Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-05-20
NO FURTHER DELAY.
Administration Urged to Hasten
the Cuban Campaign.
NO NEWS OF FLEETS MADE PUBLIC.
Navy Department Feels the Criticism
+, Of It's Failure to Find and Engage
Spanish SuunIron-Gen.M er-
ritt's Wise Suggestions.

Washington, May 1S.-Considerable
pressure has come upon ihe admins.
tratdon from congressional quarters tc
have the campaign FASTENED, and there
are thought to be signs of a resump
ton of the plans of the military lead.
ers for the invasion OF Cuba at the point
where they We're suddenly suspended
by the announcement of the arrival OF
the Spanish flying squadron at Martin.
ique. One sign of this was the inclu,
ston In the regular army orders of d.
reotton to Capt. Alger to go to Tampa
TO Join Gen. Miles. AT army headquar-
ters there was no sign of immediate de-
parture, but after all, in view of the
fact that three times at least every
thing hos BEEN prepared for a move
lnent to Tampa, it may be presumed
that everything is in train for de-
parture at short notice without open
manifestation of preparations.
No News of the Fleets.
The official bulletin boards Tuesday
failed to yield any news of the move
SIMPSONS, Schley's and the Spanish
flying squadron, and there is reason to
believe that the department itself has
received no information on that point
The department officials are beginning
to show little sensitiveness to criti-
elsm In the matter of delay in bringing
the Spanish fleet into action, conscious
as they are that they hare made all
dispatch compatible with due regard
for the safety of our own ports, as well
as of the lives of the crews of our war
ships. Every day there is talk of
change in the naval plans brought
about by some movement of the Span
lsh squadron, but what the latest phase
OF campaign is nobody outside of the
members of the war board is compe-
tent to say.
4 The general impression is that no
particular effort is to be made Just now
70 pursue the Spaniards, so long as they
keep within the confines of the Gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean sea, but that
sampson and Schley, In combination,
wan encircle the island of Cuba, main
tain the blockade, and convoy troops
across the Florida straits, if necessary.
meanwhile simply keeping watch on
the Spanish flying squadron, to see that
1t does not do mischief either to the
american fleet, or, by escaping into the
Atlantic, to the seaboard cities. BY
this plan the military and naval officials
might hope to silence the rather Sc
yefe criticisms that are being expressed
because of delays in opening the mill
tary campaign in Cuba itself.
No Fear for Dewey.
The department processes TO feel no
apprehension that Admiral Dewey or
his men are in any wise endangered by
their occupation of Manila harbor on
che present basis, but this cannot be
said OF the unfortunate inhabitants of
Manila 1t the present situation is pro-
tfaoted unduly. It is no small matter
Eto organize and transport an expedition
iof 1900 or $4,000 soldiers 5000 miles
eoross the sea at short notice, and the
indications are that withir week some
~ the soldiers at least will be on their
way from San Francisco, following the
Charleston, which is expected to leave
at any moment with a few supplies
most urgently needed by Admiral
Dewey.
\ zen. Merrttts Suggestions Wise.
Inere are indications that the war
department has been brought to see
the wisdom and fairness of the sugges-
1cns thrown out by Maj. Gen. Merritt
Tnat his expedition should consist of
not less than $4,000 men, and that at
least third Of them should be sea-
sonsd troops from the regular army.
capable Of meeting on even terms the
veteran Spanish soldiers who garrison
manila. To endeavor to overcome the
Spanish force with less than half their
number OF troops would seem to be a
senseless proceeding in view of the fact
that there is no necessity for such
course. Gen. Merritt took occasion tn
deny very emphatically the accuracy of
certain newspaper interviews published
Tuesday morning which placed him in
the position OF refusing to obey an or
DER to proceed to the Philippines be-
cause his force was insufficient. The
on1c1als at the department upon seeing
1hese publications did not hesitate to
express at once their belief that Gen.
merritt was too good soldier 10 refuse
10 obey an order, although they adj
1nltteo that he might have suggested.
as he did Tuesday through Inspector
General Hughes, Ii member of his staff
the propriety of an increase in the nm
per and betterment in the quality of
the soldiers to be assigned to his com
mand.
The Volunteer Army.
Washington, May 1s.-The volunteer
army Is rapidly nearing complet ton.
Reportf received by Adjt. Gen. Corbip
show that 92,5s0 men have been mus
tered In. Eighteen states have com
pIeted their quota, as follows: Califor-
MA, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas.
Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachu-
eetts' New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon,
1iYennsyHania, Vermont, Washington,
West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming,
NO Further Gall Cor Volunteers.
Washington, May 1s.-Gen. Miles.
commanding the army, said Tuesday
that 1t was not the intention of the
president to call for an additional mum.
Der Of volunteers at this time. 1t is sup-
gested that such call at present would
be little premature in view of the fact
that but little over $4,000 of those
troops already called for had been mus
tered into the service of the govern
ment.
Chickamauga National Park, Ca,
May 1s.-At six o'clock Tuesday even
Ing II regiments of infantry one Of