Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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AFTER ROOSEVELT'S SCALP. Republican Leaders Want to Get Rid of Rough Rider-Talk of Postal Scandals. Washington, April 27.-There has been, within the past week, open avowal of the determination on the part of certain influential republicans to defeat Mr. Roosevelt in the nation? al republican convention. This op? position is based on his alleged erra ticism and the ground that he is not a "safe man.** It is an ill wind which blows nobody gGod, however, and the same men who are opposing Mr. Roosevelt are contemplating the sup? port of the democratic ticket if a gPjaareful and conservative man should be the nominee. A prominent New Yorker who has been recently in Washington said, on this subject, "We do not want a man in the White House ! who is always looking for a new sensa? tion and who is willing to abandon even the things of his own invention as soon as they cease to be novel. The enforcement of laws which exist and the advocacy of more effective legisla? tion to a desired end is not to be ob? jected to in a President, but we do not want a President to whom the sensa? tional appeals and who, would do a thing in the wrong way rather than in the right in order to appear in the glare of the lime light. " This is only a sample of the arguments advanced against Mr. Roosevelt's candidacy by that element of New York business men known as "conservatives" ?and it is heard so frequently as to occasion serions concern to the supporters of the President Toe weak and half hearted manner in which the Postmaster General has been conducting the investigations ordered by the President has produced startling results during the past week. The wife of the Assistant Attorney General for the Postoffice Depart? ment, with the asisstanceof her sister anda safe expert, has abstracted! from the safe which contained, presumably, the private ?nd confidential papers of the division, all the documents it contained and refused to surrender .them to the Postmaster Genera], when a demand was made. The sister of Mrs. Tyne?, who accompanied her in the expedition, is the mother of Hamil? ton J. Barrett, late law clerk of the Postomce, whose conduct is now under investigation, because of his known association with a turf investment company some of whose officers have been recently sentenced to terms in the penitentiary for fraud, It is al? leged in some quarters that the object of the raid was the abtsraction of pa? pers which would have incriminated young Barrett. The loose methods pursued by the Postmaster General are shown in that,. notwithstanding the fact that this division has been under investigation for over a month, by order of the Presidents there is no record of the pa? pers in the Tyner safe and now that the case has been turned over to the Attorney General for prosecution he has no evidence with which to refute the claim of Mrs. Tyner that she re? moved only private papers belonging to herself and her husband. It is al? leged that practically the same thing occurred in the case of Superintendent Machen 's safe which, when examined by the inspectors, was found to con? tain very few documents. Another remarkable feature of the Tyner inci? dent is that Assistant and Acting At? torney General Christiancy failed to notify the Postmaster General of what was going on, although aware of the . presence of Mrs. Tyner and her as? sociates, for ff ty minutes, and not un? til Mrs. Tyner had had ample time to ieave the. building. It is predicted that there will be further sensational developments after the President's visit to Saint Louis, this week. There is consternation in the State Department as a result of advices from China to the effect that Russia has re? fused to withdraw her troops from Manchuria, has demanded partial sovereignty over the province and has farther demanded the exclusion of all other nations. This is regarded as in direct violation of treaty pledges made to tiie United States, as well as to European nations, ana the situation is regarded as serions although it is not likely that this cooa try would gc to war with Russia even if the latter violated her treaty obligations. It is more than possible, however, that the United States will join with the Euro pean powers ia an emphatic protest, but that remains for the President to decide. Secretary Hay says he will submit the case to Mr. Roosevelt at Saint Louis. A party of forty-six German agricul? turists will arrive in New York the first week in May and make a 10,000 mile tour of the Unite States, studying the agricultural methods of this coun? try. The expected visitors are mem? bers of an "up-to-date" German agri? cultural society whose members make an annual excursion to some foreign country with a view to learning im? proved methods and being able to es? timate the competition which confronts them in the Tarions departments of agriculture. The party will be ac? companied in this country by repre? sentatives of the Department of Agri? culture who will afford them every as? sistance in seeing