Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-04-04

WASHINGTON. April l. 100

Mr. Mckinley has had an over supply OF
white elephants on his hands for sometime.
Consequently he is not disposed to feel
extra thankful to Gen. Fred Funston for
adding two more, by capturing Aguinaldo.
| The Funston white elephant had to be pro-
vided for at once in order to avoid trouble
in the political menagerie. There being
nothing in sight lower than a Brigadier
Generals commission in the regular army,
the members of the Kansas Congressional
Delegation who happened to be in Wash
ington made break for the White House
and demanded that for Funston. Mr..
Mckinley jollied them up and sent them
away without making any promises other
than that he would do something for Funs-
ton. At Cabinet meeting, Mr. Mckinley
mentioned what had been demanded for
Funston, and Secretary Root made sneer-
ing remarks about yellow soldering and
circus business in the army, and ended by
saying he was opposed to making Funston
Brigadier General of regulars.
Adiutant General Corbin marshalled the
''pull'' of the officers of the regular army
that will be jumped by Funston's promo
ton to try to head off the appointment,
and failing in that, to try to have it knock
ed out in the Senate. Meanwhile Mr.
Mckinley had his ear to the ground. He
heard the public demand that Funston be
made Brigadier for capturing Aguinaldo,
and he proceeded to do it, considering it
wiser to brave the onslaught of the army
''push'' than to refuse to bend to public
opinion, even though that public opinion
might be of the hysterical Sort which
would shortly become Indifferent to its
idol. That disposed of the Funston white
elephant. Aguinaldo will be more difficult
to dispose of. His case is talked over at
every Cabinet meeting, but no sort of an
agreement has yet been reached as to what
will be done with him.
Those having fat army contracts as well
as those who are after commissions in the
army, are becoming alarmed. They fear
that the capture of Aguinaldo and the re-
ported surrended of many of his officers
and men will arouse public opinion in this
country to such an extent that the admins
tration will have to stop recruiting for the
army before the 100000 men authorized by
Congress have been enlisted, which would
lessen the profits of the contractors and
lessen the number of commissions to be
issued
That it would also lessen the enormous
expenses of this government they care
nothing about. They belong to the class
of patriots who care nothing for the
people so long as they are being personally
benefited 1t is said that friends of these
sharks, who are in the Philippines, have
been warned by cable to do everything in
their power to prevent the reports sent to
Washington being too peaceable until the
Hoc h0atl to6 10 tba
Then they won't care, as there will be no
way Of reducing the army, except through
natural causes, until the expiration of the
enlistments. 1t has been given out at the
White House that the army bill will not be
recruited to the full authorized strength, if
the reports from the Philippines Justify
curtailment.
After much wrangling, Mr.. Mckinley
has announced the appointments for the
St. Louis Exposition Commission They
follow: Ex-Senators Thurston, Carter Nc
Bride and Lindsay three Republicans and
one Mckinley Democrat ex-Representa-
tives Allen, of Mississippi, and Glynn, of
New York, and P. D. Scott, of Arkansas
F. A. Belts, of Connecticut, and John F.
Miller, of Indiana.
Mr.. Frederick l. Allen, of New York,
Boss Platt's new Commissioner of Patents,
took charge of that Office to-day
1t is charged that the reason the inyesti-
cation and prosecution of the Maryland
census frauds were turned over to the u. S.
District Attorney, at Baltimore, was be-
cause Director Merriam, of the Census Blu
reau, was too Indifferent toward Republican
suggestions not to probe too deep into the
scandal. Five men have so far been ar
rested in connection with these frauds, but
if half that is being told is true, several
hundred ought to be arrested and convicted.
Mr.. Eugene Earl, whose position as a
popular hotel proprietor of the metropolis
enables him to get very fair idea of the
drift of political currents, is in Washington
Speaking of home politics, he said: Tam
many will, think, do the wise thing and
nominate for Mayor some strong man who
will be acceptable to the entire Democracy
and to the bulk of the voters of New York.
The present reform wave that is sweeping
over the town viii have spent its force
before election day, and as an issue viii be
extinct. The trouble with the