The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-26
WILL NOT lombard SPANS SFAPORTS
Watson Simply Going Over to Attend to Cana
ra's Fleet Of Irorclads.

Washington, d. c.. july 22.-A signi
fcant statement was made to the Asso
ciated Press today by Il gentleman III 4
position to speak with knowledge ami
authority as to the plans of the admin
istration 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 BAN
bardment of the coast is entertained.
While there may be other incidental
purposes. the main mission of Watson is
to take care Of Admiral Camara's heet.
The movement Of this fleet. and the fears
and approximations caused by reports con
cerning it are to be stopped for all time.
The ships under Camara will be located
by Watson and finally met and ged.
The talk occasionally INDUCED in rs to
the Canary Islands is utterly without
foundation. This Government has no
plans to take those islands and does not
want them.
Despite popular expectation that Por-
to Rico operations will be followed imme-
diately by action against Havana, it can
be said that Havana will not be attacked
W llt NtlloN y tAlSt. L IL
is certain. 1t would be the height of
national folly to engage our troops in
and about that fever pest hole. Consa-
Quently it will be left until the climate
lends its aid in the autumn. Shafter will
hold his own in the eastern strip now
surrendered. may gradually push his way
over some other districts and if there
should be any particular need of imme-
diate aggressive action at any point will
move against it. but Havana will be left
until fever dangers are past.
meantime in the next two months
there will be enough to keep this Govern
ment busy. We will have to cope with
the most serious problem vet. of provid-
ing for the Government and the future
of the lands involved in this war. The
Ia uling dow of the Spanish flag and
the hosting Of that of the United States
means more than on its face it indicates
to the popular mind. No more import
ant matter is to engage the attention of
the Government than the details to be
arranged for the disposition. control or
temporary possession pending final trans
fer Of possession Of these additions to
our own domain. There are questions of
the most intricate and far-reaching char
acter to be decided. Porto Rico whose
fall is likely to be recorded within Il week
or ten days. will have to have a mill
tary government. Porto Rico. of course
IS TO be kept permanently by this Gov
eminent, but there must be a military
government first and many preliminary
details will have to be worked out. There
must be a rehabilitation of existing
forms of government where we have car
ried our arms. and while local schemes
and conditions will form the basis of the
general system for the control of the
land there must be numerous changes
abolishing such avs as may be oppress-
I've. Laws will have to be very thor
olghlE gone over and the tariff system
revised IN some way. but in general and
as far as possible the system of govern
ment which now exists is to be followed
All this means work of the most serious
character and in the absence of existing
laws to govern such matters the Presi-
dent has to go ahead on his own re-
SponSlbIlIty. Next winter. however. when
congress cOnvenes. the necessity r,r
laws covering such matters will be ROO.
oSnlzed by recommendations to Congress
70 tnat end to be submitted by thr
resident and it is very probable tho
Shaping of the deStinieS of Porto Rico
and similarly circumstanced accessionS
will be left to a commission or commits
slons to be appointed to draft the laws
for adoption by Congress. The Govern
Iltllt Is likely TO be busy from now on
considering all these matters Of govern
mental detail.
1t IS a certainty so far rs now can
pc forseen that Gaum. the island in the
I-adr0ne group that was captured by his
government, will be permanently ra-
tanned as a coaling and supply station.
FOR these purposes 1t is valuable from
ITS location between the Sandwich and
Philippine Islands, but on the
point whether the rest of them
Will be kept l am not sure.
They may be and they NAV not j.,
h disposition of the Philippines is I'M
settled and depends on circumstances
AS to the attitude of Garcia and the in.
surgents in Cuba there is no cbanoa IN
the intention. This Government has not
: been mlsled in its estimation of those
t forces. With the oppressive hand Sna;p
? mas put on them so long. contendino
against the conditions imposed bv ini,1s.
ice and oppression. there sbould bava
neeh niue expectation of greater abiIi-
; tles IMAM are now shown by them This
government will have to treat tbnno
| Kindly but hrmly. 1t has made q nledcn
70 ESTABLISH a firm and stable govern