The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-01
WAR ENDED.
There Will Practically Be No
More Fighting.
Department of the Navy and
of War
PREPARING FOR PEACE
Soldiers in Camp in the United
States
Will Soon Return to Their
Homes.

new YORK, Aug. IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: Army
and navy officers consider the war prac-
tically ended so far as actual hostiIities
are concerned, and that there will be no
occasion hereafter to fire a hostile shot,
except in the slight resistance that may
be offered by the Spaniards to the pro
gress of the American forces in General
Miles brilliant Porto Rican campaign.
At any rate it is considered inconceiv-
able that any new extensive operations
will need to be undertaken and that
even if the peace negotiations are con-
Quoted in the dlatOry manner which
has come to be inseparable from the
Spaniards an armistice can hardly be
delayed beyond a week or ten days,
for by that time the Spanish garrisons
at San Juan and Manila will have laid
down their arms as they did at San
tiagO.
Under the circumstances it is not sur
prising to find that in the war depart
ment as well as in the navy department
preparations for the new conditions of
peace are rapidly going forward and
some of them, at least, will be carried
into effect Immediately. With the fu-
ture of the Philippines still in doubt the
directors of the naval and military ser
vices are devoting their attention chief
ashore and af1Oat in the Atlantic and
east of the Mississippi The necessity
for the maintenance of a large army
of occupation for Cuba and Porto Rico
will initiate to prevent any reduction
in the military eSta bliShment for some
time to come, although most of the vol
unteers who have not up to this time
left American soil Will probably be mus
tered out of the service within a month
after the treaty of peace is concluded.
The regular army, which has been
expanded during the war from
strength of 900 to an approximate
numerical aggregate of 75, 600 men, will,
in all probability, remain upon its war
footing for several years, the country
having been awakened to the eXped-
iency of maintaining a greater standing
army at home, while the enlarged re-
spOnsibilities in Alaska, Hawaii, Cuba
and Porto Rico, with perhaps the Phil
ippines, fmperatively demand a cOnsid-
cradle force for garrison duty. For
some time at least Cuba cannot be
trusted to work out the problem of
self-gOvernment without the guardian
ship of at least fifty thousand trained
American soldiers. Porto Rico will IN
dOubtedly require another ten thousand
unless greater difficulty attends the
establishment of law and order in those
islands than is now apprehended, when
double that number would be needed.
OF Porto RicO's rapid progress and of
the ability of its people to relieve the
United States of much concern, army
ofHcers have little doubt but they are
not so certain about the Cubans after
their performance at Santiago and
grave fears are manifested that the
professional guerrillas and military ag-
itatOrs together with large element OF
shiftless, lazy men that infest the Is
land. will prove a source of continual
irritation and probably compel the ad-
ministering of justice and the prOtec-
ton of property there by the. continual
exertion of the strong arm of the Uni
ted States until a generation has pass
ed.
Hawaii is expected to give no trouble
at all It's people have demonstrated
their ability to take care of themselves,
and beyond a small detachment of ar
tillery and perhaps a company of in
fantry the army will be able to leave
the protection of the islands entirely to
the navy.
If the Philippines are to be held,
tremendous increase in the regular
army will be imperative so soon as con-
gress provides the requisite authority.
1t is recognized on all sides that more
than nine-tenths of the volunteers now
in service, the officers as well as enlist
ed men. are serving at great personal
sacrifice and should be discharged to