Middletown transcript., 1901-08-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
n the effort to make political capital out
OF the Schley Court of Inquiry much
rot of the most ridiculous sort is being
daily sent from Washington, and the cor
respondents whose papers demand sensa-
tional matter are aiding without caring
anything about partisan politics. There
! is no politics in the case. Many of Ad-
mirsl Sehley's strongest and outspoken
partisans are Republicans of national
prominence. There is only one question
to be settled by the court, and that is,
whether Schley performed his duty DUR
ing the naval campaign against Spain as
he should have done. A great rumpus
was kicked up because acting Secretary
| Hackett referred Schley's request as to
| Rear Admiral Howison's responsibility
for newspaper interview to the court,
instead of to Howison, and he was charged
with having been actuated by animosity
| toward Schley. As a matter of cold,
hard fact, he only followed rule and pre-
cedent That Mr.. Hackett had not been
actuated by animosity toward Schley in
any of the preliminary work of the
1
| quested Judge Advocate Lemly to cut his
vacation short and return to Washington,
| in order that Admiral Schley's counsel
| might be furnished with list of the
Navy Department witnesses which they
asked for last week and which it is the
the duty of Captain Lemly to prepare.
They will receive the list early this week.
~
There will be nothing ornamental
! about the rUUm IN which the Sfc111iiey
Court of Inquiry will hold its sittings, ex-
cept possibly a few draped flags. 1t is
the second floor of the new gunners work
shop, just finished in the Washington
Navy Yard. 1t is large room, about
50x200 feet, with bare brick walls and
will be used as workshop as soon as the
court gets through with it. In one cor
ner a small room will be partitioned off
for the court to use when it desires to go
into executive session, and in another
corner telegraph instruments will be put
in for the use of the newspaper cores
pondents. About half the space will
have chairs for the spectators, who will
be admitted by card. This will be a
mere formality, as the cards will be easily
obtained
~
According to Mr.. B. D. Nortoni, Mis-
souri, lawyer now visiting Washington,
the anti-Bryan Democrats have obtained
control of the party machinery in that
State-to quote his own words: "The Gold
Democrats have secured control of the
party machinery in our State, encouraged
undoubtedly by the attitude of Governor
Dockery, and they will swing things
against Bryan when the proper time
comes"
*x*
That business in the Philippines is i'm
proving by jumps and bounds is shown
by a comparative statement of imports
and exports, issued by the War Depart
nent, for two periods of seven months,
ending January 31st, 1901 and January
3lst, 1900. Exclusive of United States
Quartermaster supplies, the figures show
IN increase of ~ per cent, almost double,
n the imports of the Island, and of So
Der cent, more than double, in the ex-
ports. The United States did not get as
much OF this business as it should, but
he increase in our sale to the Island was
'8 per cent. There was a slight falling
'ff in the value of what the Island sold
he United States. 1t must be remem-
,ered, however, that our trade with the
Stands is comparatively new. All of the
Id established business houses ON the
stands have either European or Asiatic
and the people have got to
'e educated up to the advantage of using
american goods and of selling their pro-
ucts through houses with American
The wedges are in and it
rill be strange, indeed, if within few
ears we do not control the bulk of the
Philippine trade.
NV
There was no surprise in the Treasury
department. when a telegram was re-
eived saying that w. F. Hoey, Collector
f Custom of Nongales, Ariz, and his
ntire force of clerks had been arrested
Or smuggling Chinese from Mexico into
he United States. The surprise came
0me time ago, when the suspicion that
he collector was guilty of the smuggling
'as first reported. Since then the arrests
ave been constantly expected. Mr..
ioey came from Muncie, Ind, and when
e was appointed, about year and half
go, Secretary Gage cautioned him to
void all temptations to wrong doing,
ecause Irregularities had caused his
removal. The collectors
flee at Nongales will be in charge of
oecial agent of the Treasury until a new
ollector is appointed, which will prob
bly, not be until after President McKin-
y returns to Washington
~
Secretary Root has returned from his
acation and resumed his duties. He
'und everything moving smoothly in
le War Department, Colonel Sanger
aving proved a most efficient acting
ecretary. There is no truth in the sem
ltional publication alleging that impor-
mt original dispatches relating to the
uban Campaign and which will have
bearing on the Schley Inquiry were
issing from the files OF the Department.
~
Secretary Hay, who made flying visit
Canton last week, says that both the
resident and Mrs. Mckinley were look
g. unusually we'll and were enioving
eir quiet stay among old friends and
'ighbors. Secretary Hay will reioin his
mlly in New Hampshire, and remain
ere until cool weather.
rnnr r1,,,-.