The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-04-20
Washington Letter.
lFrom our regular correspondent.l

washington ~. u, April, 10 lJUU.
The Dewey cat is now out of the
bag and in full sight of everybody.
The Admiral has simply allowed him.
sell to be used by those democrats who
still have hopes of keeping Mr. Bryan.
out OF the democratic nomination.
1t is the democratic nomination that
the Admiral expects TO set. He has
declared himself to be democrat,
although he never cast vote, and says
the only time he ever desired to vote
was when Mr.. Cleveland was candi-
date for President. The-only effect of
his candidacy will be humiliation for
himself. II is now known that his
announcement has fallen as fiat every
where else as it did IN Washington,
and the democrats in Congress, who
ought to know the sentiment of their
constituents, say that Dewey has
no more chance Of being nominated by
the Kansas city convention than Gro
yer Cleveland has Among Admiral
Dewey's real friends much regret is
expressed that he should have listened
to advice that must end in bringing
him great humiliation. The Bryan
ties are already adding gall to that
Illumination by suggesting that Dewey
may possibly be given the nomination
for Vice President on the Bryan ticket.
Just think of that, will you! The
hero Of Manila Bay, the man who did
more than any other man to give the
U. S. the Philippines, and who has
been referred to as the father of ex-
pansion, used as the tail of the Bryan
ticket, on platform opposing expan-
sion and everything else that George
Dewey was supposed to stand for.
Surely that would be enough to make
Dewey wish he had never been born.
Secretary Gage does not pose as u
bumorlst, but the manner in which
he outwitted The New York newspa-
per, which sought cheap advertising by
bringing Porto Rican laborer under
contract in that city, was bit of
official humor that was relished in
Washington. Knowing the only OBJ
ject in bringing the man from Porto
Rico was advertising for the paper.
Secretary Gage exercised his authority
and ordered that the man be permitted
to land in New York, and to work
under his contract until further notice
instead of refusing to allow him to
land and giving the paper the opper-
tunity to take case into the courts.
There is already case before the U. S.
Supreme Court involving the question
of whether the Constitution extends
to Porto Rico, and if the decision in
that case is not conclusive, others can
easily be made without advertising any
private business. Secretary Gage de-
serves credit for heading off that ad-
vertisjng scheme. The courts are
not maintained for advertising pur-
poses, even though theatrical stars do
sometimes succeed in utilizing them
for self advertisement.
President McKinley's order relieving
Gen. Otis of the command of the
Philippines, whenever Gen. Otis plea
ses to start home, and designating
Mai. General Macarthur to succeed
him was issued solely in compliance
with the wishes of Gen. Otis, and was
accompanied by a statement of the
Presidents regrets that Gen. Otis has
asked, on account of his health, to be
allowed to come home AS 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 Dewey
when he came home.
While nothing like formal agree
ment has been entered into or even
proposed, there seems to be sort of
tacit understanding among Senators
that no attempt will be made to get
vote ON the Nicaragua Canal Treaty at
the present session, and that the Mic
aragua Canal bill will also be allowed
to go over until the next session.
Several things have contributed to
this understanding, not the least OF
which is the desire of republicans to
bring the present session of Congress
TO close before the National Conyen-
ton.
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 House will this week pass the
Porto RICO Bill, just as it was passed
by the Senate. The large number of
absentees prevented this being done
last week, right after the caucus with
only one dissenting vote decided that
itwas better to pass the bill as it came
from the Senate than to further amend
IT. Since then every impaired republic
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