Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-30
WHAT WATSON is EXPECTED TO DC
Bombarding Spanish Cities VIII ls
No Part of His Mission I'm
Spanish Waters.

Washington, July ga significant
Press by a gentleman in a position to
speak with knowledge and authority
as to the plans of the administration
with reference to future war opera
tions. In substance the statement wa"
as follows:
Commodore Watson in proceeding
to the Spanish peninsula as as
the Puerto Rican expedition is gotten
under way, is not to lombard the cities
of the Spanish coast. Nc such idea OF
b~ombardment of the coast is enter
tanned. While there may be other incl
dental the main mission OF
Watson is to take care of Camara's
fleet. The movement of this fleet II
the fears and approximations caused by
reports concerning it are to he stopped
for all time. The ships under Camara
will be located by Watson and finally
met and engaged. The talk occasional
Nv INDUCED in as to the Canary is
lands is utterly without foundation.
This government has no plan to take
those islands and does not want them.
Despite popular expectation that
Puerto Rico operations will be fol-
lowed Immediately by action against
Havana, it can be said that Havana Will
not be attacked while yellow fever con-
ditions exist. This is certain. 1t
would be the height of folly to engage
our troops i'm and about that fever pest
hole. Consequently it will be left until
the climate lends il aid in the autumn.
Shafter will hold his own In the east
ern strip now surrendered, may grad
ually push his way over some other DIS
tricts and, if there should be any par
%ticular need of immediate aggressive
action at any point. will move against
it: but Havana will be left until YEP
low fever dangers are past.
Problems We Must solve.
Meanwhile, in the next two months
there will be enough to keep this gov
eminent busy. We will have to cope
with the problem of providing for the
government and the future of the
lands involved in this war. The haul
ing down of the Spanish flag, and the
hosting of hat of the United States
means more than on its face 1T lndi-
Gates 10 the popular mind. No more
important matter is to engage the at
tention of the government than the de-
IallS TO ne dIIdlStu ~ llII hlSloPi'Aoh
control or temporary possession, pend
ing the final transfer of these additions
to our domain. There are questions of
the most intricate and far reaching
character to be decided. Puerto Rico,
whose fall is likely to be recorded with
in a week or ten DAYS, will have to have
n military government. Puerto Klco,
of course, is to be kept permanently
l., All. r,,,,n,nnn9 h1t thnrp mnGt no
n military government first and many
preliminary details will have TO be
worked out. There must be a rehabil-
itation of the existing system of gov
eminent 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 these
lands there must be numerous changes,
abolishing such laws as may be oppres-
sive.
Work for Congress.
'"rhe law will nave to be thoroughly
gone over and the tariff system revised
in some way, but in general, and as far
as possible the system of government
which now exists is to be followed. All
this means work of the most serious
character and in the absence OF exist
ing laws to govern such matters the
president has to go ahead on his w
responsibility. Next winter, however,
when congress co~nvenes, the necessity
for laws covering such matters will
be recognized by recommendations tn
congress to that end, TO be submitted
by the president, and it is very proba.
bic the shaping of the destinies OF
Puerto Rico and similarly circum.
stanced accessions to be appointed ia
draft the laws for adoption by con.
gress. The government is likely to be
busy from now on considering ali
these matters of governmental detail