The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-03

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May p The national
Capitol was hysterical with delight to-day
over Admiral Dewey's signal victory at
Manila and the probable surrender of the
city. The joy of the preceding evening was
intensified, for the reason that later advices
confirmed and gave substance and form to
the incoherent first reports from the far
away South Pacific islands. The cables
were cut before all the facts could be COM
municated and it may be another twenty
four hours before the official account of
the battle can reach Washington, but
enough is known to enable a rough meas
ure to be taken of the size and significance
of the victory. The President has been
overwhelmed with congratulations all day
and evening. Bushels of kilograms were re-
ceived and tho later mails give promise of
an avalanche of letters of similar tenor,
while members of Congress and friends
dropped in to say a. word of cheer, thank
fulness and hope for a continuation of good
fortune. If the prediction holds good that
the war will be over in sixty days, theory
based on the belief that Sampson and Schley
will make short work of the Spanish navy
in the Atlantic, there will be small chance
for the state volunteers to distinguish them
selves. Nevertheless Congress is proceeding
as though the war was going to last indefl-
nitely 1t voted to-day to supplement the
-million-dollar emergency war appro-
priation with $35 100000 more and the Sem
ate will get to work at once on the war;
revenue measure.
AS stated in these dispatches yesterday,
the qu stion, What shall be done with the
Philippines, now that they have fallen into
our hands?" is one that is receiving the
serious consideration of the government. If
this country is to hold them during the war
it will be necessary to send thither strong
force under the command of a general of
high ability and experience. The indications
are that this is what is going to be done.
The President has stated to James Hamil-
ton Lewis that if Admiral Dewey called for
or advised that a military force be sent to
Manila it would be sent without UNIQUE de-
lay. This force would be made up, the
President said, of troops in the West, who
would rendezvous at San Francisco. Mr..
Lewis desired, if troops were to be sent to
the Philippines, those of Washington be
included in the force. The President gave
him the desired assurance, but did not say
how far East he would come for troops,
perhaps not further, however, than the Mis-
souri, river. The President said that the
force that would be sent would probably be
large enough to absorb all the organized
ern States, and to give volunteers now in
the guard chance to go. The calling here
at this time of Major General Wesley Mer-
ritt, of the regular army, commanding the
Department of the East, with headquarters
at Governors island, New York, is re-
garded as significant. General Merritt is
looked upon by a number of people as the
ablest military commander now in the
army, yet this is the. first time he has been
called here since the war began or since,
in fact, it became apparent that war was
to be the outcome of our differences with
Spain. The general happens to be one of
the officers of the civil war who was re-
sponsible for General now secretary AL
gers retirement from the army under a
cloud in 1864, and it is limited that it is the
secretary's purpose to get Merritt out of the
country by putting him in command of the
Philippines expedition Army circles are
greatly stirred up over the report, as Gen.
Merritt has many fiends who want to see
him win glory nearer home, where people
can witness the spectacle.