The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-08-28
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Our O,cn Correspondent.

The developments in the Schley case
still serve to draw much attention, the
prevailing interest being in waiting to
see what the Navy Department will do
next to hamper and annoy Schley aud
his counsel. The latest in this line is
the act of Assistant Secretary Hackett,
who, prompted hy Admiral Crownin-
shield, Schley's bitterest foe, refused a
day or two ago .o inquire from admiral
Howison whether he did or did not
make the statements attributed to him
in a recent swOrn-to interview in a
Boston paper. In his most extraor-
dinary answer, refusing to submit the
question, Secretary Hackett most in
genie.s!J put Schiey into position
where he can hardly fail to give otiense
to Admiral Howison, thus prcjudicing
his case il tiluG officer sits on the court.
AS matter of fact, the request of Ad-
miral Schley merely was designed to
elicit from Admiral Howison u denial
or affirmation of the language in ques-
ton in order that, if he assumed the
responsibility for it, ho might withdraw
before the court convened, thus saving
time. AS the court has not met, and
therefore no "challenge" could be en-
tertained, it would 5e beyond the
power of Admiral Schlcy to Issue such
challenge Mt that time. 1t is under
stood that Admiral Schley also pointed
out that Admiral Howison has not dis
| claimed the views attributed to him,
as his general denial of having pub
licly expressed his opinion was made
prior to the publication in question.
From the latest developments, it seems
that Sampson not only delayed sor seven
days in acting on the positive informa-
tion sent to him by General Greeley to
the effect that the Spanish fleet was at
Santiago, but that he was warned
through General Shafter on the very
day before the Spanish made their sor-
tie that message had been received
from the city stating that the fleet was
expected to leave the next day. Gu
riously enough, the original copy of
the dispatch on which General Greeley
based his notification has disappeared
from the War Department records.
While the authenticity of the dispatch
is admitted and copies of it are found
in the reports, the original, which ia of
special value, is gone. 1t is said that
General Greeley superintendent the
translation of the secret dispatches
himself during the war, and was in the
habit of placing them in his pocket
when he considered them of unusual
Importance and carrying them to the
Secretary of War, or the Navy, or to
the President, as the case might be,
retaining the originals, but leaving
copies on file. He did not confide
originals even to HE assistants. in
this case the original is of great i'm
portance, as it iB presumed it has on it
an Endorsement of the names of those
to whom its contents were communi-
Gated.
Since the outcry on the subject of
slavery in the Philippines has grown
30 pronounced, the War Department
announces that it is determined at
least to break up the traffic in children
which has been going on in certain
parts of the Philippines, which consti-
tutes one of the gravest problems with
which army officers in that section
have to deal. The traffic comes as q
result of the improvidence of the peo-
pie, families who have been stricken
by famine not hesitating to seek relief
by the sale of their children. Kindred
questions which confront the military
authorities in that section of the Phil
ippine archipelago is the state of
slavery existing under the Moros, with
whom our pacific relations can only be
maintained by the most adroit and dip
lomatic negotiations. Slavery, it ap-
pears, having been confirmed by solemn
treaty with President Mckinley, can
now only be abolished in one of two
ways-by war OF by purchase. In oil
districts the slavery question is con-
slant source of trouble on account of
fugitive slaves escaping from one mas
ter to another. When vuestion re-
lating to slaves comes up, the owners
are compelled to prove their slaves be-
yond doubt, and in case of n flaw in
their title the alleged slaves receive
freedom papers. In case no flaw can
be found, however, tho slaves have to
be surrendered under the treaty with
the United States, negotiated and &C
cepted by the President.
The number of pensioners from the
civil war is still increasing, although
80 years have gone by eince the close
of that struggle. During the fiscal
year, the roll for that war shows a net
increase of 1,044; further, there were
about 5000 altogether new claimants
whose demands were awaiting action
at the end of the year, while upwards
of 225,000 now on the roll were de-
manding increases on various pleas.
The net increase in the roll during the
last year from all wars was4, ,2OG, bring
ing it up to the enormous total of 097,-
735 persons, who drew over $13S, 200. 900,
ebout the same as the average for the
past eight years. Since the beginning
off the c0xerumenf 90 z69 260 000 LaS