The Dolores star., 1902-04-18
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Before the committee to investigate
the alleged bribery in the sale of the
Danish islands, G. w. Knox Of Glenele,
Maryland. whose name was mentioned
| in the Christmas report. told of meet
ing Christmas, whom he considered u
cultivated man. who had become entan-
gled with sharpers. The witness said
he never bribed any one. and nothing
| of the kind was ever contemplated; he
never received any money from Christ
mas. In response to questions from
members of the committee. MIR. Knox
specifically denied that he had intro
duced Christmas 10 w. j. Bryan. or
that he had claimed TO Christmas that
he was an intimate friend of Senator
Hanna.
The report of the testimony given be-
! fore TIE Senate committee on military
! affairs by General Schoiield. formerly
\ the commanding general of the army.
! on the bill to create n general staff,
| has been made public. He en-
,brsed the bill. saying tha. he
1 had long since come To the conclusion
! that there is no room under our c.Jnsti-
! tuition for two comSlanders. and that
/ the President. whom the constitution
makes the supreme commander, must
act through the secretary of war. He
| added: The very exalted individual
office. so-called. of commanding geaeral
of the army must disappear. There Is
no room for II in this government, no
matter who occupies IT, ii is not IA ques-
tion of personality at all. or the charac-
ter of the individual, so far as this
great question Is concerned. He must
he what other nations of the earth
have. chief of staff, not comr,aud-
ing general"
BY strict party vote the insular
committee of the House voted down
substitute proposed by the Democratic
members, Ito establish n stable and au-
tonomous government in the Philip
pines" and then by a like party vote
ordered favorable report ON the meas
ure prepared by the Republican mem
bers establishing complete form of
civil government for the islands The
chief interest was in the substitute
proposed by the Democratic members
and prepared by Representative Zones
of Virginia. 1t proposed eventual in
dependence TO the Philippines. the
islands to remain under the Philippine
commission until July 4. 1903. then
eight years of qualified independence,
then complete independence: the insur-
rection meanwhile to cease. The Un-
tied States to have three coaling sta,
iions and two naval stations. There
were twenty-siX sections in the substi-
tute.
Senator Teller has introduced reso-
luton directing the postmaster general
to report to the Senate the amount of
salary due Colorado postmasters for
services required of them under the
postal regulations of 1866 and unsettled
by the government. The aggregate
claims of Colorado postmasters for SER
vices rendered and unpaid amounts to
S15.0O0. in claims running from $50 to
$50. Similar claims are held by post
masters in all the Western states
where the rapid growth of mining in
the years between the years 1866 and
1888 made 1t necessary for the post
masters to employ extra clerical help
for which the department later refused
to pay When the resolution was in
troduced objection TO its immediate
consideration was made by Senator Al
lison. who said the allowance of the
Colorado claims would open the way
for claims of other states and would
involve an outlay of several millions of
dollars. The resolution was finally re-
ferred to the pOstotiice and postroads
/ committee.
At its session April 10Th the Senate
committee on the Philippines began its
proceedings by adopting a resolution
calling upon the secretary of war for
all the orders. circulars and official re-
! ports received from commanders and
their subordinates in the provinces of
| Tayabas. Batangas, Samar and La
Guna In his testimony before the
committee General Macarthur stated
1 that there are facts which show that
! the cooperation of Aguinaldo's army
in the attack on Manila was not n vol
untary one on our part. General Mac
Arthur then related that the evening
! previous to the attack on Ma
nila. after General Merritt had issued
his order of battle. he tMacArthur) was
| In consultation with General Anderson
when the latter received Il communica-
tion from General Merritt directing
him to inform Aguinaldo that the bat
tie which was to take place the next
day was to be between the Americans
and the Spaniards, and that he must
not participate under any circum-
| stances. AguinaldO was at that time,
General Macarthur said, five miles
away. and the message was sent to
him by wire. He knew. however. that
the Filipino leader had received 1t, be-
cause he had declined to accept the
suggestion. and he and his native
forces participated in the engagement
next day.
In his testimony before the Senate
committee on the Philippines General
Macarthur took up and discussed econ
Omic conditions In the archipelago, say
ing that they are the finest group OF
islands in the world. occupying STRAIT
egic position absolutely unexcelled
Continuing, he said that the archipela
go must necessarily exert an active
and political influence upon the affairs
of the entire East, both in a political
and military way. The China sea, only
80 miles wide he considered n safety
moat. The islands would therefore
stand to protect our interests in the
Orient without the exertion of mucl
physical power on our part. Hence
he concluded that our presence in tht
philippines will always insure all the