the country. They will first visit the northwest, then go on to the Pacific slope and return throudgh the southwest section of the country. Scientists who have been in session in Washington recently have advised Secretary Hay that if the original De? claration of Independence is to be pre? served it must be stored in a light and air proof safe and it has been removed from the glass case in the State Department; where it lias rested for one hundred years. < Many of the signatures are already illegible and the text of the instrument is rapidly fad? ing away. This fading is said to be due to the poor quality of ink used and also to the fact that it was submitted to the process of letter copying some decades ago in ordar that the original signers might each possess a facsimile copy. St. 'Petersburg, April 2?.-The Ncvosti today, vrithout giving the exact figures, indicates that the Jews, at Kisfaineff, capital of Bessmarabia, during the Anti-Semitic riots there on April 20, suffered even more severely than admitted officially. The papers says scores of Jews were shot or .beaten to death and several hundred were wounded. Their houses were wrecked and their shops were sacked. Thousands of Jews in the district are homeless and destitute. v ILL FEAR TBE RUSSIAN BEHR. "Great" Powers Cannot Prevent Seizure of Manchuria. GERMANY BACKS RUSSIA. Russian Ambassador irr Washing? ton Says That There is Nothing inimical to the United States in Russia's Policy in China. Washington, April 25.-The Japanese minister, Mr. Takapiara, and Baron von Sternberg, the German minister, called upon Secretary Hay today, and it is believed that the Manchurian question was discussed. Secretary Hay has no advices from St. Peters? burg or London, but it is expected that he will shortly hear from the lat? ter Capital through the ambassador there. These conferences and ex- j changes are all preliminary to the preparation of a protest which is to j be made against the Russian de-1 mands, but it is not yet clear what form this will take. The protest, how? ever, must be directed not to Russia, but to China, who will be warned that the nations which sign the protest will not look with favor upon any ac? tion by China that will alienate Chi? nese territory or will confer special advantages upon one nation (meaning Russia) over others. The tone of the press advices from the European capitals printed this morning has done much to depress offi? cials here, who have labored so long to preserve the integrity of China. It be? gins to appear to them that Manchuria is hopelessly lost to China, and the best that can be done now is to save as much as possible from the wreck, and therefore the effort will probably be made to procure from Russia a binding promise that the Powers will not be entirely deprived of the right to exploit commercially. It may be pos? sible to secure the opening of one or two ports, such as was proposed in the pending treaty between China and the United States, which will probably have to be amended in view of these last developments. Having heard from the President, Secretary Hay is now in position to act respecting the Manchurian matter. Indeed he has already taken the first steps, although for obvious reasons it is not deemed well to indicate their nature. But the broad statement is made that the department of State is doing what it regards as necessary to meet the issue. It is made quite plain, however, to avoid a misunder? standing of dispatches from foreign capitals referring to the Unite States, that this Government will join in no general protest against Russian action. The State department's policy is so clearly denned in such matters that the officials assume that it is understood that whatever action the United States takes will be indivduaL It is true that it may run parallel to the action of other Powers similarly interested, but there will be no entangling al? liances between us and those Powers. There is no apprehension among the representatives of the Powers that the Manchurian affair will lead to any? thing beyond diplomatic exchanges. In the absence of anything official from his Government the Rusian am? bassador, in a note to Secretary Hay, announced that nothing inimical to the United States was projected in Russia's course. The call of Baron von Sternberg at the State department today furnished him an opportunity to discuss Russia's action at some length with Secretary Hay. From Germany no official ad? vices have been received, either at the State departmemnt or at the embassy, regarding the attitude of the Berlin Government, but the understanding is general in the diplomatic corps that Russia has nothing to apprehend from Germany in the stand she has taken in Manchuria. Russia and Germany, it is admitted, have a thorough un desrtanding, relative to China, and, whlie it may not be necessary for the Berlin Government to come openly to the support of the Russian demands at this time, the other Powers will be permitted to see clearly that Germany is not hostile to Russia's plans. If asked by the Powers to join in a note of protest against Russia's conduct Germany's reply will probably be that her interests demand that she remain neutral. MORMANS MOST LEAVE GERMANY. Berlin, April 26.