The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Regular Oorrsspondsnt.l
WARRINGTON, D. O., May 6, 1893.

WASHINGTON. D. O., May 6, 1893.
Great and glorious as was the victory
won by Commodore Dewey with our
squadron, in destroying the Spanish feet
and capturing the fortified town of
Manila, on one of the Philippine
Islands, the official report of which was
this week received, orders have been is.
sued by the President which are expect
ed to result in an equally great and glo-
rious victory within the next few days.
What these orders are would not be wise
to say at this time, because the country
is swarming with Spanish spies who
would at once hasten to warn Spain OF
the impending blow; but it may be
said that they include the capture of
Porto Rico.
President Mckinley has nominated
eleven Of the major generals provided
for by the act creating the volunteer
army. Seven Of them are brigadier gen.
erals in the regular army, and the other
four are, Gen. James H. Wilson, of
Delaware, who was distinguished cav.
airy commander in the Union army
during the late war; Senator w. ]. Sew.
ell, of N. j., who was major general in
the Union army; Gen. Fitzhugh Lee,
who was major general in the confed.
crate army, and Representative Joseph
Wheeler, Of Ala, who was major gen.
eral in the confederate army. Twenty.
five brigadier generals were at the same
time nominated, all Of them officers in
the regular army.
A considerable portion of the volunteer
army is to be mobilized at Washington
at once, for the organization and camp
instructions.
In addition to the volunteer army, Con.
eress has authorized the enlistment
of 10000 men and brigade of engineers
in the south, all of them to be men who
have had the yellow fever.
Talk about what the U. s. will do with
the Philippine Islands, which have been
so gallantly captured by our Asiatic
squadron under Commodore Dewey, is
altogether premature. It is a bridge
that the administration will not reach
until the war is ended, and consequently
has not been seriously considered by the
President and cabinet. That the islands
will be held by the U. s. during contin.
uation Of the war is the only thing that
is certain; all stories about the final
disposition of the islands are founded
upon nothing more subtantial than
guesses.
| The Spanish report that Commodore
Dewey used petroleum bombs in the
destruction of the Spanish feet in Ma
nila harbor, and afterwards in bonn.
harding the city of Manila, is merely
another Spanish lie. Petroleum bombs
have never been used by the U. s. navy.
| Although it will probably not be pos
sible to get vessel in time for it to
participate in the war, President Nc.
Kinley and Senators and Represents
tives generally are much pleased with
the spirit which actuated the wealthy
Hebrews of Ohio to contribute the mon
ey to purchase first. class warship to be
presented to the U. s. for use against
Spain, and many kind words of the
Hebrews are heard. 1t is not the first
time they have given practical demon
stration of their patriotism.
Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roose
welt, who has just resigned the position
of Assistant Secretary of the Navy, iu
order to see active service in the field
will proceed at once to San Antonio
Texas, where his regiment of rough
riders are. Col. Wood is already there
President Mckinley greatly surprised
the Georgia Congressional delegation
,, which had caucused and selected mar
to be q brigadier generalin the volunteer
army, by declining to appoint theil
man. He took occasion to tell then
that no amount of political or social in
Auence would cause him to give com
missions to men who lacked military OK
. experience. To his personal friend
the President has not hesitated to SAY
that his experience during the late wa
with social or political generals wa
sufficient to prevent his making an!
such.
1t was supposed that Oommodor'
Deweys Manila victory would lesser
the opposition to the annexation o
Hawaii in the Senate, by making tn
necessity Of our controlling Hawai-
for naval and military purposes apparent
but Senator Davis, chairman of tn
committee on Foreign Relations. wa
compelled to admit after consultipl
numerous Senators that it had not. Con
sequently the annexation treaty viii
not be acted upon for the present. l
such action should at any time be con
sidered necessary, President McKin