Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-04-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.

man. NthlhuOuh AoE NAAkAthNy EeENAces
WASHINGTON, DC, April 20, '9s.-I
President Mckinley hopes the war
with Spain will be short, but he is
not allowing his hope to prevent his
making all necessary preparations
to fight it to a victorious end, long
or short. His call for 1875, 900 vol
unteers specifies that the men shall
volunteer to serve for two years,
unless sooner discharged, and the
war revenue bill, prepared under
mis- direction by the Ways and
Means Committee of the House.
which is now before Congress, and
which will be put through without
any necessary loss of time, is az other
indication of his intention to be pre-
pared for any emergency. 1t pro-
vides for an addion of 800, 600, 600
a year to the revenues of the coun-
try by internal revenue taxation
for the issuing of $500, 1000, 900 in s
per cent bonds, to run for twenty
years, or to be redeemed after ten
years at the option of the govern
ment, and authorizing the issuing
of per cent. certificates of indebt-
edness by the Treasury for any por
tion of 800, 10000 that may be
needed. Congress is responding to
the wishes of the President in
highly creditable manner. 1t
promptly passed the bill authorizing
the formation of volunteer army,
and the bill for reorganizing the
regular army, which authorizes its
increase to so, 900 men, and as soon
as the President asked, it declared
that state of war existed.
The blockade of Havana and other
Cuban ports, in which notice was
given to the world in proclama-
ton by the President as soon as
Spain virtually declared war by
sending our minister away from
Madrid, will be maintained until
Cuba is captured, but no land opera
tions further than the landing of a
small force of marines at some place
ON the coast and establishing of a
base of supplies for the Cuban army
is contemplated until the 125, 1000
volunteers, now being modified,
are ready for embarkation. 1t is
impossible to say just how soon that
will be-some say not more than ten
days, while others whose opinions
are entitled to weight say it will
take at least month to get the new
army into a condition to be effec-
tive-but no time is going to be
wasted, The men who are to have
charge of the invasion of Cuba know
their business. They are not going
to move until they know that they
can make short work of driving the
Spanish out of Cuba. They know
that the men can be trained, and
put into proper fighting trim much
better in the United States than in
Cuba.
Meanwhile the people must not
allow themselves to become i'm.
patient. Our navy will, while the
army is getting ready, continue the
work of blockading and of picking
| up Spanish mercnant vessels, which
has been so auspiciously started by
the capture of valuable ships. The
blockading squadron will not attach
Havana for the present, unless the
forts there first attack them. There
are all sorts of reports as to what
Spain is doing, and is going to dC
with her warships, but it looks a!
though she is afraid to send her bis
feet of ships to the assistance o,
Cuba, and is keeping them on the
other side Of the Atlantic, wher'
their most dangerous occupation
until we have captured Cuba will b.
the capture of American merchan
ships. Our Asiatic squadron ha
orders which may result in a nava
battle off the Philippine Islands.
Hon. Charles Emory Smith, TO
many years editor of the Philadel
phia Press, who was nominated ant
confirmed as Postmaster General las
> week, to succeed Hon. James A
Gary, who resigned in consequence
? of bad health, took charge of tn
, Post Office Department to-day. MI
f Smith needs no introduction eithe
4, to the people of the country or to tn
, the Republican party. His selectio
, was a genuine surprise, but the i'm
t mediate unanimous confirmation {
t his nomination by the Senate tol
4 that it was pleasing one.
J, Another change in the Cabint
9 may be expected any day, as Secr'
b tary Sherman's age and strengt
8 will not permit him to remain at th
e head of Department OF State durin
e the trying and exciting times thi
Q war necessarily brings to the Cal