Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
Porto Rico as an Ameri-
can Colony.
= COIrIODORE WATSON'S
FLEET.
The Transportation of the
Spaniards.
GEN. GARCIA AND GEN.
SHAFTER.
The Growth of the trade.

FROM Our Regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July %, 1898.
Uncle Sam took the first step to-
wards the acquisition of another de-
sirable piece OF real estate, when Gen.
Miles hoisted "Old Glory" on Porto
Rico, and, whatever may be done with
other captured territory, it is certain
that Porto Rico is going to be ours TO
keep. In addition to the troops with
Gen. Miles, two other armies are to be
anded at different points in Porto
Rico at once. Then the three armies
will capture all of the smaller places
before moving in concert on the heavi
1y fortified town of San Juan. Three
weeks is the outside estimate of the
length of the campaign although Presi
dent Mckinley's desire that San Juan
shall be taken without infantry as
ssults upon the breast works, IL possible
may lengthen the campaign.
THE TRIP DEFERRED.
For reasons satisfactory to himself.
President Mckinley has deferred SAIL
ing of Commodore Watson's fleet for
the coast of Spain. The presumption
is that he is giving Spain an opportuni-
ty 10 sue for peace, although neither
he nor any member of his cabinet has
said anything upon which to base shat
presumption Secretary Long, when
asked the direct question. when Com
modore Watson's fleet would start for
Spain, said: whenever the President
issues the order
The encouraging news from Gen.
Skaters army has destroyed the last
vestige OF the yellow fever scare. A
considerable number OF our men over
there have the fever, but there have
been very few deaths from it.
THE SPANISH CONTRACT.
The trouble about the yellow journal
story OF how the War Department GOT
euchred when it contracted with
Spanish Steamship Company for the
transportation or the surrende red
Spanish soldiers from Santiago to
Spain was the usual one-it wasn't
true. The Spanish Steamship Com
pany will get no advantage whatever
out OF the contract beyond the cash
paid for the transportation, while the
War Department made sure by placing
this contract that no complaint could
be made against us in connection with
the treatment of the prisoners on the
vovage.and that there would be no trou
ble about their being landed in Spain.
The contract specifically stated that
no vessels belonging to thu company
would be allowed to leave blockaded
ports TO perform the service provided
for.
GEN. GARcIA's ATTITUDE.
1t is the opinion of President McKin-
ley and members of his cabinet that
the friction between Gen. Shafter, and
Gen. Garcia, who commands the Gu
ban insurgents in the Santiago district
which led to Garcia's withdrawing his
troops and announcing that he had
rendered his resignation to Gen. Co
mez, the Commander-in~Chi of the
insurgents, is more the result OF mis- |
understanding than anything else
Gen. Shafter's Instructions are TO treat
the insurgents courteously and kindly |
and not to expect too much from them
in a military way. 1t is nonsense for
Garcia TO pretend to be disgrunted be-
cause Santiago was not surned over to |
the insurgents. It has been made !
plain to him aud all Of the other insur- (
gent leaders that the u. 3. intended to |
assume military control of Cuba /
fast as 1t came into our possession,
and 30 retain that control until such /
time as all the residents OF Cuba could 1
be given an opportunity to express |
Themselves as to how and by whom 1
they would be governed. 1t was be-
cause OF doubt that the insurgents !
represented q majority of the residents !
OF Cuba that President Mckinley 1
strove so hard and successfully to pre-
vent Congress providing for the recog-
milton OF the insurgeDt government.
THE TRADE OF JAPAN
The U. s. sells more wheat and floor
to japan than Edo all other countries
combined, and the official figures in a
report from U. s. Consul Harris, at
Nagasaki, shows q steady and healthy
growth in this trade. OF wheat we
sent in 1895, only 484. 51Ofb, but in
1895. it had grown to 2,45l ,689b, and
in 1897 to u, 467 ,4e6B OF flour we
sent 10 1895, 1896 ,o7Ofb, in 1895.
81, 4O8, Bill 10, and in 1897, 81 ,O94 $40.
PROTECTIVE TARIFF.
That protective tariff does not pre-
vent the growth of our export trade,
ought TO be too well known to need
proof, but in case you have still few
free traders in your vicinity who need
proof, the following facts concerning
0ur pxnorte fO Canada for tho H~st |