The new South-news., 1906-04-07
OUR WASHINGTON
NEWS AND NOTESS
trEE3 OF INTEREST HEIETL'
CHRoxICLED.
TO SELL THE PHILIPPINES
President Roosevelt Is DESTROYS Of
Disposing Of This territory Before
the End Of His Present Term Of
Ofice.

Omce.
Although Secretary Taft. OF the
War Department, saw fit recently TO
deny stc report that Japan had made
certain oycriuresato the United States
for the acquisition Of the Philippines.
eorroborsiiYe evidence is at hand that
the japanese Government ha. been de-
sirons Of opening negotiations to that
erd, and when former Governor
Wright, Of the Philippines, goes to
Japan a. the first American Ambassa-
dor TO that country, he will be en-
powered by this Government to enter
upon further consideration Of that
proposition. In fact, it is said on
what ought 10 be unimpeachable au-
thoriiy. that the selection of Cover
nor Wright to represent the Roose-
welt Administration at the japanese
hpperor's Court, was clearly caused
BY this situation. President Roose-
welt, according to report. desires to
dispose Of the Philippine problem be-
fore the end Of lbs present term IN
The White House. He is represented
as being convinced that our ownership
Of the Islands as possessions. not
parts' Of the United States, is not ac-
ceptable TO the American people. and
Will eventually mean much larger ex-
penditure on the part Of our home
Government than have been made
even thus far.
Secretary Taft discussed with the
Senate Committee on Military Affairs
the recommendation of the President
regarding the distribution Of Army
officers among the Army posts. He
criticised the present system, SAYING
that It Is deficient, in that it does not
afford officers an opportunity for ex-
ercising command over the large
, forces. He attributed the system TO
the fact that in the earlier days many
posts were desirable on the frontier.
and said it is difficult to discontinue
n system once established. Yet. he
said, there is a tendency toward an
Improvement, as seen in the establish
ment of regimcntal posts in this coun-
try and of brigade posts in the Phil
lppines. Fort Riley. Ieavenworth.
Russell anA-Say- Honstopig this cpuk
try can, he said, be easily transferrT
into brigade posts. II is not the par-
pose to do away with the small posts,
said the Secretary nor would it be
necessary to do SO. He said that for
100000 be could buy 1900 acres Of
and near Fort Sam Houston, and he
thought this investment preferable to
further Improvement at Fort Clarke.
also in Texas, and said the money
could be taken from appropriations
already made for military posts.
The New Orleans Mint was saved
n the House after hard fight during
the debate on the legislative. execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bill.
The sub-trcasury was knocked out on
point of order. and the mint would
have met the same fate. had it not
been for the passage of a special rule
brought in by the House Rnles Com
nittee. which put a stop to the rails
.ng of points of order against the pro-
visions in the bill. and saved the mint
and the subtreasury. The Democrats
voted against this rule, with the ex-
reption of the Louisiana delegation.
all seven of whom with the Rspubli-
cans. This move was decided upon
after hurried caucus of the Louisi-
snians, and was made with double
purpose. In the first place the mint
stood in danger of being knocked out
Il the rule did not pass. and in the
second place the Louisianians are sol
I'd IN favor Of special rule for the
Williams quarantine bill. OF course.
they wanted TO save the mint. As to
'he other reason, they argued that if
they fought this rule they would not
be In position to urge a similar rule
Tor the quarantine bill. Consequent
~ they stood mp and voted for the in
;eres's Of Louisiana against the rest
Of the Democrats. When the rule was
adopted and the consideration of the
bill continued under it, the attack on
the Denver and New Orleans mints
began. Representative Southard. of
Ohio. chairman of the Committee on
Coinage, Weights and Measures. le,
the asht on the Denver Mint 90 over
his head. Denver was left in the bill.
Southard moved to strike out the New
Orleans Mint. He argued that the
Director Of the Mint had several times
| reported xaiust New Oiicsns and
Il