Middletown transcript., 1903-08-15
WASHINGTON LETTER

amendment, are causing the President
and the friends of the Panama canal no
little anxiety. President Roosevelt, as
do most persons sincerely i'll favor OF q
canal and familiar with all the conditions,
regards the Panama route as by odds the
most desirable for an interoceanic canal
and up to this time it has been believed
that President Marroquin would find q
way to effect the ratification of the
treaty. 1t now appears that the repre-
sentatives OF the transcontinental railway
companies have been doing yoeman's
work in Bogota and have succeeded in
pursuading the Colombians that the
treaty, as framed land ratified by the
United States, will prove inimical to
their interests. Oh course the alightest
amendment will necessitate the reconsi-
deration by the United States Senate.
which reconsideration will be attended
with as great difficulty as was the ratifi'
cation. Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
declares that lie has his guns primed for
another battle and that he can talk even
longer In opposition to the acceptance OF
the proposed amendments than he did in
opposition to the original ratification.
AS will be remembered, only special
session with nothing to prevent its last
Ing all summer served to discourage the
veteran Alabamian last spring and he
will be quick to appreciate that with a
presidential campaign in prospect. Con-
gress would be unwilling to prolong the
approaching session for the sake of a
dozen canals. The Senator from Ala
bama also claims to have secured even
greater support than he had last spring
and in view of this dubious prospect the
President and the officials of the State
Department are much discouraged.
~
Senator Aldrich and his colleagues on
the subcommittee of the Senate commit
tee on Finance are again in session, this
time at Providence, and will probably
complete the financial bill which will be
reported to the full committee and to the
Senate next session. Speculation is rife
as to the provisions of the measure
which will be framed at Providence, but
it would have been difficult to select four
members of the Senate who are closer,
mouthed and it is doubtful if anything
more than conjecture will be published
regarding the actual wording of the mea-
sure before Congress conyenes. OF course,
it is known that In general way Sena-
tor Aldrich and his fellow members of
the committee favor the provisions of the
former aldrich bill, but, on the other
hand, it is known that they would meet
with considerable opposition in the
House and the problem which the sub
will have to consider will be
the extent to which the original Aldrich
bill can be modified with view to dis
arming the opposition of the lower
chamber.
~
General Miles, after long and honor
able career in the army of the United
States, retired from active service last
having reached the age limit,
81 years. Tn bidding farewell to the
army, of which he has been the General
commanding" for eight years, General
Miles issued a patriotic and eloquent
which was distributed as
general order 49," Immediately on
the retirement of General Miles the Pre-
sident appointed General S. B. NJ. Young
to succeed him. This appointment was
the occasion of sincere disappointment
to many of General Miles friends who
had hoped that he might have the
honor of being the last general COM
that position going out of ex
istence on August 18th, when the new
law providing for general staff goes in
to effect. General Young will become
ohief OF staff, position analogous to that
of general commanding, and will doubt
less occupy that position until he retires
next January when he will be succeeded
by General Chaffee.
49,
The last general order issued by Gen.
eral Miles was one prohibiting the dock
ing of the tails, or mutilation in other
manner, of all army horses. This ap-
plies to the horses owned by officers, not
the fact that many officers
buy an pay for their own mounts, and it
is believed that general order to this
effect will have salutary result in cur
failing the practice throughout the
In this connection it is worthy
of note that President Roosevelt has
given his hearty sanction to movement
ooking to the establishment of a non-
,ombatant force to be detailed for duty
With troops employing horses in battle,
he duties of which force will be to put
,ut of their misery horses SO badly
Wounded as to be beyond recovery, and
he further mission of affording prompt
'elief to those animals whose recovery
nay be looked for if their wounds |
ire properly attended to. This subject |
will receive special attention at the
ieneva Convention which opens OH
september l4th, and it is expected that |
n equine relief corps may, as result be-
ONE part of every army.
Inauguration of Rahohoth Spaaial