Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-05-27
THE WAR WITH SPAIN.

For a long time there was very little
war news. 1t was known that Admit
raj Ceryera with the Spanish fleet was
somewhere in the West Indias, but
Just where he could be found was hard
TO tell. Admiral Sampson and Com
modore Schley we're very anxious to
meet him, as each of them had an i'm
portant communication to deliver to
him, but the Spanish admiral seemed
to be a pretty smooth sort Of indiyidu-
al and hunting for his vessels through
a thousand miles of water, with many
channels to guard was a good deal like
looking for the proverbial needle in
a hay stack. Along late in the week
1t was reported he had slipped into
Santiago de Cuba, but il he did Samp-
son was not there.
President Mckinley had found out
that the many kilograms sent To the
newspapers by the various correspon-
dents with the feet and at Key West
were giving the Spanish too many
pointers regarding the actions of the
United States forces, and So estab-
lished a rigorous censorship over all
communications sent out, and
promised to bulletin for the use of the
public and the papers all important
news that it was willing to publish.
The censorship was something new to
the newspaper men of the country,
and at first they hardly knew how to
take it.. On coming to a realizing
sense of the situation the better class
of newspapers acquiesed in the action
of the government and r~efrained from
printing news that would give TO the
Spanish valuable information. The
yellow journals, regardless OF the in
@terests Of the country, made every
effort to break the news blockade.
for the sake of printing the news they
we're willing to give not only to their
readers but to Spain, information
which might enable the Spaniards to
have an important advantage over our
army and navy. If they could print
the news they were willing that our
sailors should be killed and our vessels
sunk. They are patriots, but of that
peculiar yellow and red stripe that is
noticed in the Spanish flag;
There was the usual Sunday rumor.
but this time it came in late Satula
day night. 1t told sof a battle be-
tween the American and Spanish
fleets, that eleven Spanish vessels
were sunk and captured. and four
American vessels were injured. This
gradually wore down to the sinking of
four Spanish ships, and later to
nothing.
As nobody knows just where our
fleets are, and are not certain regard
the post office address Of the Spanish
admiral, all Of the ama5uer strategy
boards In the country have had agreat
lee way in fighting the battles that
they think ought. TO be fought, aud
which will be fought hen Simpson
gets within striking dis lance Of the
Spaniards.
The Oregon got around all right aud
joined SIMPSONS fleet. 1t made the
run of 1900 miles and when it
dnished its machinery was In as good
shape as ever, not 1--we cents had to be
expended for repairs, which is said by
the sailors to be a remarkable record.
just what has happened, is happen
ing or is going to happen in the way OF
lighting is u mighty uncertain thing.
The most reliable report that has
come from Washington was given out
Monday night when it was officially
given out that a decisive fight might
take place within a few hours, or may
not occur for several days, possibly
weeks" The good guessers among
The LIBERAL readers have Just as good
a chance as any other good guessers.
Heavy canhonadiDg was reported 10
the Windwatd passage, off Mole St.
Nicholas. The Wiudward passage is
the water between Cuba and Hayti.
Whether there was a battle or not is
uncertaih. The government claims
TO know nothing about it.
aThree vessels loaded with soldiers
have started from San Francisco for
Manila TO help Dewey out. The adj
miral is maintaining a strict blockade
over the city and the people are get
ting hungry. The German consul
wanted to land some provisions there
but Dewey forbid his doing so. He
threatened to call in the aid of a
couple of German cruisers to force the
landing of the provisions, but Dewey
told him that If they attempted to aid
in such work he would open fire on
them. There were but two German
cruisers there so they concluded they
did not want to tackle Dewey. The
Monterey has been ordered to go tC
, Manila and the people on the coast
are scared most TO death. AS the
Monterey was the only formidable
fighting machine left on the coasI
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