Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-08-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington. Aug. 10, 1898.

Washington, Aug. 10, 1898.
If the Spanish ministry had any proper
idea Of the public sentiment in this coun-
lrv it would not have wasted ten days in
| deciding whether to accept the terms OF
peace offered. If they knew good thing
when they saw it,they would have jumped
at those terms. In the statement of the
terms of peace, last week, the admins
tration was given credit to which it was
not entitled. Instead OF providing that
claims of Americans for property de-
stroyed in Cuba should be paid by Spain
and disclaiming responsibility for Spanish
bonds issued rs a lien on the revenues OF
Cuba and Porto Rico. it mentioned
neither, leaving those troublesome mat
tiers to he added to the numerous other
troublesome things that will have to be
tackled by the commission that will ne
gotiatc the treaty OF peace. The only
certain things in tie terms of peace are
that Spain shall! evacuate Cuba and Porto
Rico and that we shall retain Manila and
Manila bay; everything else is to be set
tied by the commission.
Mr.. Mckinley apparently fully believes
that the Spanish ministry is honest in
informally telling him that it intends to
accept his terms of peace, although Off
cialy it still remains silent. His faith is
SO strong that the orders for the rein
forcemen,s of Gen. niles have been held
up, and that nothing is being done to
send Gen. Merritt the re-inforcements
that he has asked for. If Spain accepts
the terms, these hod-ups will do no harm.
but should Spain be foolish enough to re-
ject the terms, they may be fraught with
serious consequences. General Miles is
still having everything his own way in
Porto Rico, and being royalty welcomed
by the Porto Ricans, but if it becomes
necessary for him to attack the strong
notifications at San Juan, he has not
men enough to take that town, without a
great sacrifice of life.
Notwithstanding the harsh criticism
which has come from all sections OF the
country and from the holders OF all shades
of political opinion Of the Partially shown
by the navy department, in favor of act
ing Admiral Sampson and against Com
modore Schley, that Partially still exists,
and, according to current gossip, is about
to be strikngly exhibited by shifting OF
orders for the purpose of giving Sampson
an opportunity TO splurge in European
waters. The orders for sending a strong
weeks ago, for bluiling purposes, have
never been revoked, and the officials say
that the fleet is to 60 for the purpose OF
''impressng Europe" now that the pend
ing cessation of hostlities and the pros
pect of permanent peace have made fur
Their fighting apparently unnecessary.
There being no further opportunity for
Sampson to acquire either glory or prize
money in Cuban waters, he is to be given
command of the European fleet, and
Commodore Watson, who was first as
signed to that command, is to have com
mand of all the ships that remain in
Cuban waters. AS Watson ranks Schley
there will be no important command left
for the latter. This navy Department
clique may succeed for time in depriv-
ing Schley OF honors he has won, but
congress can be depended upon to see
that justice is done him.
Secretary Ayers mixing OF politics
with military matters has added nothing
to his popularity nor to his reputation for
political sagacity. In his eagerness to
injure "Teddy" Roosevelt's political for
tunes, Secretary Algei went to the extent
of publishing a private letter from Roose-
welt 10 himself, in which slurs were
thrown at the fighting qualities Of the
volunteer soldiers, in order that he might
accompany it with an official replimand
from himself to Roosevelt. Alger was so
much afraid that the Ground robin"
signed by the generals under Shaiter,
headed by Roosevelt, who is acting com
mander of brigade, would be credited
with the accelerated movements of the
war department in getting our soldiers
away from Santiago, that he had an Off
clal statement made to the press, saying
that the soldiers were being moved in ac-
cordance with plans made before the
publication of the ground robin" which,
BY the way, Roosevelt is accused of hay
ing furnished to the associated press.
This need not fool anybody, rs it saws
that the secretary OF war had some time
ago notified Gen. Shafter that his men
would be brought back to the U. S. Gas
soon as the fever subsidized" The fever
has not subsidized, but the men are
being brought back as fast as they are
able to get aboard transports. There
isn't the slightest doubt that the Ground
robin" however much it may have been
tinged with INSTRUMENTATION from strict
ly military point of view, caused the men
to be moved sooner than they would
otherwise have been moved, and that