The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-23
UNCLESAM'S
WAR POLICY
NoBon1bardmento of SPAN
ish Ports Intended. -
WATSON 70 Suppress cAMARA.
There Will Be No Hurry to Attack
=. the Cuban Capital. 30
TO AVOID SPAIN'S FEVER ALLY.

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
Teritores-Our Government Will Prob
ably Hold Possession of Cuba For Years.
Washington. July 23.-A 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
1stration 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
. Spanish coast. No such idea of bonn
bardment of the coast Is entertained.
While there may be other incidental
1s to take care Of Admiral Camara's
feet. The movement of this fleet and
the fears and apprehensions 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 indulged 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 that
Porto Rico operations will be followed
Immediately by action against Havana.
1t can be said that Havana will not be
attacked while yellow fever conditions
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 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 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 gov
ernment 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
ppaish flag and the hoisting of the Unit
ed States flag means more than on Its
face indicates to the popular mind. No
more important matter Is to engage
the attention Of the government than
the details to be arranged for the dis
position. control or temporary possess
sion pending final transfer of these ad-
ditions to our domain. There are ques-
tiors of the most intricate and far
reaching character to be decided. Porto
Rico. whose fall Is likely to be recorded
within 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 be military government
first, and many preliminary details will
have to be worked out There must be
2 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-
)shing such laws as may be imperative,
Laws will have to be very thoroughly !
gone over and the tariff system re-
vised in some way, but in general, and
IS far as possible, the system of gov
which now exists Is to be fol-
lowed:
"All this means work Of the most SER
lous character. and in the absence of ex-
lsting laws to govern such matters the
president has to go ahead on his own
Next winter, however,
when congress convenes the necessity
Tor laws covering such matters will be
recognized by recommendations to con-
gress to that end. to be submitted by
The president, and 1t Is very probable
the shaping of the destines of Porto
Rico and similarly circumstanced ac-
.essions will be left to a commission or
commissions to be appointed to draft
he laws for adoption by congress.
1T is certainty. as far as now can
,e foreseen, that Guyam, the island in
he Ladrone group that was captured !
~ this government, will be pcrma-
lently retained as coaling and supply
Itation. For these purposes 1t is valu-
able from its location between the
Sandwich and the Philippine islands,
'ut on the point whether the rest Of
hem will be kept am not sure. They
nay be and they may not be. The dis
position Of the Philippines Is unset
led, and depends on circumstances.
LAS to the attitude Of Garcia and the
in Cuba IT, 'e is no change
n our intention. This government has
lot been misled In Its estimation of
hese forces. With the oppressive hand
spain has put on them so long, con-
ending against the conditions imposed
" injustice and oppression, there
hould have been little expectation of
'reater abilities than are now shown
" them. This government will have to |
reat them kindly, but firmly 1t has
made pledge to establish firm and
table government, and that must be
arried out. 1t therefore may be. in the
sht of present circumstances and con.
itions. many years before affairs there
ave 80 shaped themselves as to en-
rust the island to the Cubans and we
IL