The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-15


House, the war department. and the navy
department today resumed their usual
Sunday quiet, a condition which has not
prevailed since tie Maine was blown up
in Havana harbor. -
The President believes that the most
serious problem which the peace COM
mission will be called upon to deal with
is the Philippines. The fact that the
Philippines will present the difficult
problem in the peace negotiations has
caused the administration to give IL a
great deal Of careful attention.
Several suggestions have been made as
to what shall be done, one being the re-
tention of the bay, city and harbor OF
Manila, just what the protocol gives tenn
porarily.
Another is that Subig bay and suffic-
lent amount Of territory for g naval and
coaling station be secured and the build
ing up of an American city at that place
begun. Still another idea which is be-
ing considered.is the retention of the ISL
and Of Luzon. 1t is believed. however,
that the administration and the commits
sion will be greatlyiinfuenced by the re-
ports which Admiral Dewey and Gen.
Merritt will make on the subject Their
reports are expected before the commits
sion meets.
The final determination as to the gov
ernment of Porto Rico and the SETTLE
ment of the government OF Cuba are
problems for settlement, but the impress
sion prevails that these islands will be-
come quite rapidly Americanized and
every announcement for them to- do SO
will be givsn.
Porto Rico will be under military con-
troll for the present. Cuba also will be
similarly governed, but it is probable
that American reforms in the matter OF
government will be such that the people
of Cuba will see the advantage Of becom-
ing annexed to the United States.
1t is thought that the sanitary improve
ment of Havana, and other cities, the
management Of the municipalities and
the liberty offered | the country people
will soon convince the inhabitants that
the changed conditions are for their
good.
Porto Rico will be treated at once as an
Ameri oan possession. The first move
ment in this direction will be the sending
of delegation Of officials from the post
Office department. to investigate and re-
port upon the mail facilities there, and
to make such recommendations as they
4 y1pou
Mail routes, methods of transportation
and the conditions Of post Offices general
" in the island will be examined.
Military post offices will be established
at once where troops are stationed and at
once such other points as may be demand
ed by the interests of Americans and the
people Of the island if the present offices
are not available. A similar course will
be taken In Cuba, but this is likely to
be delayed as immediate removal OF Span
ish and occupation by the United States
is not expected. No more troops VIII
be sent to Gen. Merritt unless he asks Tor
them. It is believed at the war depart
ment that the 900 men now there are
sufficient to garrison Manila and the
pround which the United States for the
nresent will occupy. All the troops that
were with Gen. Shafter in the Santiago
campaign will be out of Cuba by Friday
of this yeek. Gen. Shafter will accom-
nany them to Montauk Point. There
will remain at Santiago five regiments of
immunes to do garrison duty. 1t is vet
.,1+tya thnt a hatterv will ho ,o,+ T.,
Santiago to take the place Of the batteries
which are to be removed. Gen. Miles has
about $1,000 men in Porto Rico. They
will be sufficient for the occupation of
the island and perhaps more than are
needed after the Spanish evacuate. The
remainder of the troops will remain in
the various places to which they have
been assigned for the present, though