansion, used as
the tail OF the Bryan ticket, on q plat.
form opposing expansion and every
thing else that George Dewey was sup.
posed to stand for. Surely that would
be enough TO make Dewey wish he had
never been born.
HE oUTwIrrED THEM.
Secretary Gage does not pose as a
humorist, but the manner in which he
outwitted the New York newspaper
which sought cheap advertising bs
bringing Porto Rican laborer under
contract to that city, wAs bit OF off
cial humor that was relished in WASH
lngton. knowing the only object IN
bringing the man from Porto Rico was
advertising for the paper, Secretary
Gage exercised his authority and or
derej that the man be permitted to
land in New York, and to work und or
his contract until further notice, in.
stead OF refusing to .allew him to land
and giving the paper the opportunity
to take the case into the courts. There
is already q case before the u. g. Su
preme Court involving the question oil
whether the Constitution extends &c
Porto Rico, and il the decision in that
= - M 81 osx
~ be made without advertising any
private business. Secretary Gage de-
serves credit for heading of that ad-
vertising scheme. The courts are not
maintained for advertising purposes,
even though theatrical stars do some
times succeed in utilizing them for
ADVERTISEMENT.
GEN. OTIS RELIEVED.
President McKinleY's order reliey-
ing 0en. Oiis OF the command Of the
philippines, whenever Gen Otis pleases
to start home, and designating Major
General Macarthur to succeed him
was issued solely in compliance with
the wishes of Gen. Otis, and was ac-
compsnied by statement OF the Pres
ident's regrets that Gen. Otis had ask
ed, on account of his health, to be al.
lowed to CONS home. As a mark of
his appreciation Of the good work done
by Gen. Otis, the President has author
lied him to select the route by which
he will return, just as he did for Dew
ey when he came home.
NO FORMAL AGREEMENT.
While nothing like q formal agree
ment has been entered into or even
proposed, there seems to be sort of
taclt understanding among Senators
that no attempt will be made to get a
vote on the Nicaragua Canal Treaty at
the present session, and that the Mica
rague CANAL bill WILL also be allo we'd
to go over until the next session. Sew
eral things have contributed to this
understanding, not the least Of which
IS the desire of republicans to bring
the present session of Congress to q
close before the meeting of the Nation
al Convention.
The bill providing government for
the territory OF Hawaii is now in Con-
ference, the House having passed an
amended substitute for the Senate
bill.
THE BILL WILL PASS.
The House will this week pass the
Porto Rico Bill, just as it was passed
by the Senate. The large number of
republican absentees prevented this
being done last week. right after the
caucus with only one dissenting vote
decided that it was better TO pass the
bill as it came from the Senate than to
further amend it. Since then every
impaired republican has been noti-
lied to return to Washington. Tbs
democrats have also ordered all OF
their abscntees to be on baud with the
hope that enough republicans will
vote against the bill, or purposely alb
sent themselves when the vote is taken
to enable them to defeat the bill. The
republican leaders are not at all alarm
ed, only they do not intend to take