The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-06-02
THE PLAN Of CAMPAIGN.
The Army and Navy to Act To
gether and Strike Blow at
the Same Time.
GEN. LEE LEAVES FOR JACKSONVILLE.
The President Urged to Reduce Porto Rico
Before Making Attempt Upon Ha-
vana, So to Hold Something for Ex-
penses in Case Spain should Assert That
She Accepts Our Demands About Cuba

WAsHISGTOS, May 3i.-The command
to advance has infused intense activity
into every branch Of military and naval
circles II was shown to-day in the
hurried but systematic preparations
at the various bureaus at the war and
navy departments and in the keen eX-
pectancy everywhere prevailing. The
authoritative statements made yester-
day by Gen. Miles and others that the
orders for an advance had been
issued left no further doubt on
that point The report from Key
West that the steamer Florida
returned there this morning after
successfully landing a most important
expedition in Cuba was supplement ted
by the information here that the eX-
petition was in command of Gen.
Lacret the well-known Cuban leader,
who has with him 400 picked Cubans,
thoroughly armed and equipped by
the United States Prior to the cab
met meeting reports were current that
the president had told some OF his
callers that he expected Commodore
Schley would attack Admiral Cervera
to-day in Santiago harbOr. In
quiry failed to substantiate this
report. On the contrary, those in
position to know the general plans of
attack stated that the navy and army
would act together, and that one
branch of the service was not likely to
strike decisive blow until the other
was ready to cooperate and thus
make the blow doubly effective. While
there continues to be entire official
reticence as the exact points of inva-
sion. the concensus of opinion. drawn
from the most intelligent sources, is
that the eastern end of Cuba, consti-
tuting the province of Santiago, with
Santiago de Cuba as its capital, and
Porto Rico will be among the objec-
tive points. For this reason, the sit
uation In Santiago province and Porto
Rico was thoroughly canvassed.
Gen. Lee last night left Tampa for
Jacksonville on the eastern side of
the Florida peninsula to open head
quarters there. But one inference can
be drawn from this movement, namely,
that Jacksonville is to be made n base
of operations against Porto Rico. The
town is admirably situated for this
purpose; in fact, it far surpasses Key |
West rs a base for operations even |
against any of the eastern points of |
Cuba There seems to be little doubt |
that the plan of campaign contem-
plates the reduction of Porto Rico and |
the president is being strongly urged |
to begin this movement even before |
any serious attempt is made
upon Havana His advisers point
to what they regard as the
danger of a retreat on the part of
the Spanish government 1t might be
possible, according to their view. for
the Spanish to assert that they accept
n full the demands of this govern
nent's ultimatum and are prepared to
their troops from Cuba. In
'uch case the United States would be
placed in the disagreeable position be-
ore the world of continuing to make
var upon the country which holds out
he flag of truce. The dilemma that
would confront us in such case would
DC how to secure Porto Rico without
Intending against international law,
or it can be safely accepted as the
ruth that the administration is de-
ermined that Spanish rule in the
Western hemisphere must cease.