Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-07-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent)
WASHINGTON, july II, 1898

President Mckinley has the whip
hand OF the situation, and he doesn't
intend that either talk about peace
or the surrender Of the Spaniards
at Santiago shall interfere with his
plans. If the destruction of Ger
vera's fleet and the Spanish defeats
at Santiago have convinced Spain
that it is time to beg for peace, she
MUST say SO. She can accomplish
nothing by talking peace unofficial
ly, nor through the intervention of
other powers. This country does
not intend to allow any other
country to have any hand either in
obtaining peace for Spain Or in ar
ranging the terms of peace. Spain
can have the terms of peace when
ever she chooses to ask for them,
and they will not be deviated from,
nor will they be offered until they
are asked for. Meanwhile the war
is going to be pushed. 1t is expect
ed, at the Navy Department, that
Commodore Watson's fleet, which is
going to the coast of Spain, will get
started this week, and that, by the
first of August it will be heard from
bySpain; and the expedition against
Porto Rico is to be prosecuted with
Santiago as a base of supplies Gen.
Miles has gone to Cuba to take COM
mand OF the campaign.
The War and Post Office Depart
ments have adopted a system for
the Improvement of the mail service
to the soldiers. Under this system
the quartermaster's department. of
the army will transport all mail
within camp to and from the point
of arrival and departure, and bat
TALON and regimental adjutants
will be held responsible for the cor
rect distribution of mail. Every
military post or camp established
will be given post-office immedi-
ately, with a postal superintendent
in charge. In short, nothing will
be left undone that will aid in quick
and constant communication be-
tween the soldiers and their rela-
tives and friends.
Just plain statement of what
was done at the session of Congress
just ended, without one word of ar
gument, should be amply sufficient
to bring about an increase of the
Republican majority in the next
House. 1t was a business session,
as well as a war session. Aside
from the important war legislation,
which has met every need OF the
administration and prepared, so far
as possible for it's needs for the next
six months, and the regular appro-
priation bills, just and equitable,
national bankrupt law was enacted;
Hawaii was annexed, and a number
of other important laws placed upon
the statute books. The total amount
appropriated by Congress at the ses-
sion was 1892, ,527,991 OF which
SoOI, OoyoJo was w ulccb Uuc eA-
penses of conducting thewa against
Spain.
AS a special favor to those who
are here in attendance upon the
annual convention of the National
Educational Association, Secretary
Long instructed the Commandant
of the Washington Navy Yard,
which has been closed to visitors
since the war started, to admit
of the Association to the
yards and shops. Another unusual
courtesy extended to the Associ-
alton was the opening of the Con-
gressional Library building at night
by Librarian Young. This was the
first time that the handsome build
ing had been open to visitors at
night.
Secretary Long gives the follow
ino raaSOus for tho SucoaSc of tho