Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-07-28
special to the Loader.

Washington, d. c., July 27-Secre-
tary Long has been trying for about
two years to get some sort of an Off
cial investigation, either by naval Of
ficers or by Congressional commit
tee, made that would throw light up
on some seemingly dark places in the
naval campaign that resulted in the
destruction of Cerveras Spanish fleet.
Consequently he is more than pleased
with the letter he has received from
Rear Admiral Schley, the officer most
nearly concerned, requesting that a
court of inquiry be ordered upon his
conduct during that campaign, and
will order the court at once, although
it may be some time before the in
quiry can be fully made, owing to the
fact that officers whose testimony
must be taken are widely scattered.
Under ordinary circumstances the
members of this court would be
named by the Chief of the Bureau of
Navigation but in this case, in order
that there may be no basis for a
charge of personal prejudice or unfair
mes in their selection, they will be
chosen by Secretary Long, and the
names will be submitted to President
Mckinley for his approval before the
orders are issued to them. Secretary
Long says his only desire in the mat
ter is to have the long and disagree
able controversy settled once for all,
and so settled that the settlement
shall be acknowledged as fair and just
by all unprejudiced persons, and that
no man hopes more sincerely than he
does that every charge made against
Admiral Schley will be refuted by the
facts brought before the court. While
Secretary Long will not order Admi-
raj Dewey to serve as President of the
court against his wishes, he has in
formed the Admiral that he would be
pleased to have him serve in that ca
pacity, and it is believed in Washing
ton that he will AS Admiral Dewey
is a Democrat, his serving as presi-
dent of the court would shut out any
charge that the court was politically
opposed to Schley, who is also a Dem
ocrat.
Secretary Hitchcock will not start
upon his vacation until the distribu-
tion of the Oklahoma homesteads
have been completed. He character
lied as absurd the report that there
was much speculation in the numbers
of those registered for the drawings
and said: ut is impossible under the
regulations for them to transfer their
rights. For any of them to attempt
to do so would be q clear violation of
the law. They take an oath not to do
any such thing, and to use their
rights for their own exclusive benefit.
There can be no speculation in these
numbers" Secretary Hitchcock also
took occasion to warn the public
against purchasing lots in bogus
townsites in the lands to be opened.
He said: "The only townsites which
have been authorized are those of the
three county seats. No others have
been sanctioned, and no one knows
where others will be. Hence all ex-
ccpt those three are bogus, and re-
ports of their establishment should
be denounced as intended to deceive
the public"
Under President Mchinley's procla-
nation Porto Rico now has free trade
with the United States. Governor AL
len remained in Washington until the
proclamation was issued and then
went to join his family in Massachus-
cts, to spend his leave of absence,
which will expire next September. At
that time Mr.. William H. Hunt, who
has made such q crcditable record as
Secretary of Porto Rico, and who will
until then exercise the powers of act
ing governor, will be formally ap-
pointed Governor of Porto Rico to
succeed Governor Allen, who has COM
pleted the task he undertook for the
sland Mr. Hunt was appointed to
his present position from Montana,
where ne had been a member OF the
legislature and OF the constitutional
convention, but he is a native of Lou
isiana, son of William H. Hunt,
who was Secretary of the Navy in the
Garfield and the Arthur adminlstra-
tions and afterwards United States
MinlrInr In nurnin IL ,unn .,,Ilh 4l,o