-Hugh J. Cannon, the Mormon missionary, intends to appeal to Emperor William for per? mission for the Mormons to remain in Germany, hoping that his Majesty's policy of religious tolerance may in? clude the Mormons. In his petition Mr.' Cannon sets forth the morality of Mormon doc? trines and refers to the inability of his adversaries to cite an example where Mormon teachings, have been subver? sive of the laws of the State or of or? derly citizenship; he declares also that by the commsand of the supreme authority of the Church polygamy is not taught. * Last Wednesday Mr. Cannon sent to the Emperor and the Empress copies cf the Book of Mormon in German. If no aid is extended to the Mormon mis? sionaries by Emperor William, and if the orders of expulsion are enforced, all the missionaries will leave quietly. ' Mr. Cannon expects the United Stafes to intervene in case where the missionaries have been maltreated, as, for intsance, in the affair at Olsen? bruck, Prussia, last January, when two missionaries were dragged through the streets of the town and imprisoned for three days. They were deported to Hanover, where they were again placed in jail and later sent to Ham? burg. Affidavits of these occurrences have been forwarded to Senators Kearns and Smoot, whr>, it is said here, have asked Secretary Hay to de? mand an apology from Germany in this matter, on the ground that Amer? ican citizens were treated brutally. Among the converts to Mormonism made in Germany are several police? men who were sent to observe the missionary meetings. Under date of March 14, 1903, Con? sular Agent W. D. Gordon, of Johan? nesburg, informs t?e State^Deprtment that he is in receipt of inquiries for data relative fib cotton gins and equip? ment, brick making and" cane-sagar machinery, and oil presses for extract? ing oil from peanuts and other nuts of a similar nature. VENEZUELAN ARBITRATION. Mr. Bowen Submits a f?ew Pro toco! to the Allied Powers. Washington, April 26.-Mr. Herbert W. Bowen, the Venezuelan plenipo? tentiary has drawn np a new protocol for the determination by The Hague Arbitration Tribunal of the question whether the blockading Powers shall be entitled to preferential treatment in the payment of their claims against Venezuela. This has been presented to the British ambassador and copies furnished to the dipolmatic representatives of Germany and Italy. The new intsrument contains all the points on which the negotiators prac? tically are in accord, except one, which, it is thought, will be amicably adjusted. The allied Governments having de? termined not to press the ponit of con? sideration by The Hague Tribunal of whether or not Venezuela shall be compelled to pay the expenses of the blockade, the new protocol contains no provision on that point. The docu? ment has been transmitted to London by cable, and an early reply is expect? ed by the ambassador, which will au? thorize him to proceed with the -con sider?tion of the matter. According to the protocol the arbitration tribunal is to be appointed by the Czar of Rus? sia, and wlil meet on the 1st of Sep? tember. The Venezuelan Revolution. Willemstad, Island of Curacoa, Tuesday, April 21.-New? has reached here that the Venezuelan Government generals, Gomez and Ferrer, have been routed at El Guapo by revolu tionsits, under the command of Gen. Rolando. Gomez and Ferrer returned to Caracas with many wounded. Go# mez owes his escape from capture only to the fact that he was well mounted. Forces of the Govrenment have also been defeated at Barquisimeto, San Felipe and Moran. Large numbers of wounded Government soldiers have reached Valencia, Puerto Cabello and La Guayra. The revolutionary general, Rivera, has evacuated La Vela de Coro and is now occupying a strong position near Coro, waiting for an opportunity to capture that town without bloodshed. Minster Velutina has left Caracas for Europe for the purpose of having coined silver money of the Republic. It is reported that the entire district is in revolt. A Great Battle in Africa. Aden, Arabia, April 25.-Brig. Gen. Manning, after an engagement with the Mad Mullah's forces, has relieved CoL Cobbe, near Gumburra, Somaliland, forty-five miles westward of Galadi. About two thousand of the Mullah's men were killed." The British loss is not known. The few details obtainable of the disaster to Coh Plunkett's detachment on April 17 show that the Mullah's forces consisted of 2,000 horsemen and 10,000 spearmen. They surrounded Col. Plunkett's force in the open and the* Somalis, after a heavy rifle fire, charged repeatedly, with their horse? men and spearmen, on all sides. The British detachment held out until its ammunition was exhausted and then charged with the bayonet, but it was ultimately overwhelmed bj weight of numbers. The British force fought until all its officers and 170 men were killed. Most of the handful of men who reached the camp were wounded. The Somalis' losses are reported to have been enormous. The