The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-26
.IMR. DAVIS, Visit
TO The TR.AN|.SY' / 4 n II
Causing the AdmiIlistra
ton EInbarrassnlen ent.
CABLING APOLOGIES.
To England Kept Secretary Hay Busy.
for Two Days.
.sEMI-OFFICIAL CHARACTER
Nothing Thought Of the Affront to the
Boors by Davis Reception i'll Cape
Town, But the Continuation
Of His Journey to Pre-
toria Causes Con-
sternation.
5sEMI-OFFICIAL CHARACTER.

cial.-The administration is hopping mad
at Webster Davis, Assistant Secretary of
the Interior, for putting it in one of the
most embarrassing positions it has oc-
cupied since the war in South Africa be-
gan. All kinds Of derogatory reports are
now put int, circulation from admin
istration sources in order to damage Da-
Wis, who is by this time making speeches
at banquets rendered him by Dom paul and
the Boer officials in Pretoria, i'll serene
ignorance or disregard Of the wrath he
has engendered in Washington official
circles.
The cause cf all the trouble is Davis
visit to the Transvaal republic. he made
the trip to Africa with the full consent
and approval Of the administration. Sec
retary Hay told him to remain there
three months and study the. situation. The
inference was inevitable that Davis sailed
for Cape Town in semi-official capacity
to make observations for the admlnlstra-
ton. But the mistake that Hay made
was in supposing that Davis would con-
fine his field Of observation to cape
Town, and load UP the archives OF the
State Department with reports OF Roer
atrocities, Boer stupidity, and furnish
tration to counteract anti-British senti-
ment in this country with eloquent de-
snunciation Of the Kruger and Steyn ad-
ninistrations. For this reason not KICK
was heard from administration sources
when Davis arrived at Cape Town ana
was feted by Sir Alfred Miner, and IN
vited to attend the reception OF. LORD
Roberts and Kitchener. Nothing was
said until Davis asked permission to have
go M
Pretoria. Then Hay suddenly realized that
Davis had taken his instructions literally,
and was going to make observations on
both sides of the question.
CABLING APOLOGIES.
Nothing was thought of the affront to
the Beers by Davis reception by the
British in Cape Town; but when he con-
tinued his journey to Pretoria the Whlte
House and State Department were thrown
into convulsions, and Hay has been BUSY
for two days cabling apologies to tine
British government, while Hitchcock, Sec
retary Of the Interior, has been indus
triously circulating discrediting rumors
about Davis connection with the Interior
Department
The only offense of which Davis has
rendered himself guilty as Assistant Sec
retary Of the Inttrior, is that he has
consistently overruled Pension Commits
sioner Evans. Evans pension policy
was denounced at the G. a. r. encamp-
ment in Philadelphia last summer, when
the administration had narrow escape
from its best friends, and Is again mace
the object Of attack by so good a Re-
Dublican as Representative Curtis, OF
Kansas. who has a bill pending in the
House at the present time providing
for an investigation of the pension once.
So long as Bliss was Secretary OF the
Interior there was no friction between
the Secretary and Davis. but when Hltch-
cock came in there was. And the
trouble had its origin in this:
Hitchcock, who was appointed from
Missouri, is jealous of Davis popularity
with the rank and file of the Missouri
Republicans Hitchcock is politically
unknown to fame and had no standing
in his own State when he was called
from a commercial pursuit to be Min
ister to Russia Davis is to-day the
most popular Republican in Missouri,
and has the active support OF r. C.
Ierens, national committeeman from
Missouri, who is also heartily disllked
by Hitchcock. The administration
realizes that Davis is a power as an
orator and the friend Of the eX-unlon
soldiers, and while it long ago realized
that he was bigger man than Hitch
cock. and too big for the position he
occupied in the Interior Department, has
up to this time treated him with dis
itnguished consideration.
WOULD HAVE INTERDICTED IT.
It is now said that the President and
Hay did not know he was going to Ere
toria or his departure would have been IN,
terdicted. 1t proves that the alleseu
neutrality of the administration is con-
fined only to the English side, but If such
an order had been given it Is certain
that Davis would have resigned his sec
retaryship and gone as an independent
citizen, and in spite Of all obstacles. Hay
unsolicited, furnished him with letter
asking for his recognition wherever ne
may CO.
over the attempt OF the administration
to. discredit him, and say he is being
made to suffer as a sacrifice to Great
Britain They threaten, II the persecu-
tion along this line is continued, they
will summon him back to make per-
sonal campaign in Missouri and other
States to defeat the election OF MctAln-
lev delegates on an appeal to the young
5Renublicans that this government has
been delivered to the domination Of Great
Britain. Already they are drawing ugly
contrasts between the energy displayed
by Germany in bringing Great Britain
TO terms for the seizure of her ships.
and the supineness Of this government
toward the English government in failing 1ig
TO demand the unconditional release of
the American hour seized in Delasoa Bay.
IS Altogether the Davis incident is preg-
,nant with events.
BATTLE-FIELDS PARK.
Representative Epes, Of Virginia, to-
day introduced a bill to establish a ma
t1onal military park at the battle-helds
around Petersburg.
Representa- tive ctey, of Virginia. to-
day introduced bill to- pay G. ssf 7.
Bowen, of Richmond s62.50 the amount
paid out by him while on sick furlough
Sdpced a bill to Increase the pension Of
Gertrude S. Tarlton, wild dow Of Elisha
wv Tarlton, late Of the Third Cavalry.