Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-04-30
WASHINGTON LETTER
WAR REVENUE.
A Bill to Increase it By
Millions.
REGULAR ARMY TO BE
INCREASED.
SDaniardS to he Made to
EVacUate.
HON. CHARLES EMORY SMITH NOW
POSTMASTER GENERAL
tFrom Our Regular Correspondent

(from Our Regular Correspondent
Washington, ID. c., April %. 1898.
President Nc Kinley hopes the war
with Spain will be short. but he is not
allowing his hope 10 prevent hts MAX
ing all necessary preparations TO fight
it to victorious end, long or short.
His call for 125 900 volunteers speci-
fies that the men shall volunteer to
serve for two years, unless sooner dis
charged, and the war revenue bill, pre-
pared under his direction by the Ways
and Means Committee of the House
which is now before Congress and
which will be put through without any
unnecessary loss of time. is another in
dication of his intention TO be prepared
for any emergency 1t provides for an
addition OF 800 600 600 a year TO the
revenues of the country by internal
revenue taxation; for the issuing of
$500 600 600 in per cent bonds TO run
for twenty years, or to be redeemed af-
ter 10 years at the option of the gov
eminent, aud authorizing the issuing
of 3 per cent certificates of indebted
ness by the treasury for any portion of
500 COO, 600 that may be needed. Con-
the President in a highly creditable
manner. 1t promptly passed the bill
authorizing the formation of volun-
tee army and the bill for reorganiz-
ing the regular army. which author
ICES its increase to 60,000 men. and as
soon as the President asked it declared
that state of war existed.
THE INVASION OF CUBA.
The blockade of Havana and other
Cuban ports. of which notice was Civ
en- TO the world in q proclamation by
the President 8 soon as Spain virtual
~ declared wtr W sending our minis
ter away from NJ tdrid. Will be main
tanned until CuOa is captured, but no
land operations further than the land
ing OF a small force of marines at some
place on the coast and establishing of a
base OF supplies for the Cuban army is
contemplated until the 125.000 volun-
teers, now being modified. are ready
for embarkation. 1t is impossible to
say just how soon that will De-some
say not more than ten days, while 9TH
ers, whose opinions are entitled to
weight say it will take at least month
to get the new army into condition
to be effective-but no time is going to
be wasted. The men who are to have
charge of the invasion Of Cuba know
their business. They are not going to
move until they know that they can
make short work of driving the Span
iards out of Cuba. They know that
the men can be trained and put into
proper fighting condition much better
in the United States than in Cuba.
THE BLocKADING SQUADRON.
Meanwhile the people must not al
- 10
Our navy will while the army is getting
ready continue the work of blockading
and of picking up Spanish merchant
vessels, which has been so suspicious
" started by the capture of valuable
ships. The blockading squadron will
not attack Havana for the present, un-
less the forts there first attack them
There are all sorts Of reports as tC
what Spain is doing and is going to dc
with her warships but it looks al
though she is afraid to send her bis
fiees of ships to the assistance of Cuba
and is keeping them on the other side
of the Atlantic, where their most dan
gerous occupation until we have cap
tured Cuba will be the capture of the
Am rican merchant ships. Our Asiat
ic squadron has orders which may re
suit in a naval battle of the Philippine
Islands.
NEW POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Hon. Charles Emory Smith, TO
many years editor of the Philadelphia
Press. who was nominated and con
firmed as Postmaster General las
week, to succeed Hon. James Ia. Gary
who resigned in consequence of ba
health, took charge of the Pc sc Offic
Department. to day Mr.. Smith need
no introduction either to the people o
the country or to the republican party
His selection was genuine surprise
but the immediate unanimous contir
nation of his nomination by the Sen
ate told that it was pleasing one.
Another change in the Cabinet ma
be expected any day as Secretar
Sherman's age and strength will no
permit him TO remain at the head {
the Department of State during tn
trying and exciting times that wa
necessarily brings to the Cabinet. MI
Sherman made up his mind sOmetim
ago to retire in favor of a younger an
stronger man as soon as the war begaT
but up to this time President McKin
lev has not been able to obtain the con
sent of Judge Day. who as Assistan
Secretary has had direct charge OF ev
erything pertaining TO Cuban matters
to become Secretary. Judge Day ha
never had any desire for Office, havin
accepted his present position as a per
sOual favor to the President, and wit
the understanding that IL was only {
be . temporary arrange ment. That b
would prefer returning to private lif
and the practice OF bis profession