Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-01-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent,

IRON our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Dec. 30.-There are still
a good many people in Washington
who believe that Congress will take M
the Schley matter in the form of an in
quiry into the affairs of the NAVY De.
partment and it is said that the only
reason that Secretary Long remains
in the Cabinet is because The Presi
dent believes it only fair to permit him
TO stay there. in the event of such an
inquiry. he will be in position to de
fend himself and his official acts. The
temper OF the people in Washington
was shown Friday evening when Ad
miral Schley attended a performance
at one OF the Washington theaters
He was cheered to the echo, the large
and fashionable audience rising to
their feet and remaining standing un
til the Admiral came to the front
of the box and bowed his acknowledge.
ments. General Miles has resumed his
duties in the War Department and has
concluded to ignore the reprimand be
received. He we'll knows that he has
no friends in the administration and
that both Corbin and Root will rejoice
in his humiliation. His statement in
support of Admiral Dewey, however.
has received the approval Of the people
and OF the press all over the country.
There is now little doubt but that
the Senate will be compelled to mate
rally revise the Philippine tariff bill
which was passed by the House. The
measure, as it stands. is receiving the
condemnation OF large number of re-
publioans some OF whom characterize
it as protection run wild.n The most
ardent expansionists are not in favor
of governing colonies along Spanish
lines and q policy of oppression will
not be tolerated even if it is dictated by
the protected interest. 1t is believed
that Judge Taft will make representa-
tions at the White House as soon as
he arrives in Washington which will
insure the President 8 support of tariff
concessions to the Philippines and
which will offer an excuse for the Sem
ate to reverse the work of the lower
House.
The President is known to be in a
quandary as to where to place Judge
Taft. Personally he favors sending
him back to the Philippines, but the
of War, who is close friend
of Mr.. Roosevelt, is strongly opposed
to the continuance of the Taft regime.
He considers that the Taft Commits
sion has seriously failed in the defer
ence it owes to General Chaffee and
the military branch of the service.
Taft is too big man to yield supinely
to the dictates of the burearcrats in
the War Department. Secretary Root
believes that if he could secure the ap-
of man at the head of the
who would recognize in
him the lord of his destinies there would
be greater subserviency shown to the
Secretary of War;
General Leonard Wood, before his
departure for Havana, did some eff
fective work for the cause of reciprocity
with Cuba. He said Cuba must have
q reduction of the tariff On sugar ex-
ported to the United States or the is
land will have to face poverty and con-
disorder. She would then be-
come menace to our health and the
United States would have no business
relations with her worth speaking
about. :" He said that if reciprocity
were established the United States
could count on doing business with
the island amounting to $3.50, 000, 900 a
year within three years. He further
said that the United States produced
but 500 900 tons of sugar and consumed
]. 400, 900 tons and that the consumers
paid ''abOut two cents a pound for the
privilege of fostering this ARTIFICIAL
industry" MI. Oxnard of the Amerl-
can Beet Sugar Company is making
vigorous fight to prevent legislation
inlmical to his interests and is said to
have seriously interested the President
in his scheme of paying a bounty to
the Cuban producers in lieu of reduc
ing the duty.
While the friends of the adm1nistra
ton deny that politics were at the bot
tom of the selection of Governor Shaw
to succeed Secretary Gage, it cannot
be denied that the move was a very
shrewd one from political standpoint.
By it Mr.. Roosevelt att ached to him
self man who was an important fac
-or in the Western situation and who,
n case Mr.. Roosevelt should by any
act ALLEVIATE Western republicans,
would have stood az excellent chance
or the presidential nomination. Gov
,rnor Shaw is man of much ability
md he has the happy faculty of max
ng friends easily. The president al
eady realizes that his impulsiveness
md bis action in the Niles censure and
he determination to uphold Secretary
long at all cost has forfeited him many
# his western admirers and it would
eem that he was casting an anchor
0 windward when he selected pop-
liar and ambitious Iowan to preside
ver the Treasury.
As soon as Governor Shaw takes the
ems he will probably dispense with all
+ Mr.. Cages assistants. Allies, who |
very young man overwhelmed with
is own Importance, will go first, Gen
raj Spaldlng. who has been in the De-
artment so long that he is described |
8 suffering from ''dry rot'' will soon
ollow and only the strength of poIiti-
al pull, which is not inconsiderabIe, |
ill save Horace A. Taylor, who has
ever demonstrated the ability for f.
ancial and administrative affairs
mich characterized bis previous efforts
growing cranberries.
Although the friends of the Nicara-
uan canal threaten to apply the lash |.
nd to cry treason every time the
anama canal is mentioned in the
Louse or Senate there is every pros
ect that it will be mentioned many
mes before the Morgan or Hepburn
ills are passed. The United States is
Oh but that Is not regarded as good
JASON why she should invest millions
the Nicaraguan canal if millions
IN be saved by the purchase of the
anama ditch. 1t may transpire that
othing could be gained by the pur-
lase OF the latter bnt Admiral Walk
IS report does not prove it and there
Ill be good many members of Con-
'ess who will ask for proof, before
ley vote to appropriate $3.50, 900, 900
II the construction of a canal over
~ route.
thousands Have Kidney Trouble