Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-06-30
SKATERS SUCCESS.
President Mckinley and Mr.. Alger
Gratifed at His Progress.
"A Field Telegraphlc Service WIN Soon BE
in His Tent, Putting Him in Direct
Communication with Washing
ton-OmclaI Bulletins.

there were the usual number OF
officials for Sunday at their desks in
the war and navy departments yester
day, there did not seem to be any eX'
pectation of important news from the
seat of war. Secretary Alger ex'
planned this readily. In his view, the
army has been moved one of those
stages incident to the progress of a
campaign and is now etfecting new
formation. The reports show that
there is only one road, and that poor
one, from the sea where the troops
landed leading to Santiago. Along
this the army necessarily has
been obliged to move in a sim
gle column. Strong accommodating
forces were prudently thrown
out ahead, and it was these
that engaged in the action of Friday
morning. They developed the pres
ence of the army in force directly
ahead and drove in their advance
guards, Before undertaking a set bat
tie, our army must be formed in regu-
lar battle array, not single column
front, as it advanced along the road,
but in broad open order across the
county, the only feasible manner of
conducting battle successfully. AS
part of this plan, the advance must
halt and wait until the rear guard
comes up. All this is very necessary
work, but not such as would call for
an official report from Gen. Shafter.
To say that the president and Sec
rotary Alger are gratiied with the
success that has so far attended the
progress of Skaters campaign would
be stating the case mildly. The presi-
dent, in quick appreciation of Cen.
Skaters energy, has sent a cablegram
congratulating him and the men COM
posing his army on the excellent work
they have done. The message could
not be obtained here, officials taking
the ground that it would be proper
for Gen. Shafter alone to make it pub
lie, but it is known to be couched in
terms of praise. Secretary Alger added
his tribute yesterday in the course
of short talk with an Associated press
reporter He said he felt sure Shat
ter would prove himself to be wise,
brave and prudent general. He was
particularly impressed with one short
statement in Skaters dispatches re-
ceived Saturday stating that he wanted
nothing, which the secretary regarded
as an evidence of the self-reliant char
acter of the man. Nevertheless, the
secretary is sending along reinforce
ments with all possible promptness
1t is good deal better to have 1000
too many soldiers than one too few, in
his opinion. He believes that Gen.
Duf6elds troops, to the number of
1900, which embarked four days ago
from Newport News, will arrive at
Baiquiri to-day and within four
days 1000 more troops, which
left Fort Monroe yesterday, will
be at the scene of action. In addition,
there will be a further movement of
troops to Santiago just as soon as the
men and transports are ready. Posi-
bly, Gen. Miles may go with these. If
the troops are not needed when they
arrive, nothing will be lost, for they
can be very well employed elsewhere
and will have the advantage of season
ing. The secretary took occasion to
state again that Gen. Shafter is being
allowed the widest liberty of action,
unrestricted by unnecessary orders
from Washington. He thinks the wis
dom of this course is amply justified
by the results so far obtained. For
this reason it is not possible to fore
tell, accurately, Gen. Skaters plan of
operations against Santiago, the mat
ter being largely in his own hands.
Gen. Greedy, chief signal officer, re-
ceived dispatch last night from Lieut..
Col. Allen, in charge of the signal
corps with Skaters army. He said
nothing about the military operations,
but stated that he was about to ex-
tend his line of telegraphic commune
cation westward from Playa del Este
to Aquedores, which is only half a
dozen miles east of Moro castle and
very much nearer the advance of the
American army. This will be done by
a short cable, which already exists be-
tween the two points. A field tele-
graphic service has already been dis
patched from Tampa, so that, in the
course of few days at most, Gen.
Shafter will have a telegraphic instru-
ment in his own tent, putting him in
direct communication with Washing
ton.
The war department following the
example set by the navy department,
has instituted asystem of bulletins for
the benefit of the public, giving quick
and concise information of important
happenings. The first of these bulle-
tins made their appearance Saturday
giving Skaters brief account of the
driving in Of the Spanish outposts.
The newspapers had scarcely received
this information before the Spaniards
got out bulletin from Capt Gen.
Bianco announcing the repulse of the
American forces. The war depart
ment officials are somewhat discour-
aged at the prospect of having to meet
this sort of bulletin service with a
recital of cold facts.