The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-19

can not yet be answered, because it win
depend entirely upon circumstances.
1t may be that the best judgment of
the military authorities will agree that
the investment of Havana shall then take
place, in which event the army will be
transported to Cuban soil without regard
to climatic conditions. If. on the other
hand, it is deemed best 10 wait until
fall, program of posJponement will be
followed out regardless OF any popular
demand for immediate action. In short,
every step viii be taken with great DELHI
Grafton, even though the army be ready
to move.
1t has been realized for some time that
as yet no assault has been directed against
a fatal spot in the Spanish nation The
Philippines, Cuba and Porto Rico may all
be Topped off without injuring the parent
trunk.
This being the case, it may be necessary
to strike the vital blow on the peninsula
of Spain. AS a close friend of the presi-
dent remarked today, II may be easier to
senda feet across the water than 10 send
an army into Cuba.
The appearance of an American feet off
the Spanish coast would de more TO bring
the Spanish people to their senses than
any other action which can be devised.
They take at present only a remote inter-
est in the war. and are fed with reports
of victories that do not exist. If peace
does not come after the capture Of Porto
Rico fed shells dropped into Cadiz, Bar
celona. Valencia. or some other seaport,
may saten the war to its conclusion.
At the same time this government could
take possession of the Canary Islands.
off the north coast Of Africa and the Bal
carlo islands IN the Mediterranean sea,
east of Spain and belonging to that >S1ln-
try.
The Canary Islands have good coaling
station at Las Palmas bay. while port
Mahon in the island OF Minorca, one of
the Balearic group, is magnificent har-
Dor, large enough to accommodate the
largest fleet in the world.
Port Mahon was in the olden time a
favorite rendezvous of the American
navy. The possession of these two groups
the Canaries and the BaIearic Islands
will complete a continuous chain of Brit
ish and American commercial stations
around the globe and commanding the
most important international commercial
current on the globe.
Beginning at Manila, this great current
touches the British stations of India and
Hindostan, on the Red sea at Suez, Malta
and Gibraltar on the Mediterranean, the
latter being midway between the Ameri-
can stations at the Canaries and the Bal
earle Islands.
Thence the Atlantic ocean offers high
way to Atlantic seaports of the United
States and of Canada. Trans-continental
railroads then lead to the Pacific coast,
and steamer lines to the east Indies-in-
Guiding the Philippine Islands, China and
Japan.
Our British neighbor to the north"
as was stated to the Globe correspond
ent today. has been more sagacious than
we in discovering the immense impor-
lance of this commercial circuit of the
globe. The construction of the Canadian
Pacific railway and the establishment of
a steamer line from it's western terminus
to the ports of Asia is a realiZa ton of this
scheme, and its success has astounded the
world.
but the United States has far better
facilities on it's soil for completing such
a circuit in connection with our recently
acquired East India possessions, and the
prospect of acquiring the Canary and Bal
earle Islands. All this constitutes the sub
stantial basis of grand British-American
commercial and naval alliance.
'Tt is an opportunity open to US, and
to the English-speaking people of the
globe, which If not embraced at once may
not occur again in a century, or never.
Shall we embrace it?"
Porto Rico is certain to be secured, Ma
Mia is about to surrender, and over the
island of Cuba the flag Of the United
States will wave for a long time before
it is taken down.
All this may be but small part Of the
history which is yet TO be made. Whether
the American flag shall fly elsewhere is a
question for Spain to answer.
1t will certainly float either upon or near
to the very peninsula of Spain itself, If
the stiff-necked and perverse Spaniards
will not yield when the Cuban and Porto
Rican program of the administration has
been successfully executed.