Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-03-23
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gasetts. ]
Washington. March %.

sion of Congress being called to con-
slider Philippine affairs. The reason
for it Is found in the amendment to the
army appropriation bill which abso-
Iutely prevents the lease or sale OF
government timber lands or the cutting
of timber. It's effect Is to give to the
fiiars holding church lands an aDsc'
lutte monopoly of timber cutting 10 the
islands. This legislation has been the
cause Of great dissatisfaction In Manila
and elsewhere. 1t was particularly q
source of disappon nent to the many
American soldiers who having
served their terms in the army
proposed to settle in the Philippines
AID enter into the agricultural,
numbering and mining industries.
So far as can be learned, however, the
administration has no intention OF call
ing an extra session OF Congress TO cor
rect this mistake. There is nothing to
prevent the inauguration OF civil gov
eminent in the Philippines at any time
now that the President may see fit. 1t
ia believed, however, that he will wait
until he has received from Judge Taft
the plan OF such government. IL Is the
general opinion that THE plan will have
been received and approved by the
President 10 time to effect it's inaugura-
ton by July /. Then the restrictions
regarding timber and mining lands will
have been removed.
Representative Grosvenor, the Ohio
Congressman, frequently referred to as
"the mouthpiece OF the administration"
has been interviewed relative to the
legislation passed by Congress for the
Philippine Islands. He boldly criti'
cises the Hoar amendment to the
Spuoner resolutions, which was made
law during the last days of the session
and which limits the power of the gov
eminent to grant franchises. "That
amendment" said Gen. Grosvenor to-
day, sis the worst thing that happened
in the history of our country. There
are thousands of FIlipinos ready to lay
down their arms and 60 to work, but
under this amendment, adopted to
please one man, it will be impossible to
give them any work to do. And yet,
careful analysis of the Hoar amend.
ment will probably show that under it
the powers of the War department are
such that they may find remedy.
How this can be done, I do not wish to
say, for it might be premature to ex.
pose it. But will say that the amend
ment in the long run will not be az
fatal to business interests as it Ia now
generally considered to be-" All this
Is said to indicate that the law pro.
hibiting the granting OF wood cutting
franchises to American syndicates 10
the Philippine Islands we're set at de-
fiapce by the administrators special
fAvorites who want those franchises.
No fear has been entertained at the
War Department from the first that the
Cuban constitutional convention will
10 anything radically opposed to the
,pirit or the letter of the Plat amend
nent. Its highest officials have repeat.
IDLY stated that ia the end Cuba must
yield to American demands, az being
he only reasonable and possible course,
Most everything has been.done to pre-
rent even suspicion that the Cubans
night be coerced into submission. The
,ourse of ships belonging to the United
,tstes navy has been changed to avoid |
ouchiDg at Havana or other Cuban |
PORTS and it is intimated that the an.
lusl southern cruise of the North At
sntic Squadron was delayed for the
anne purpose.
Mrs. Emma Thompson. divorced wife |
4 ID. K. Thompson, the republican eau
US nominee for the short term In the |
Joited States Senate from Nebraska,
nd Miss Emma Thompson, aged 10,
is daughter, are residents of this city. |
FOR IL years, ever since the separation,
hey have refused to communicate with |
Thompson or to accept aid from him.
drs. Thompson is clerk 10 the Agri-
ultural department. She hes twice
'sen promoted for efficiency. Thomp
on remarked ten years ago.
reformation has just been received
bat the decoration of the Merite Agri.
ole has been conferred by the French
overnment upon the following officials
( the Department OF Agriculture, for
srvices in connection With the Paris
xposition DIR. w. II. Wiley, chief
hemist; Mel. H. E. Alvord, chief of
airy division; Col. G.. B. Bracket,
w. A. Taylor, assistant
omologis'; M. A. Carleton. cerealist;
ohm /. Schultz, associate editor OF the
apartment Station Record. The decor
ion has also been conferred upon
lmes L. Farmer, assistant director OF
,riculture for the Paris exposition.
In the full mail report of Gen. Chat
g regarding HE operations In China,
st made public by the War Depart
ent, the story is confirmed that In the
lvsnce upon Yanshung the American
oops we're fred upon and some were
lied by British and Russian batteries
rough q misrepresentation. In this
tack the 14th infantry suffered con-
derable loss, killed and 81 wounded.
regret to state that probsbly % or 80
this number some were killed, others
ounded, by the fire of the British and
ussian batteries after the position of ,
10 Chinese was in possession of the
ith infantry aud some Of the British {
oops. The report also charges that q
70 Russians broke faith in the attack
ION Pekin by beginning their assault |
the 18th OF August after they them q
Ives had pleaded for postponement q
the 18th.
Lillian Thomas, q mulstto woman, is
aking an oil portrait OF President Nc {
nley. He posed for her yesterday. a
The President remained in perfect G
sc for half an hour" said she, land a
IS graciousness itself. l will have a
3 picture completed In few days." :,
@ has studio In New York but was
'merly resident OF st. Louis. Rep. >,
sentative Bartboldi Of the last named a
-, kko c.kk.r a.. "