The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-23
P|)RTORICAN WAR PLAN
Troops Not 10 Be Sent There
at Present.
SOLDIERS co TO SANTIAGO.
Point a Better One al Which To-
AGCllmate Men.

Proposed Attack on San Juan May
Eventually he Abandoned Altos
gether-Nothing Practical to Be
Gained From n Diplomatic or
Strntenic Standpoint by an Attack
ON Porto RicO-SubJect Discussed
at "a Conference BetVveen the Press
ident, Secretaries AIger and Long
and Attorney General Griggs.
Washington. June PA sudden and
somewhat unexpected change In the war
programme of the administration ls unoftl-
cially announced to-day.
The expedition to Porto Rico Is to be
suspended for the present. and ultimately
it may be abandoned entirely.
A number of dispatches passed between
Secretary Alger and Gen. shafter last
night and this morning over the new cable
line from Guantanamo, and the inference
Is that the information contained in these
dispatches have TO a large extent strengths
ened the decision of the President to sus-
pend the campaign against Porto Rico.
Recent developments have brought the
administration 10 the opinion that noth-
Ing practical for diplomatic or a strait
egc point of view win be accomplished by
the invasion Of Porto Rico at this time.
The subject has been carefully investi-
gated by the ablest international lawyers
connected with the administration and
there Is a unanimity of opinion that the
invasion Of Santiago is far more advanta-
geous. from a legal and strategic point
OF view. than Porto Rico would be to the
United States
There was long conference al tho
White House this morning between tho
President. Secretaries Alger and Long, and
Attorney General Griggs. Ii is understood
this whole subject was fully considered.
Secretary Alger took with him 70 tho
White House the latest communications he
had received from Gen. shafter, showing
that the site for the landing of the troops
has been selected and the Decentralization
win proceed without delay.
II is believed that Gen shafter has sub.
mitted a suggestion to the effect that SAM
tlago offers facilities for the accllmation
Of troops equal to, II not, superior TO the
accommodations to be found at Porto Rico.
The participants in the conference de-
cline TO discuss the subject and positively
refuse to confirm or deny the well-sustain-
ed clreumstanual report that tie Porto
Rico expedition has practically been abau-
| doned
Army officers who might be advised On
the subject cautiously evade direct ques-
tons and politely refer their interrogatoricS
to the Secretary of War.
The latter, with the same degree OF po-
llteness decline to discuss the proposition
for publication.
When the Porto Rico expedition was
proposed 1t was believed that Spain might
sue for peace before Cuba could be invad-
| ed by the American forces,g and II was
deemed essential, from a diplomatic point
of view, for the United States to have in
its possession a portion Of Spanish terri
tory TO figure in future diplomatic negotia-
tions.
1t was also believed by some of the wise
men Of the army, as well as some OF the
leading men in Congress, that Porto Rico
would be an excellent place for the United
States volunteers to rendezvous prior to in-
vadlng Cuba, and become thoroughly accli-
mated.
Recent Developments show that the clim-
ate of Santiago Is as healthy as that OF
Porto Rico, besides 1t IS over SOO miles
nearer Key West.
The landing Of the United States marines
al Guantanamo, Is said to be an invasion
Of Spanish territory, just as much so aS
If an invading force were landed at Porto
Rico.
Admiral Sampson and Gen. Shafter have
better opportunities for judging the ell
matte and other conditions at Santiago
than all the self-constituted strategists in
existence, and II Is understood they advise
the concentration of the American forces
at Santiago, leaving Porto Rico TO be dealt
with in the future.
This change IN the programme Of tho
administration upsets many well conceived
theories. and It may be a difficult matter
for those who have been consistently ad-
vocatlng the invasion Of Porto Rico with
out knowing why they did so, to reaiize
the wisdom Of concentration at Santiago.
Those who are familiar with both places
agree with experienced army and navy
officers that Santiago is Of greater value
from a military point OF view than the oc-
cupatlon of far-away Porto Rico.