Mullah's forces are reported to aggregate from 3,000 to 4,000 mounted men and about 80,000 spearmen. There Will be Only One More Partial Eclipse cf the Moon. _ News and Courier. The most interesting tiling about the partial eclipse of the moon last Saturday night is that the youngest child living today will not live to see another partial obstruction of the moon's light, except the partial eclipse which will take place on the night of October 6th next, and which will be invisible in America. After that, the astronomers say, the eclipse will be in totality, and will so continue for cen? turies, at intervals, which will be calculated and duly recorded by the professors in the observatories. The ancient Assyrians are credited with having discovered that the "partial" eclipse of the moon extended over a period of eight hundred years, and then became " total, " and so contin? ued for from seven to eight centries. The calculation of the time and dura? tion of eclipse is one of easiest tasks of the student of the movements of the heavenly bodies and the time that the planet enters the shadow of the other planet is figured out as accurately as the rising and the setting of the sun and the movements of the tides. After next October the babe who sees the partial eclipse of the moon then will have to live to the year 5700 to see another. Bristol, R. L, April 25.-In a fif? teen-mile beat to windward down Nar? ragansett Bay out to sea and a long run before the wind back to her moor? ings here, the Reliance, the new aspirant for the honor of defending the America's cup, was given her first builder's trial today. At the conclu? sion C. Oliver Iselin, the managing member of the syndicate of owners, said he was much pleased with the new boat. For the first time in the history of this country the imports have within a year exceeded a billion dollars. Much of these imports consist of raw materials for our manufacturers on which they have to pay tariff duty, which adds to the cost of the materials and also to that of the manufactures. Cotton prices are booming. Tho foture market opened Monday with big buying orders and prices went up with a rush ten to twelve points. There was a large crowd in town Saturday and there was more talk about the primary election and the race for the clerkship than on any day yet. Thc race is warming up and unless all signs fail the county clubs will como nearer polling their full strength than the town clubs. Weekly Crop Bulletin. ? Columbia, April 23.-Section Direct? or Eauer of the local agricultural bureau has issued the following report on the weather and crops for the week just ended : "The week ending 8pm., Monday, April 27, had a mean temperature of about 58 degrees, which is about 8 de? grees below normal. There were no warm days and the nights were unus? ually cool, with general frosts on the 23rd and 24th, and with thin ice in the northern portions on the latter date. The damage done by the frost was slight, though tender vegetation was killed^ in places, but the frosts were light in those sections where field crops are generally up. The cool weather did harm by retarding the growth of crops, and by preventing rapid or farvorable germination of planted seeds. It also caused young corn and cotton to turn yellow and look sickly. High winds prevailed at times that had a bad effect upon cotton. "The precipitation was light and confined to the first and last two days with ; an interval of dry weather that permitted rapid progress of farm work. Hail occurred over the northern por? tions on the 20th that destroyed much tobacco in Marion and adjacent coun? ties. There was another hail storm on the 22nd that did little of no dam? age. There was also a flurry of snow in Lancaster county on the latter date. The rain at the close of the week was beneficial, by softening clay soils that had become baked and hard and that broke up cloddy. "Corn planting is almost finished in the eastern and central counties, but made slow progress in the extreme west where lands continue too wet Corn that is up looks sickly, owing to cold weather, and stands have become broken from the ravages of birds and worms to such an extent that some fields are being plowed up and replant? ed. First cultivation is general in the eastern counties. $ "Cotton planting made rapid pro? gress over all except the extreme wes? tern portions, and is nearly finished in the central and eastern counties, making the planting season practically as early as the average on. The weath? er has been too cold for the favorable germination of cotton seed, and the growth of that which is just up. Some cotton is large enough to have received its first cultivation. "Tobacco plants are doing well, ex? cept where damaged by worms and hail, and transplanting has become general in the more westerly districts, and is about finished in the easterly ones. Bice planting is very backward in the Georgetown district, but has progressed favorably in other districts, where much is up to fair stands. The oat crop shows slight improvement in localities, but none over the greater portion of the State. Lice are still doing some damage. Oats are heading low in places, and harvest has begun in Charleston county. Wheat shows no improvements, and rust. is spreading rapidly. Truck was unfavorably affected by the cool weather. Minor crops and gardens need warmer weath? er." Wedgefield Items. Wedgefield, April 27.