The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-08-04
PLANS OF M'KINLEY.
Watson's Mission Is TO Destroy
camara's Fleet.
WILL MOVE ON HAVANA NEXT FALL
Great Problems Of Colonial Government
Thas WIN Eagags the Ssnt
Congress.

sneak with knowledge and authority as
70 the plans Of the Administration with
reference TO future war operations. In
substance the statement was as follows;
Commodore Watson, in proceeding
10 the Spanish peninsula rs soon as
the Porto Rican expedition is gotten
under way, is not 10 lombard the cities
on the Spanish coast. No such idea OF
bombardment 81 the coast Is enter
tanned. While there may BE- other in
cidental purposes, the main mission OF
Watson is TO take care of Camara's
feet. The movement Of this feet and
the fears and apprehensions caused by
reports concerning II are TO be stopped
for all time. The ships under Camara
will be located by Watson, finally met
and engaged. The talk occasionally in
dulged in as to the Canary islands Is
utterly without foundation. This Gov
eminent has no plan to take the is
lands, and does not want them.
despite popular expectation that
Porto Rico operations will be followed
Immediately by action against Havana,
it can be said that Havana will not be
attacked while yellow fever conditions
exist. This is certain.
ut would be the height OF national
folly to engage our troops in and about
the fever pesthole, consequently it will
be left until the climate lends its aid
in the autumn. Shafter will hold his
own in the eastern strip now surren-
dersd, and may gradually push his way
over some other districts, and II there
should be any particular need OF i'm
mediate aggressive action at any point,
will move against it, but Havana will
he left until yellow fever dangers are
past.
Meantime, in the next two months
there will be enough to keep this Gov
eminent busy. We will have to cope
with the most serious problem yet, OF
providing for the government and the
future OF the lands involved in this
war. The hauling down of the Spanish
flag and the hoisting OF that Of the
United States means more than on its
face it indicates to the popular mind.
No more important matter is to en-
gage the attention OF the Government
than the details TO be arranged for the
disposition, control or temporary pos
session, pending final transfer of pos
session OF these additions to our do
main. There are questions OF the most
intricate and iar-reaching character TO
lie decided.
Porto Rico, whose fall is likely to
be recorded within a week or ten days,
will have to have military govern
ment. Porto Rico, OF course, is to be
kept permanently by this Government,
but this must be a military govern
ment first, and many preliminary de-
tails will have to be worked out.
There must be rehabilitation OF ex-
listing systems OF government where
We have carried our arms, and while
local schemes and conditions will form
the basis Of the general system for the
control of the land, there must be
numerous changes, abo'ishing such
laws as may be oppressive. Laws will
have to be very thoroughly gone over
and the tariff system revised in some
way, but in general and as far as pos
sible the system Of government which
new exists is TO be followed.
"All this means work OF the most
serious character, and in the absence
of existing laws to govern such mat
tiers, the President has 70 go ahead on
his own responsibility. Next winter,
hoxuavar u,ha, Honurasa .,.~.,...,.oo AZ =
necessity for laws covering such mat
tiers will be recognized by recommen-
dations to Congress to that end, to be
submitted by the President, and it is
very probable the shaping OF the desti-
MES of Porto Rico and similarly cir
cumstanced accessions will be left to a
commission or commissions to be APP
pointed TO draft the laws for adoption
by Congress. The Government is like
ly to be busy from now on considering
all these matters OF governmental de-
tail.
1T Is certainty, as far as now can
be foreaeen, that Guam, the island in
the Ladrone group that was captured
by this Government, will be perma-
nently retained as coaling and supply
station. For these purposes il is valu-
able from its location between the
Sandwich and the Philippine islands,
but on the point whether the rest OF
them will be kept am not sure.
They may be, and they may not be.
The disposition OF the Philippines is
unsettled and depends upon circum-
stances.
AS TO the attitude of Garcia and
the insurgents in Cuba there is NO
change in our intention. This Govern
ment has not been misled in its esti.
mate of the forces. With the oppres.
siye hand Spain has put on them SC
long, contending against the conditions
imposed by injustice and oppression,
there would have been little expecta,
tion OF greater abilities than are now
shown by them. This Government
will have TO treat them kindly but
firmly. II has made pledge to estab-
lisb firm and stable government, and
that must be carried out. 1t therefore
may be, In the light of present cir
cnmstances and conditions, many years
before affairs there have 50 shaped
shemselyes as TO entrust the island TO
the Cubans and 10 finally yield our
possession TO them. The transition
mast be gradual, step by step, and the
nnal general change OF control effected
only after thorough training with the
trial Of some Of the leaders In At first