The age-herald., 1898-05-28
Make the Invasion Now.

e''~ sAoFbs
 The administration at Washington may have excellent reasons for it's delay in send ing the army of invasion to Cuba, but to the average mind it does not seem clear why the present opportunity is not taken advantage of to place the army upon the island with all possible haste. The time seems ripe for quick and most decisive &C., ton.
 The Cuban shores are not menaced with Spanish ships of war. The Spanish admiral Cervera. to all outward appearances, with his fleet, Is practically a prisoner in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba at the extreme eastern end of the island. There is nothing to combat landing save the Spanish land forces. It would seem that this could be overcome with ease and possibly without the loss of an American soldier. If the movement of the land forces should be delayed much longer there may be Spanish war vessels in the Cuban waters to hinGer if not absolutely prevent the landing of an American army upon Spanish soil. The enemy from naval point of view is for the present powerless to impede progress should the word go from Washington to fill the transports with troops and turn on the steam. As a matter of course, the transports will be accompanied by war ships as precautions of safety, and if properly managed, as it will be when be- gun, the Cuban capital can soon be in pos session of the Americans.
 Just why General Miles, the commanding officer of the army, has opposed the move ment of the army has never been compre hensively stated, and if so stated it would be difficult to impress the public with the belief that his reasons were logical. If it has been the desire to first reduce the Spanish fleet before making the invasion that opportunity has passed for the imme- diate future. Going upon the current belief that Cervera is in fact bottled up, there need be no fear of danger from that source, but Spain may send another fleet to those waters.
 
 Miles has not at any time since the war began risen above the surface in the man. agement of the affairs of the army, and to permit this golden opportunity to pass without making the most of it will not be making a display of good generalship If General Miles is not equal to the occasion he should retire, voluntarily if he VIII, if not, then by request. The army is made up of generals who would grasp the situation at moments notice and act with that promptness characteristic of men3who have had military training.
 General Coppinger, now at Mobile, or General Shafter. at Tampa, would be the right man in the right place. They would stand not upon the order of going, but would go.
 prompt movement of the army at the present crisis stands the United States in good need. Time delayed is opportunity wasted. Take the current when 1t serves or all may be lost. The army should be landed in Cuba at the earliest possible day. rha s,ma should be done with Porto Rico, and with General Merritt's army on the Pacific en route to the Philippines spain's colonial territory would soon be in possess sion of the Americans. Then. and not until then, will this government be in position to dictate terms of peace. The invasion or Cuba should be the next and earliest move from the American end of the checker board.