Evening star., 1898-07-23
FUTURE WAR OPERATIONS
a Significant Statement Regarding Plans Of
the Administration.
Cities on the Spanish Coast Not to he
Bombnrded Admiral Camara's
Fleet is the object Aimed At.

A significant statement has been made
by gentleman in position to speak with
knowledge and authority as to the plans
of the administration with reference to
future war operations.
Commodore Watson, in proceeding to
the Spanish peninsula as soon as the Porto
Rfcan expedition is gotten under way" hs
says, is not to lombard the cities on the
Spanish coast. No such idea of the bonn
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 feet. The movement
Of this fleet and the fears and apprehen-
sions caused by reports concerning It are
to be stopped for all time. The ships under
Camara will be located by Watson and
finally met and engaged. The talk occa.
sional1y INDUCED in as to the Canary Isl.
ands is utterly without foundation. This
government has no plan to take those isl
ands and does not want them.
Action Against Havana.
Despite expectation that Porto Rico op-
erations will be followed by action against
Havana, It can be said that Havana will
not be attacked while yellow fever condi-
tions exist. This is certain. 1t would be
the height of national folly to engage our
troops in and about that fever pest hole.
Consequently it will be left until the cli-
mate 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 districts, and If there
should be any particular need Of immediate
aggressive action at any point will move
against it, but Havana will be left until
yellow fever dangers are past.
Meantime, in the next two months,
there will be enough to keep this govern
ment busy. We will have TO cope with the
most serious problem yet-of providing for
the government and the future of the lands
involved in this war. The hauling down
OF the Spanish flag and the hosting of
that of the United States means more than
on its face IT indicates to the popular mind
NO more important matter is to engage the
attention of the government than the de-
tails TO be arranged for the disposition,
cohlrol or temporary possession pending
Iinal transfer OF possession of these addl-
tlons TO our domain. There are questions
of the most intricate and far-reaching char
acter to be decided
Government of Porto Rico.
Porto Rico, whose fall is likely to be
recorded within a week or ten days will
have to have military government. Porto
Rico, of course. is to be kept permanently
by this government, but there must he a
military government first and many pre-
liminary details will have to be worked
out. There must be a rehabilitation OF
NAAotlAS SSSNSidS OE government NHtF6 We
have carried our arms and while local
schemes and conditions will form the basis
of the general system for the control OF
the lanG, there must be numerous changes,
abolfshirg such laws as may be Oppres-
sive. Laws will have to be very thor
oughly gone over and the tariff system
revised in some way, but in general and
as far as possible the system of govern
nent which now exists is to be followed.
All this means work Of the most serious
character, and in the absence of existing
laws to govern such matters the President
has to go ahead on his own responsibility.
Next winter, however when Congress con-
venes the necessity for laws covering such
matters will be recognized by recommends
uons to Congress to that end to be sub
mitted by the President, and il is very
probable the shaping of the destinies Of
Porto Rico and similarly circumstanced ac-
cessions will be left to q commission or
commissions to be appointed to draft the
laws for adoption by Congress. The gov
ernment is likely to be busy from now on
considering all these matters of govern
mental detail.
Guam to BE a CoaIing Station.
1T is a certainty so far as now can be
foreseen that Guam, the island IN the
Ladrone group that was captured by this
government will be permanently retained
coaling and supply station. For these
purposes Il is valuable from it's location
between the Sandwich and the Philippine
islands, but on the point whether the rest
of them will be kept 1 am not sure. They
may be and they may not be. The dispo- ,
sition of the Philippines is unsettled and
depends on circumstances AS TO the at
titude of Garcia and the insurgents in Cuba
there is no change in our intention. This
government has not been misled I'm its es-
innate of those forces. With the oppres-
sive hand Spain has put on them so long,
ccntending 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. 1t has made a pledge
to establish a firm and stable government
and that must be carried out. It. there
fore, may be, in the light Of present cir
cumstances and conditions, many years be-
fere affairs there have so shaped them
selves as to intrust the island to the
Cubans and we finally yield our posses
sion of them. The transition must be
gradual. step by etep, and the final gen..
eral change of control effected only after
a thorough training and demonstration of
the abilities of the people, beginning with
the trial of some of the leaders in at first
minor capacities. This is what is to be
looked for, and the gradual transition VIII
consume a length Of time considerably ct
variance with what the people most exa
pect."