^-The cool weather of the past few days has check? ed the growth of all vegetation, but we all hope there will be no planting over of cotton. On account cf the devastation by insect and rust the oat crop will be the shortest in years. Mr. McDonald Furman of Privateer has been spending the past few'days in town with friends, he pays us a yearly visit and we wish he would come oftener. He lectured to the chil? dren of the graded school on Thursday and Friday. Mr. L. I. Parrott, candidate for Clerk of Court has been over to see us, but our people don't seem to be taking much interest in the coming primary. .Mr. F. F. Covington of the South Carolina College spent Saturday and Sunday here with relatives. A Farmer's Conference Organized by the Colored People. Mayesville, S. C., April 22, 1903 Editor The Watchman and Southron : Moved with a deep desire to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people, invitations were prepared and sent to the homes of as many farm? ers as possible eliciting their coopera? tion in matters of reform. The response to the call far exceeded our most sanguine expectations. A great number of farmers and representative citizens from this and other counties met in the Mayesville Educational and In? dustrial Institute on the 18th inst., and discussed questions of vital im? portance ; such as, how to buy homes and farms, and how to improve them ; how to raise stock, hogs, cows, horses and poultry. The discussion of these questions l6d to the formation of a ? farmers' conference which will meet annually hereafter on the first Satur? day in February. This conference was organized in connection with the Mayesville Educational and Industrial Association, and will be known as The Farmers Conference of the Mayes? ville Institute. It will, no doubt, be of interest to you to know that the school is steadily gaining the confi? dence of the people both North and South. Much attention is being given to tne hrastrial training of the boys and girls which is indispensible to thc well being of every individual. Emma J. Wilson, Principal. Ben Green, a negro who has been wanted in Darlington county for more than a year for burglary, was arrested on the Edens place four miles from this city last week and turned over to Sheriff Scarborough of Darlington, who was ir. town. Green's accomplices were arrested shortly after the com? mission of the crime and were tried, convicted and sent to tne chain gang several months ago. Green made his escape and has since been living in this county nnder an assumed name. He was recognized by Mr. Henry G. Muldrow, who had learned that he was a fugitive from justtice and his arrest followed. A few years ago strawberries were being shipped from Sumter by the car load, now the greater part of the ber? ries for local consumption are shipped in from other points. This is one of the few industries that has deteriorated instead of expanding when once es? tablished in Sumter. HORRORS IN THE PHILIPPINES. Gen. Miles' Report of His Trip Through the Philippines. STORY OF BRUTAL CRUELTY. Atrocities Perpetrated by United States Troops and Native Scouts on Defenceless Filipinos Hotly Condemned. Gen. Bell's Acts of Reconcentrai ion in Direct Violation of the Law. Washington, April 27.-The extend? ed report of Lient. Gen. Nelson A. Miles concerning his observations in the Philippines was made public to? day by the war department. It is dated Febraury 19, 1903, and covers all features of his trip through the islands, together with his recommendations. Gen. Miles describes a visit to Lipa, where, he says, a party of citizens, headed by the acting president, met him and stated that they desired to make complaint of harsh treatment of the people of that community, saying that they had been concentrated in towns and had suffered great indigna? tion : "that fifteen cf their people had been tortured by what is known as the water torture, and that one man, a highly respected citizen, aged 65 years, named Viacente Luna, while suffering from the effect of the torture and un? conscious was dragged from his house, which had been set on fire, and burned to death. They stated that these atrocities were committed by a com? pany of scouts under command of Lieut. Hennessy, and that their peo? ple had been crowded into towns, five hundred being confined, to one build? ing." A doctor of the party said he was ready to testify that some of the six hundred died from suffocation. Gen. Miles then refers to other cases, saying that on the island of Cebu it was reported and published in Novem? ber, 1902, "that two officers. Capt Samuels, 44th infantry United States volunteers, and Lent. Feeter, 19th in? fantry, had committed similar atroci? ties against the people of that Island. It is also reported that at Laoag, on