West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-03-29
OUR washington LETTER.
The War Department Trying to
Explain The JOlO Massacre.
SPEAKER CANNON HAS DARK HORSE
Boom For The Presidency AS Foxy
Grandpa"
rom Our Regular Corresponds.


Washington. ID. C., March 20, 1906 -
The War Department has jus, delivered it.
,elf OF a long announcement anent the Mt.
Dsjo fight massacre, whichever one
chooses 10 cali II in the Philippines /, Is
not written by any Of the officers who were
on the spot at the time of the fgh, but was
prepared at the cabled suggestion Of Gen.
Wood 10y Maj Scott of the I4th Cavalry,
one time governor of Jolo and now on duty
in Washington. II is not pretended that
the report throws any light on the real
actions at Mt. Dago, but it described con-
dI,ions previous TO the fight and points out
by inference that no matter what happened
to the Moros who were the victims of the
battle that they had earned all that was
coming to them. II is remarkable politi-
cal document from the fact that it is an apol-
ogy in advance for the action of Gen. Wood
who is naturally the darling of the admins
ttation. II is said that anyone familiar with
the situation in Jolo could have seen the
massacre coming for long time, tina, it was
the result of Moro running smuck in
North Borneo, $ British possession, some
months ago. The Moro in question took
refuge IN Iolo and the case is made out for
the massacre that 1t Was punative expedi
ton. "Punative expedition" is term that
the British are very fond of, and was neces-
sary to prevent complications with friendly
power. All this may be true in a way of
course. Blu, it is quite remarkable that the
War Department should have thought il
necessary to issue such n remarkable defense
OF an action obviously to head off hostile
criticism that II knew was coming to il.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon is out with a boom
for the Presidency. This is no great wonder
TO those who know the versatility and the
ambition Of the present speaker. The boom
is a parlor growth as il were and not yet got
ten extensively into print. But the fact that
1t IS more talked than printed makes it all
the more Significant at this stage of the
game. The names that show early in such
race are rarely ones that have To be ser
iously Teckoned with at the finish aud II is
thought that Fairbanks, Foraker, Shaw and
be killed by early publicity. But the Can.
non boom is more of dark horse type /,
is SAID that the Speaker regards himself
seriously in connection with the position.
This is not startling There is no office
within the gift OF God OF the people for
which he would not regard himself serious
ly IL occasion offered, aud one of the most
significant facts in this connection is that
there is just nOw sprung the proposition TO
make Secretary Of Stale Root, union Sena-
tor from New York in place of Senator De-
pew which would take another little men
toned but very real Presidential possibility
out of the running. Secretary Root has al
ready expressed his dislaste for the Presi-
dency, but when it comes down to the final
choice, there are not many men who can be
recalled who have put that possibility aside
He is one OF the factors in the tight seriously
to be reckoncd with, and the effort to shelve
him in favor of Speaker Cannon makes the
situation at this stage all the more interesting
1t appears from report of The Iniersts'
Commerce Commission this week that there
is more trouble ON the railroad horizon.
The Commission hss set for hearing in New
York on March %, complaint affecting a
number Of the big eastern roads. 1t is tina;
they have been granting rebates to favored
shippers under a new guse. They have
been billing freight carried at a lower valua-
ton than the merchandise warranted and
thus in effect paying a rebate to the shippers
while nominally sticking to the published
schedule. This is a new dodge in the rail.
way world, but ii Is of course not unexpeci-
ed. As fast as there is way found of en-
forcing law, the corporations it is meant to
restrain find way of getting around it.
More Interesting than the mere fact that
rebates have been granted is the decision of
the Commission at this stage to prosecute
is getting into training to enforce whatever
rate legislation is ultimately enacted and
makes the prospect ahead for the railways a
little more dismal for the railroads inasmuch
as 1t seems they will be expected to respect
the law, thing they have never heretofore
attempted to do.
Little attention need be paid to the rumors
that the Supreme Court intends 10 proceed
against the parties who lynched the negro
Ed Johnson at Chaiianoo a recently. The
negro was nominally under The protection of
the Supreme Court, stay Of execution hav.
ing been granted when the citizens become
impatient at the delay and toJk the law into
their own hands OF course the members
of the Supreme Court we're very indignant
and there was talk Of direct proceedings for
| contempt Of court. But 1t is said now that
while the Department Of Justice has been
directed to inquire into the case, IL will be
left 10 the local courts to punish the perpe-
traitors Of the lynchng II they can. Iii
more than possible that the whole matter
will resolve itself into a quiet warming TO the
SOCIAL courts NOT TO in1ame lcc,l opinion by
ltays and delays that vii bring on lynchings
in the future and thus put The supreme iribu
nal in the ridiculous position Of having its
orders ignored.
TRAGEDY AVERTED