Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-30
ON PoRTo RICO SOIL.
Sailing of Commodore Watsou's
Fleet Delayed Friction Be-
tween Gems. Shafter and GAR
cla--The War Bonds.

liza hH& W ~ 1@Aa&Es
CFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July as, 1898. --Uncle
Sam took the FIRST step towards tie
acquisition oil another desirable piece
of real estate. when Gen. Miles hoist
ed ''Old Glory" on Porto Rico. and,
whatever may be done with other cap
tured territory. it is certain that Porto
Rico is going to be ours to keep. In
addition to the troops with Gen. Miles,
two other armies are TO be landed at
different points in Porto Rico at once.
Then the three armies will capture all
of the smaller places before moving in
concert on the heavily fortified town
Of San Juan. Thee weeks IL the out
side estimate Of the length OF the cam
paign, although President McKinley's
desire that San Juan shall be taken
without infantry assaults upon the
breastworks. il possible, may length
en- the campaign.
For reasons satisfactory to himself,
President Mckinley has deferred the
sailing of Commodore Watson's fleet
for the coast of Spain. The presump-
ton is that he is giving Spain an OPP
portunity to sue for peace, although
neither he nor any member of his cab
met has said anything upon which to
base that presumption. Secretary
Long, when asked the direct question,
when Commodore Watson's fleet
would start for Spain, said: When
ever the President issues the order"
The encouraging news from Gen.
Skaters army has destroyed the last
vestige Of the yellow fever scare. A
considerable number Of our men over
there have the fever, but there have
been very few deaths from it.
The trouble about the yellow jour-
nal story of how the War Department
got euchred when it contracted with
Spanish steamship company for the
transportation of the surrendered
Spanish soldiers from Santiago to
Spain was the usual one---it wasn't
true. The Spanish steamship COM
pany will get no advantage whatever
out of the contract beyond the cash
paid for the transportation, while the
War Department made sure by plac-
ing this contract that no complaint
could be made against us In connec-
tion with the treatment Of the prison
ers on the voyage, and that there
would be no trouble about their being
landed in Spain.
1t is the opinion of President Nc.
Kinley and members of his cabinet
that the friction between Gen. Shat
ter and Gen. Garcia, who commands
the Cuban insurgents in the Santiago
district, which led to Garcia's with
drawing his troops and announcing
that he had rendered his resignation
to Gen. Gomez, the commander-in-
chief of the insurgents, is more the re-
suit Of misunderstanding than sany-
thing else. Gen. Skaters instruc-
tons are to treat the insurgents court
eously and kindly and not to expect
too much from them in a military
way. 1t is nonsense for Garcia to
pretend to be disgruntled because
Santiago was not turned over to the
insurgents. 1t has been made plain
to him and all of the other insurgent
leaders that the U. S. intended to as
sumo military control of Cuba as fast
as it came into our possession, and to
retain that control until such time as
all the residents in Cuba could be
given an opportunity to express them
selves as to how and by whom they
would be governed. 1t was because
Of doubt that the insurgents represent
ed majority of the residents OF Cuba
that President Mckinley strove so
hard and successfully to prevent Con-
gress providing for the recognition Of
the insurgent government
Lieutenant Hobson, who is in Wash
ington in connection with the work
of trying to save some of the ships of
Cervera's fleet, was most warmly re-
ceived by the President. members Of
the Cabinet, his own personal friends
and the public at large.
The delivery Of the war bonds began
today. the denomination of $40 and Of
$500 being the first sent out. The de-
livery will be continued as fast as the