the island of Luzon, two natives were whipped to death. At Tacloban, Leyet, it was reported that Major Glenn ordered Lieut. Caulfield, Philip? pine scouts, to take eight prisoners out into the country, and that if they did not guide him to the camp of the in? surgent, Quison, he was not to bring them back. It was stated that the men were taken out and that they either did not or could hot do as directed. One of the men who had a son among the scouts was spared, but the others were shot or bayonetted to death, some being in a kneeling posi? tion at that time. "At Calbayog, Samar, it was re? ported that several men in that district had been subjected to water torture. I saw three men who had been sub? jected to this treatment. One was the presidente of the town, Mr. Rosales, who showed me long, deep scars on his arm, which he said were caused by the cords with which he was bound cutting into his flesh. The second man was named Jose Bor ja and the third was Padre Jose Diaznes, who stated that he was one of the three priests who had been subjected to torture by the troops under command of Lieut. Gaujot, 10th cavalry ; that his front teeth had been knocked out, which was ap? parent; that he was otherwise mal? treated and robbed of $300i It was stated that these priests were taken out to be killed and were saved only by the prompt action of Major Car? rington, 1st infantry, who sent out for thenu Lieut. Gaujot was tried, plead? ed guilty and was given the trivial sentence of three months' suspension from command, forfeiting $50 per month for the same period. His plead? ing guilty prevented all the facts and circumstances being developed. " It appears that Major Glenn, Lieut Conger and a party of assistants and ? native scouts were moved from place to place for the purpose of extorting statements by means of torture, and'it became so notorious that this party was called 'Glenn's brigade.' Wheth? er it was possible for officials to be en? gage in such acts without the personal knowledge of the general upon whose staff they were serving at the time, namlely Brig. Gen. Hughes, I leave for others to conjecture. "These facts came to my notice in a casual way, and many others of similar character have been reported in differ? ent parts of the archipelago. In fact, I was informed that it was common talk at the place where officers con? gregated that such transactions had been carried on either with the con? nivance or approval of certain com? manding officers. It is however, most gratifying to state that such atrocities have been condemned by such com? manders as Gens. Lawton, Wade, Sumner, Lee, Baldwin and others. " I found that with certain officers the impression prevails that such acts were justifiable, and I felt it my duty, in order to correct such erroneous and dangerous impression, and to prevent the possibility of such acts being com? mitted in the future, which must im? pair the good name of American arms and bring discredit to our service for all time, to direct that any orders or circulars of personal instruction, which would inspire or encourge any act of cruelty be annulled. ' Gen. Miles directs attention to the acts of reconcentration by Gen. Bell and claims that they were in direct violation of the Jaw. He says the law was also violated in handling and buy? ing large quantities of rice which was ! sold at a profit. The people who were in the reconcentration camp, says Gen. Miles, were "considered prisoners of war, but were compelled to buy food from those who held them at a large profit." Gen. Miles characterizes this as un? precedented. Judge Advocate General Davis has made a reply to the foregoing, in which he says the instances of atrocity were made the subject of special in- j vestigations, resulting in administra? tive action as in Court-martials: As to some phases of these inquiries, says Gen. Davis, the investigations are not yet complete. The distribution of rice, Gen. Davis, says, was a military necessity, and the profits were turned over to the insular treasury for use in further relief. Of the Moros Gen. Miles says: "The problem of reducing or controlling these people in case of continued hostilities does not appear to be a diffi? cult one. They are very poorly armed and have no means of withstanding our mountain artillery or field mortars. Their forts possess but slight resisting power and can easily be destroyed by modern artillery." Of the roads to Lake Lanao, he says : "At the time of my visit there were six hundred of our men at work on this road. The heat was intense, and there were at the time seventy men sick, and some two hundred men on sick re? port. Unless there be some great mili? tary necessity-and I know of none this work should not be performed by troops. There \ appeared to be very great dissatisfaction and just ground for complaint." The more important observations and recommendations of Gen. Miles are as follows : "The general condition of the troops in the archipelago was creditable to themselves and to the country. The officers and soldiers made a good ap? pearance. "The effect of the climate is a