Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-04-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom our Regular Corresponder

NtTOHl our neg ular COTT6SpOnQ0nb.)
Washington, April S.-The Philip
pine looters scored an important point
when Secretary Root decided that the
Hoar amendment to the army bill,
prohibiting the granting of concessions
in the Philippines did not prevent the
issuing of licenses to cut timber on
public lands under the regulations
promulgated by Gen. Macarthur, last
July. While il will not be as profita-
BILE to cut timber under a license, re-
Quiring that the government shall be
paid from one-half cent to seven cents
a cubic foot for all that is cut, accord
ing to grade quality and value, as it
would have been under outright con-
cessiOns of the right to cut timber in
certain sections of the islands, it will
still be profitable and will save the
money that has already been spent by
the hooters in preparing to handle the
concessions they expected to get.
Although pushed to furnish official
salaries for republican lame ducks who
are still unprovided for, Mr.. Mckinley
was not prepared to select a governor
of Porto Rico from that class, or else
he was afraid to do so. So be surpris
/ ed Gov. Allen, who came to Washing
| ton for the express purpose Ut resign
! ing that office, by telling him that be
must hold it a while longer. Being
one of Mr.. McKinley's good friends
Gov. Allen swallowed his disappOint
ment as best he could, and promised
| to return to Porto Rico
about the 1st of May. By the way
speaking of Porto Rico, there is a widt
difference between the rosy views Of
existing conditions, commercial anC
ind dstrial on the island, expressed by
Gov. Allen and those which come from
reputable newspaper correspondent
and other sources.
Some sensational developments ar
expected in connection with the swlnd
ling of the government out OF $2,50O,
600 by Capt. Oberlin M. Carter, nov
serving five year term in the Leaven
worth Military Prison, while he was
in charge of the Harbor Improvement
at Savannah, Ga. An official of thu
department of Justice, is quoted a
having said: 1--WE have traced ever.
cent OF the money stolen by Carter
and at present l can only say that tn
investigation will result in numbe
of arrests. We know where the none
has been hidden and invested, and |
will soon be turned over to the U. s
Treasury. l can also say that whel
Carter serves out his time. he will b
arrested on criminal charges, but an
not at liberty to state at present tn
exact nature of these charges.
Notwithstanding all the talk of deal
between the administration and tn
, Panama Canal Co., Representatlv
Hepburn, of Iowa, author OF Ia
Nicaragua Canal bill. which passed To
| House, but failed in the Senate OF I'd
last Congress, expresses contidenc
, that the next session of Congress WI
, authorize the construction OF th
Nicaragua canal. Mr.. Hepburn Is
republican, but it was made plain NOR
than once during the late Congres
that be was not in the confidence Q
! the republican bosses. Consequent
] his expression of confidence, Is not d
: convincing as it might be.
The talk of Aguinaldo's bein
t allowed to come to this COIL
try is wide of the mark. In
administration has work for Aguinald
to do in the Philippines for months I
come, and it will see that he stay
g there TO do it, or refusing to do it, tia
:. he stays locked up There is no Junl
: citing ahead of him for awhile.
g Senator Simmons, of N. g., who WI
d in Washington several days on ofllcl
business says be was given to unde
: stand that the cases against sever
. North CarolinanS who have been II
n dicted in the Federal Courts for allel
d ed violations of the election laws la
). November, will shortly be abandone
). because of the opinion of the prosecu
ing officers that the law will not hO
in the cases In question. Speaking
the rumOr that ex-senator Butler,
n his state, chairman of the Populls
e National Committee, would be give
!: a Federal office, Senator Simmons sal
]. "Mr. Butler would probably be alb
!. to advance some argument why tn
], should be done, for tie Populist par
e in North Carolina certainly contribute
8 to the re election of President Mckil
s ley as far as WAS in their power. M
d Buffers own county where there a
: more populists than democrats a!
:. republicans combined, gave MI, M
d kinney a majority. 1t was also tn
!. all over the state, that she popullsts
a considerable extent voted the repu
lican ticket"
h Arguing from the belief that the pc
= pie endorsed the government OF ID
;, country by trusts, when they re-elect'
q Mr.. Mckinley, as Senator Hanna III
e several times practically said they di
J the choice of Mr.. P. G. Knox. who b.
= grown rich by giving legal advice
v trusts, for Attorney General in M
l. McKinley's Cabinet was perfect
d logical one. But arguing from tt
&c belief that one of the duties OF the A
torney- General should be to utilize ii
Federal laws, such as they are, to t.
l. to curb the power of the trusts, as Il
& plain people believe, it was about
illogical "a choice as could pOssib
q have been made. That Mr.. Knox is
y lawyer of marked ability is proven
g his having been employed by tt
l. trusts, but to expect him to tu
against those who have made him TIC
and from whom he doubtless expects
get more fees, when he leaves the Ca
u met, is to expect human nature to +
u verse itself. He may not do anythil
II directly for the trusts while be is A
e torney- eneral, but he will hardly
y likely to do anything directly again
= them or their interests.