Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-08-08

Candor on the Part Of Repubcans-Tcddy
Wins the Soubriquet Of /" The Terrible Talk
err, His Antitrust Professions Assailed by
Representative Burgess-Tariff. Trusts and
the Philippine Question the Issues Of the
Next Campaign.
! (From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, July Al, 1902.
The dissatisfaction in the War DE.
partment, generated by the action OF
Secretary Root in assigning Brigadier
General William H. Carter, Acting
Adjutant General in Gen. Corbin's alb.
sence, over the heads of Col. John B.
Babcock and Col. VIM. P. Hall, does
not abate as time goes on. 1t is con.
sidered as almost certain that both OF
these officers will protest against act
ing under the direction OF Gen. Carter.
At first it was assumed that the object
of Secretary Root in assigning Gen.
Carter to his present duties was the
humiliation and complete elimination
from army direction of Gen. Miles, but
now it is realized that the assignment
has an even deeper significance. By
making this assignment Secretary
Root has established a precedent
which confirms the contentious of Gen.
Corbin that he holds the senior com.
mission as Major General of the line.
Those who cOntrovert this claim con-
tend that Corbin's commission was
merely incidental to his staff position
did not imply the actual, but rather
the er oticio, rank OF Major General.
1t is now realized that the action OF
the Secretary of War not only con-
firms Corbin's contention but that il
is the first and most important step
in policy which has for its ultimate
purpose the appointment of Corbin to
succeed Miles az General commanding
the army. Incidentally Roots action
places Gen. Carter in position where
it falls to him to pass upon the recon-
mendations OF his superior officer, Gen.
Miles. All this is most exasperating
to the older officers of the army who
recognize in the act of Secretary Root
an autocratic policy totally at variance
with the discipline and traditions of
the army. Since the gratuitous rep.
rimands which the President has seen
fit to distribute, the officers of the
army are very guarded in their utter
ances, but to their friends they say
that, under Roots administration, Sc.
niority and merit count as nothing as
compared with the untrammeled will
OF the Secretary of War and that here
after the officer who would secure pro.
motion must learn to truckle and to
curry favor" with the Secretary.
Representative Hay OF Virginia was
seen at Democratic headquarters last
night. Mr.. Hay deplores the lack of
candor of which the Republicans are
guilty in the present campaign. He
said that it was absolutely untrue that
the Democrats had ever attacked the
army and that the Republicans knew
it. They bad attacked blsmsworthy
conduct on the part of certain army
officers, and the President had, in at
least one instance, 80 far approved
Democratic criticism as to retire the
offending officer. Another instance Of
the insincerity of the Republicans Mr..
Hay cited. and that is tho statement
that the army in the Philippines has
been reduced to $4,000 troops. This,
he stated, is one of those half-truths
which are almost worse than false.
hoods. In addition to the $4,000
troops which are in the islands there
are between IL 900 and 1900 Filipino
scouts, who are actually part OF the
army and who have been trained to a
considerable state OF efficiency. This
force should DO added to tho $4,000
American soldiers and then it will be
seen that the troops in the islands
number about $4,000 men and this is
quite exclusive of the native constabu-
larry, who number about 1000, MAX
ing . total fighting force of upwards OF
81, 900 men. Mr.. Hay declared that
the trusts and the tariff were the lead.
ing issues OF the campaign.
"The Terrible Talker" is the sou.
briquet which Representative Burgess
bestowed on the President one day this
week as he passed through Washing
ton on his way to Texas. He ridiculed
the sincerity of Mr.. Roosevelt in his
statements in regard TO the control of
tho trusts and said that the Republi-
cans were now engaged in "an AGA.
demic discussion" OF the trusts "for
political effect only" He said il was
clear to every intelligent man that
had Mr.. Roosevelt desired to secure
antitrust legislation he would have
addressed himself to Congress on the
subject. Hs did not hesitate to send
a special message to Congress in sup
port of his Cuban reciprocity policy.
Much amusement is expressed here
at the reports coming from Illinois to
the effect that the Republican ma
chine is waking from its fancied secur-
ity in regard to the senatorial contest.
Some time ago the claim that Senator
Mason could make any impression on
the Republicans of the State was
laughed to scorn by the machine Re-
publicans but now they are beginning
to realize that the election of Repre-
sentative Hopkins to the Senate is not
80 certain. His condemnation by the
typographical unions is bound to prove
Q serious obstacle. There are some
Democrats who express the hope that
the Senatorial contest may end in q
deadlock which will result in sending a
Democrat to the Senate from Illinois.
Mr.. Ben. 7. Cable passed through
Washington on his way west this week
and stopped at the Democratic head
quarters long enough to say q few
pleasant words to everone there. He
designates the tariff, trusts and the
Philippine question, in the order
named, as the important issues of the
campaign. He said that a corps OF
speakers would be sent out by the Dem.
ocratic committee in addition to the
large amount of literature which was
being distributed and expressed the