The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-07-23

Disease, But Will Wait Until the Au-
tumn, When Its Dangers Have Passed.
The Departments Will Be Busy Evolving
Plans For the Government of Captured
TerritOries-Our Government Will Prob
ably Hold Possession of Cuba For Years.
Washington, July pa significant
statement was made to the press
yesterday by a gentleman in a
position to speak with knowledge and
authority as to the plans of the admin
istration with reference to future war
operations. In substance the statement
was as follows:
Commodore Watson, in proceeding
to the Spanish peninsula as soon as the
Porto Rican expedition is gotten under
way, is not to lombard the cities on the
bardment Of the coast is entertained.
While there may be other incidental
purposes, the main mission of Watson
Is to take care of Admiral Camara's
fleet. The movement Of this fleet and
the fears and a~pprchensions caused by
reports concerning 1t are to be stopped
for all time. The ships under Camara
will be located by Watson and finally
met and engaged. The talk occasion
ally INDUCED in as to the Canary
islands is utterly without foundation.
This government has no plan to take
those Islands, and does not want them.
Despite popular expectation hat
Porto Rico operations will be followed
Immediately by action against Havana,
1t a be said that Havana will not be
attacked while yellow fever conditions
exist. This is certain. 1t would b. the
height Of national folly to engage our
troops in and abuut hat fever pest
hole. Consequently it will be left until
the climate lends its aid in the autumn.
Shafter will hold his own in the eastern
strip now surrendered, may gradually
push his way over some other district,
and If there should be II particular
need of immediate aggressive action
at any point win move against It, but
Havana viii be left until yellow fever
dangers are past.
Meantime, in the next two months
there will be enough to keep this gov
eminent busy. We Will have to cope
with the most serious problem yet,
that of providing for the government
and the future Of the lands involved
in this war. The hauling down of the
Splash flag and the hosting of the Unit
ed States flag means more thar on its
face indicates to the popular mind. No
more inlnDrtant matter iG IN anuapa
the attention of the government than
the details to be arranged for the dis
position, control or temporary posses
sion pending final transfer of these ad-
ditions to our domain. There are ques-
tons of the most intricate and far
reaching character to be decided. Porto
Rico, whose fall is likely to be recorded
within a week or ten days, will have
to have a military government.
Porto Rico, of course, is to be kept
permanently by this government, but
there must be a military
first, and many preliminary details will
have to be worked out. There must be
q rehabilitation of existing systems Of
government where we have carried our
arms, and while local schemes and con-
ditions will form the basis of the gen
eral system for the control Of the land
there must be numerous changes, abol-
ishing such laws as may be imperative.
Laws Will have to be very thoroughly
gone over m the tariff system re-
vised in some way, but in general, and
as far as possible. the system Of gov
eminent which now exists is to be fol-
lowed:
al this means work of the most SER
ious character, and in the absence Of ex-
listing laws to govern such matters the
president has to go ahead on his own
responsibility, Next winter, however,
when congress the necessity
for laws covering such matters viii be
recognized by recommendations to con
gress to that end, to be submitted by
the president. and II Is very probable
the shaping of the destinies of Porto
Rico and similarly circumstanced ac-
cessions will be left to a commission or
commissions to be appointed to draft
the avs for adoption by congress.
TT is a certainty, as far as now can
be foreseen, that Guyam, the island in
the Ladrone group that was captured
by this government, viii be perma-
nently retained as a coaling and supply
station. For these purposes 1t is valu-
able from its location between the
Sandwich and the Philippine islands.
but on the point whether the rest of
them viii be kept l am not sure. They
may be and they may not be. The dis
position Of the Philippines is unset
tied, and depends on circumstances.
"As to the attitude of Garcia and the
insurgents in Cuba there is no change
In our intention. This government has
not been misled in its estimation of
these forces. With the oppressive hand
Spain has put on them so long, con
tending against the conditions imposed
by injustice and oppression, there
should have been little expectation of
greater abilities than are now shown
by them. This government will have to
treat them kindly, but firmly. II has
made a pledge to establish a firm and
stable government, and that must be
carried out, 1t therefore may be, In the
light of present circumstances and CON
ditions, many years before affairs there