The age-herald., 1898-07-24
WAR GOSSIP
 IN WASHINGTON
BY ARCHIBALD W. BUTT.

l Washington, July 23.-lf any one III thls | country or out of 1t, for that matter. had any doubts as to what disposition the 1 United States intended to make of Porto Rico, those doubts would be dispelled sum-
 marily were those holding them able to sec l the arrangements which are being perfected l here for the permanent occupation of that ] island. On last Thursday I wired the re-
 mark made by one of the members of the 1 strategic board to the effect that i've were
 not going to annex Spain but we were
 going to annex Porto Rico" and that there l fore it was necessary 10 get the Porto
 Rican expedition off even at the expense
 of delaying Commodore Watson's attack
 upon the Canaries.
 l The preparations being made by the postal service. the careful work being done | in the treasury department concerning the 1 internal revenue and the tariffs to be put | in vogue there as soon as General Miles | shall capture the island attest the inten- l tons of this government concerning the
 future of Porto Rico.
 | The future of the Philippines, the La 1 drones, the Carolines and even of Cuba 1 itself is merely a matter of speculation, 1 but there is none concerning Porto Rico. l This rich gem when taken will become i part of the United States There is no 1 mistaking the intentions of the adminstra- 1 ton in this regard.
 Postmaster-Gen Smith, when he | throws open the postofIice doors at San
 Juan, will have all arrangements com plete to continue the service permanently. He has already chosen his force of clerks | and the latter are being daily instructed in the duties which they will be called upon |. to perform. The local ccnstabulary and
 judiciary, whenever they are found to be in sympathy with the United States, will be kept at their posts with an eye for making good American citizens out of them. The belief is current here and doubtless we'll founded that the business element of San Juan will heartily welcome the American forces on the island.
 Possibly the chief opposition to annexa- ton of the islands will be found right in this country, not from among Americans, but from Porto Ricans who have been liv- ing here for the most part of twenty years They have suddenly sprung into existence as the Porto Rican junta, with headquarters in New York Julio Henna is the president of the junta, and his dream for yaers has been to be the first president
 
 was definitely learned that an expedition would be sent under General Miles to the island, Senor Henna petitioned the war de- pertinent and the administration to be al-
 lowed to send civil commission with the
 command. -rf The position was promptly 1 turned down, and since then the junta headed by Henna and a dozen or more whose names are not easily pronounced and even more difficult to srell have been hammerng daily at the doors of the white house with protests against the annexation of tn eisland. Finding all protests futile, the junta has offered to fit out an expedi- ton of its own to assist the American arms but this request has likewise been denied. Senor Henna styles himself the president of the Porto Rican republic and his fol- lowers so address him. It will prove to be an empty title so far the office is con- cerned. But the junta claims to have large amount of gold stored away which 1t had intended to use for Porto Rican lnde- pendence. This amount divided may prove to be g. salve for wounded feelings in the future.
 The administration does not believe that the annexation of Porto Rico will find any opposition in congress. In fact most demo- crats who were sounded on the subject before congress adjourned expressed them- selves as being in favor of holding the island when taken.
 
 be less Spanish in their characteristics than any of Spains colonists. They are represented as being a thrifty class of mer- chants up to date and progressive citizens, | just the sort to be easily turned into loyal and thrifty Americans But be that as It may, good or bad Spaniards as they might prove it is kismet that they shall hereafter do business under the stars and stripes. General Miles departure marks the end | of Spanish rule there and the perpetulty l of American domination.
 It was possibly fortunate for General l Miles that he was not permitted to assume command of the Santiago expedition. Had | he been detailed to that command he would | in all probability have been kept there and l the glory of taking permanent territory Tor l the United States would have been given to 1 some one else Then too General Miles would have come in for all the criticism | which is now being poured upon General Shafter. The first expedition was natural 1 ly a bunging job at best as far as details l go Considering all things it is wonderful l that it was not worse General Miles will 1 profit by the experiences at Santiago and | doubtless conduct a much smoother cam l paign in Porto Rico. He was not popular at the beginning of this war, but by ac- l cepting the role marked out for him he has strengthened himself not only with the | army, but with the people and today he l possesses the confidence of the administAA l tion and the public.
 | Two of the most effective nurses in the | army today are Miss Annie Wheeler and Miss Long, the daughter of the secretary of the navy. As soon as the war was de- l clared these two young women were among | the first to volunteer nurses Had they | applied later they would have doubtless been reflected; for since then it has been de- l sided only to accept the services of trained nurses Miss Marguret Long was taking l course of medicine at the John Hopkins l University and therefore was better fitted | for her duties than most young women of her sphere. Last winter. she was very I popular in society here, but in the midst I of the season she gave up the allurements I of the capital and began the theoretical l study of medicine.
 I Miss Wheeler was one of the most pop l ular young women in what is known as I the Congressional Society at the capital. | Miss Wheeler was educated at Fairmont l college on the top of the Cumberland pla- I teau in Tennessee. She was known there I as one of the five Jail birds of the college | a nickname given to the five belles, who I were almost invariably in trouble with the authorities There was Fanny Wood, of