most serious detriment to the service. The men go there in perfect health and in the prime of manhood, but as a body are seriously affected in the course of two or three years' service. Very few escape, but the majority are debilitated. "As the military stations, with but few exceptions, are very remote and the troops are required to be in com? munities that are neither beneficial nor congenial to them, the service is de? pressing, and, to some extent, has a demoralizing effect. During my visits to the garrisons it so happened that I did not see a single soldier under the influence of liquor. As the result of my observations it is my judgment that the discontinuance of the liquor feature of the canteen has been bene? ficial to the army. Now that the temptation has been removed from the immediate presence of the young men of the army they are less likely to in? dulge in the use of liquor. "The number of troops that will be required to occupy the Philippine Is? lands is still problematic. While it is claimed that the people are pacified, evidences of hostility toward Amerir can sovereignty are apparent.The news? papers, published ?n both Spanish and English, contain almost daily accounts of hostilities, depredations or disturb? ances of the peace. Against these arm? ed bands tthe Civil Government is employing the constabulary, a force of about six thousand men. "I found a large proportion of the troops occupying church property, monasteries, colleges and convents. This I believe to be entirely wrong, and it should be discontinued without delay." "While the supplies have, as a rule, been abundant and of good quality, there is, in my opinion, too much cold storage meat used for the good of the troops. Its * constant use becomes very distasteful and, in the opinion of many eminent physicians, it is noe the most healthful" Gen. Miles says the Philippine Is? lands are as defenceless today as they were five years ago and renews his re? commendation that at least one strategic position be fortified beyond tlie possibility of capture by any for? eign fleet or fleets. "In my journeys through the archi? pelago I was frequently appealed to to aid in assisting the people to obtain a food supply, of which they will be in great need" in the near future. I do not think there is today a people so sorely afflicted as the eight millions of inhabitants of this archipelago. Pestilence has prevailed, having been in some districts a serious scourge, resulting in the reported death of nearly 75,000 people, while it is esti? mated that the number not reported is fully as large." Gen. Miles recommended that trans? ports should be used to bring out wheat and corn, and then used to bring carabaos and cattle. Portions of the report of Gen. Miles were sent to the different chiefs of bureaus and replies 'from several officers have been received. Gen. Gillespie, chief of engineers, says: "That Manila harbr or any other harbor in the insular possessions is not now defended, or is not in process of defence, is because Congress has not so willed it." Gen. O'Reilley, surgeon general, says: "The bad effect of the climate on the health of the army is a simple fact. I think we must consider these sick rates as part of the price of occu? pancy of the islands and not expect any very great diminution for the fu? ture. There should be improvement when the troops are taken ont of the natve villages and comfortably settled in permanent barracks. "The prevalence of alcoholism in the army as shown by the sick report is much greater in the United States than in the islands. The last annual report of the surgeon general showed the island rate to be only two-thirds of the army rate at home. " Gen. O'Reilly defends the canteen system as a means of keeping soldiers away from the attractions of saloons. I Gen. Weston, commissary general, says: "In my judgment it is not a feasible or economical plan and there should be no departure from the pres? ent system of supplying frozen beef." Gen. Weston says his office has neve.i received any complaint about frozen.' j beef, but, on the contrary, ua?&rm i , commendation. It is understood that a reply has been received from Gen. Hughes, whe . was commanding in the Philippines . and one of the officers to whom- Gen. Miles refers in his report. This reply was not made public. Gen. Miles"., however, who had been furnished copies of the replies of the different bureau officers, sent' each a note of a few lines, stating that the replies to his comments on affairs in the Phil? ippines were all of gentlemanly char? acter save that of Gen. Hughes* Consnl D. E. McGinley, of Athens, reports that large deposits of stone suitable for lithographic purposes have been discovered and opened in Thes? saly. The deposits are situated on a good highway, six or seven miles from the Pharsala station, on the new railroad now being constructed between Athens and Larissa, Greece. Greek experts report that the stone is far superior in quality to the best litho? graphic tone heretofore known in Europe. A big lot of new paper novels re? ceived today by H. G. Osteen <& Co.