The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-23
WAR PLANS.
Watson Will Not lombard
Spanish Cities.
VIII Give His Attention to Ca
mara's Fleet.
HAVANA WILL REST.
No Attack on the Capital Until
Autumn.
Cuba May Be Held by United
States For Years.
HAVANA WILL REST.

Washington, July pa significant
| statement was made to the Associated
| Press today by a gentleman in a posi-
| ton to speak with knowledge and auth
| GRITTY to the plans of the admins
tration with reference to future war
! operations. In substance the statement
was as follows:
Commodore Watson, in proceeding
to the Spanish peninsula as soon as the
Porto Rican expedition is gotten under
way, is not to lombard the cities on the
Spanish coast. No such idea of bonn
| bardment of the coast has been enter
tanned. While there may be other in
cidental purposes, the main mission Of
Watson is to take care of Camara' s
fleet. The movement of this fleet and
the fears and apprehensions caused by
reports concerning it are to be stopped
for all time. The ships under Camara
viii be located by Watson and finally
met and engaged. The talk occasional
~ INDUCED in as to the Canary islands
is utterly without foundation. This gov
eminent has no plan to take these is
lands and does not want them.
despite popular expectation that
Porto Rico operations will be followed
Immediately by action against Havana,
1t can be said that Havana will not be
attacked while yellow fever conditions
exist. This is certain.
1t would be the height of national
folly to engage in and about the fever
pest mole. Consequently, 1t will be left
until the climate lends it's aid in the
autumn. Shafter will hold his own in
the eastern strip now surrendered, and
may gradually push his way over some
other districts, and if there should be
any particular immediate need of ag-
gressive action at any point will move
against it, but Havana will be left un-
til yellow fever dangers are past.
Meantime, in the next two months
there will be enough to keep this gov
eminent busy. We will have to cope
with the most serious problem yet of
providing Tor the government and the
future Of the lands involved in this war.
Hauling down of the Spanish flag and
the hosting of that of the United States
means more than on its face it indi-
Gates to the popular mind. No more
important matter is to engage the at
tentiOn of the government than the de-
tails to be arranged for the disposition,
control or temporary possession pend
ing final transfer of possession of these
additions to our domain. There are
questions of the most intricate and far
reaching character to be decided Porto
Rico, whose fail is likely to be record
ed within a week or ten days, will have
to have military government. Porto
Rico. of course, is to be kept perma-
nently by this government, but there
must be a military government, first
and many preliminary details will have
to be worked out. There must be a re-
Mobilization of existing systems of gov
eminent where we have carried our
arms, and while local schemes and con-
QlLlODS Will form the basis or the gen
eraI system for the control of the land,
there must be numerous changes, abOl-
1Shlng such laws as may be oppressive.
Laws will have to be very thoroughly
gone over, and the tariff system revised
in some way, but in general and as far
as possible the system of government
which now exists is to be followed. All
this means work of the most serious
character and in the absence of exist
ing laws to govern much matters the
president has to go ahead on his own
responsibility.
Next winter, however, when congress
cOnveneS, the necessity for laws cover
ing such matters will be recognized by
recommendations to congress to that
end, to be submitted by the president
and it is very probable the shaping Of
the destines of Porto Rico and SINH
laPly circumstanced accessiOns will be
left to a commission or commissions to
be appointed to draft the laws for adOp-
ton by congress. The government is
likely to be busy from now on consid-
ering all these matters Of governmental
1T is a certainty, as far as now can
be fOreseen that Guam, the island in the
LadrOne group that was captured by
this government will be permanently
retained as a cOanng and supply sta
ton For these purposes it is valuable
from its location between the Sandwich
and the Philippine islands, but on the
point whether the rest of them will be
kept I am not sure. They may be and
they may not be. The disposition OF
the Philippines is unsettled and depends
upon circumstances. As to the atti-
tude of Garcia and the insurgents in
Cuba, there is no change in our inten-
ton. This government has not been
misled in its estimate of these forces.
With the oppressive hand Spain has
put on them so long, contending against
the conditions imposed by injustice and
oppression, there would have been lit
tie expectation of greater abilities than
are now shown by them This govern
ment will have to treat them kindly,
but firmly. It has made a pledge to
establish firm and stable government,
and that must be carried out. 1t, there
fore, may be, in the light of present cir
cumstances and conditions many years
before affairs there have so shaped
themselves as to entrust the island to
the Cubans and finally yield our posses
sion of it. The transition must be
gradual, step by step, and the final gen.
eral change of control effected only aft
er a thorough training with the trial of
some of the leaders in at first minor
capacities. This is what is to be look
ed for, and the gradual transition will
consume a length of time considerably
at variance with what the people most
expect