Amador ledger., 1906-10-26
Washington
Letter.

(t'rom Our Regular Correspondent.
Washington D. q. Oct. Ii, 1906.
The showing of the war department
is exceedingly good for the EN- barka-
ton of troops tor Cuban service.
According to the statement OF the
quartermaster generals office, it has
taken just twelve days to get ali the
troops adoat, the last expedition,
having already lett Newport News, is
probably by this time on the Cuban
soil. This is the more remarkable in
that there was only one transport, the
Sumner, available when the emer,
gency occurred. Both quartermaster
general Humphrey and his assistant
are very proud of the showing that
has been made. If transports had
been available when the order was
given to move the troops, the entire
expedition could have been atioat
within one week. As it was, how
ever, steamers had to be chartered and
re-ttted for use as transports. In adj
ditlon to the men that have been sent,
amounting altogether to COCO, there
has been over 1000 horses shipped be-
side large quantities of stores aud am
mupition. 1t is understood that New
port News will be made the base of
supplies as long as it is necessary to
retain military control in Cuba.
There have been numerous changes
of station in the warships now in
Cnban waters. 1t is thought that it
will be necessary to retain only four
cruisers there, the Cleveland, the Ia
coma, the Des Moines. and the Denver.
Several vessels will be kept at Key
West, while the Minneapolis ard the
New York have already been ordered
back to the United States for neces-
sary repairs.
The question of ultimate annexation
comes up much oitener from Cuban
sources than the United States otfi-
Gals are willing to discuss it. 1t is
said, unotiieially, at the state depart
ment. that there is not only no present
inl ention of annexation, but that this
country will refuse every opportunity
in that direction, aud the Cubars
must take their chances with another
trial of government on their own re-
sponsibility. What might happen
should this second trial fail is quas-
ton that nobody in authority IN
Washington is willing to discuss just
now.
The long agitated question of the
retention by this government of the
Isle OF Pines was again preached to
secretary Taft. The residents of the
Isle, who all along have been anxious
for American government, sent an
urgent petition to the secretary, but
it is very we'll understood that the
position of this government has
already been taken and there is no
likelihood that anything the Amer lean
inhabitants may say will have the
slightest effect.
Officials of the immigration de-
partment are going on still hunt for
the people whom it is supposed have
been enyading the alien contract
labor law tor long time past in i'm
porting English girls to work in the
southern cotton mills. This case was
first brought to light by the detention
in Washington of a girl who gave her
name first as Hilda Barnes and after
ward as Hiida Elliott She said that
she was going south to visit relatives
and had been deserted in Washington.
1t afterward developed that she had
been in South Carolina Tor some time
and that she was really on her way
north, instead of south, when she
applied to the police tor assistance.
The gi1l's conflicting stories aroused
suspicion, and there afterward de-
veloped strong probability of ex
tensive immigration frauds. Pre-
baritone we're made to send an in
spector to Castor. N. g., but the case
was kept quiet in the belief that
premature publication would defeat
the ends Of Justice. One of the
Washington papers, however, broke
faith IN the matter, aud as the whole
story has now heen printed, no harm
can be done ny referring to it. 1t is
alleged that agents have been working
extensively in England. attracting
young girls to this country With the
promise of high wages and good work
ing conditions 1t is believed that
as many as 1000 have been imported
to different points in the south. Once
landed here, the girls were bitterly
u aAyanGs@ .