The Press., 1898-08-04
washington Letter.
washington. August i. 1898.

washington, August /, 1898.
Spain Is an up-to-date exemplification
of the adage about the evils attendant
upon a bad name Although President
Mckinney has acted upon SPANS request
for our terms of peace as though he be-
lieved in its honor and straightforward
ness, there is no reason to believe that
his faith in Spanish honor is any greater
than that of the average man-owing to
his experience, it is probably not so great.
Not one man out of ten in Washington
believes that Spain made those overtures
with any serious intention of accepting
our terms of peace, although in the end
it may do so. II has very nearly reached
case of ''must" with Spain, and II 1t
doesn't accept the present terms, which,
under the circumstances, are liberal In
the extreme, so liberal that the French
ambassador, who Is now also accredited
as Spanish minister, accepted them on
the spot, more severe ones will have to
be accepted later. The terms condensed
are the evacuation of Cuba and Porto
Rico, and leaving the Philippine question
to be settled afterwards.
In the general discussion which has
followed Spain's plea for peace, some very
interesting points have been raised. For
instance, as an evidence of SPANS insin-
certify, one man calls attention to a clause
in the Spanish constitution which prohib-
its the crown even entering upon negotia-
lions having in view the cession or ex-
change of any portion of Spanish terri
tory, until authority has been granted by
majority vote of both branches of the
national legislature. This Is met by an
other man with the claim that the recent
declaration of martial law throughout
Spain operates as a suspension of the
constitution, and that the Spsnish gov
eminent can, If it so desires, negotiate a
treaty on the lines laid down by the terms
of this government without danger of
having its legality questioned.
Gen. Miles is having an experience in
Porto Rico that is unique in war. In
stead of finding himself and army In the
enemy's country, he finds that they are
among the warmest sort of friends. The
Porto Ricans cheer our flag and our SOL
diers whenever town Is taken possession
of, and declare themselves to be loyal
Americans, many of them carrying the
declaration to the extent of asking to be
allowed to enlist in our army, and fight
for the flag which they already consider
their own. Owing to the retreat of the
| Spanish garrison of the captured terri
tory, Gen. Miles is now in possession of
almost the entire southern end Of Porto
Rico, including Ponce and other towns of
more or less Importance, and what is bet
ter, he has not lost man, and the health
of his army is good All OF the Spanish
troops on the island are being concentrat-
ed at San Juan, towards which Gen. Miles
Is slowly approaching, and there may be
some severe fighting there, although but
little surprise would be caused by the
surrender of the garrison when our army
gets near enough to assault their fortifi-
cations.
Gen. Shafter has officially confirmed
the press statement of the worthlessness
of Garcia and his Cubans in the Santiago
campaign.
| The fears of the administration that
the Philippine insurgents were likely to
make trouble for US at Manila, have been
increased by dispatches from Admiral
Dewey and Gen. Merritt, who reached
there last week. Aguinaldo, the insur-
gent chief, is nursing bad case Of the
big head, and has had little enough sense
to try to give himself airs In his dealings
with Admiral Dewey. One consolation
in the situation is that Aguinaldo's rela-
tions with the Spanish are such that there
Is no possibility of his making combi-
nation with them against us. After Ma
nilla Is taken and the Spanish disposed
Of, Gen. Merritt and Admiral Dewey will
be in position to administer thrashing
to the Insurgents, If their actions show
them to be laundering after It, The tax
ing of Manila is not likely to be much
longer deferred, unless peace puts a stop
to the campaign.
Although not freer from doubts than
everybody else about how long we shall
wait for peace, Secretary Long has issued
orders for the monitors and yachts COM
posing the auxiliary coast defense feet,
generally referred to as the mosquito
feet" to be put out of commission.
This Is the first step taken to reduce
the tremendous war expenses of the gov
eminent. A naval officer was asked If he
thought this action on Secretary Longs
part indicated his belief that peace was
near at hand, replied: 'FNot necessarily.
l think the vsssels composing this fleet
would have been ordered out of commits
sion If Spain had not said word about
peace. Secretary Long knows that Spain
has no ships left to attack our coast, and
that this feet Is no longer needed" The
same officer was asked what about the
decision by Secretary Long TO purchase
only one floating dock for service In
southern waters, instead of two, which
1t was decided to buy before Spain made
peace overtures. He said: at was the
destruction of Cervera's feet, not peace
overtures, that caused that change"
|
Tomorrow is day that never comes.
People have been waiting for 1t since the
beginning, and they will continue to wait
1 until tho n 1o3% 10