The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-07-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Mckinley is expected back in Wash
ington within short time for a talk
with his cabinet officials and for the
transaction of any business that may
demand his personal attention here.
There are some features of the Chin
csc problem that may have to be
passed upon by the President. 1t is
said that nothing has been heard at
the State department from Commits
sioner Rockhill in regard to the hitch
over the japanese indemnity, which
seems to be the only stumbling block
in the completion of arrangements.
Japan, it will be recalled, contented
herself with the extremely modest in
demnity of $24,000,000, which repre-
sented the obligations actually incur
rec by her. When she came to ar
range for the floating of the Chinese
per cent, bonds with which the in
IDENTITIES were to be paid she found
they would not command in her own
market more than Sc per cent. of
their face value. She accordingly
went back to the powers to ask for
an increase to make good the IA per
cent discount. To this the powers
were ready to agree, and Rus
STA was particularly hostile. The at
titude of the United States, which
Mr.. Rockhill has represented, has
been that this extra allowance to ia
pan will be fair, and we have been
willing to grant it if the other powers
would agree. The commissioners sill
ence is thought to indicate difficulty
in reaching an agreement.
Minister Conger leaves San Fran
cisco tomorrow for his old post. Com
missioner Rockhill will sail for this
country on the 2Sth to resume, it is
supposed, his duties at the head of
the bureau of American republics.
In fact, it is supposed that his return
has been fastened by desire to get
the work of the bureau in complete
readiness for the congress which meets
iii Mexico in October. Our govern
ment is still confident that there will
be a full attendance of the South
American States. Peru is the only
one that has officially signified her
unwillingness to attend. The discon-
tent elsewhere has no other founda-
ton than press reports. 1t is believed
that when the time comes even Peru
will see the advantage of going into
the conference if at some sacrifice of
pride. The policy of the United
States has been to let the disputants
settle the affair for themselves.
Adjutant General Corbin cabled
from Manila today announcing the
arrival of the transport Hancock.
with all her passengers in good health.
The Hancock had on board besides
General Corbin, Senator Dietrich, of
Nebraska, Representative Kahn, of
California, General Weston. chief
commissary, and General Sternberg,
surgeon general Colonel G. McKib-
ben, 18th Infantry; Colonel W. P.
Hall, who is to be adjutant general of
the division of the Philippines; Lieu
tenant Colonel Johnston. who is
General Corbin's aid, besides other
army officers, and the Second Battal-
ion of Engineers.
The Hancock made the run from
San Francisco to Manila in twenty
days, showing that she is one of the
fastest of the transports.
General Corbin will have confer
ence with General Chaffee, Civil Gov
ernor Taft and other members of the
Philippine commission and officers of
the army in Manila after which he
will make tour of the islands, visit
ing the interesting points, accompan-
led by the staff officers who went to
Manila with him and General Hum
phrey, chief quartermaster of the
Philippines, with the object of effect
ing material reduction of the ex-
penses of the army as well as improv-
ing the military conditions in the
Philippines.
Secretary Long now has in hand
the report of the naval board, headed
by Admiral Taylor, which was charg-
ed with the plans for the naval sta
ton for the PHILIPPINES at Olongapo.
on Subig bay. The board has been
stopped from submitting a detailed
project by reason of the broaching of
a proposition to inaugurate at that
point the favorite project of Secre-
tary Long looking to a combination
of the various staff bureaus in it's
management The board now asks
Secretary Long for direction in this
matter. Under the existing practice
each of the four bureaus-construc-
ton, steam engineering, equipment
and yards and docks-maintains in
dependent establishments in each
yard, which is thus a navy depart
ment in miniature. Secretary Long
has stronly recommended to Congress
a consolidation of the bureaus in the
L.