The sun., 1898-06-24
Vigorous Campaign Plans.

Special Dispatch to THE Sun
! WASHINGTON, June 23.-In the opinion
of the best informed men at the capital
the time has arrived for the war to be
pressed with great vigor with the view
Of crushing Spain as speedily as possible
1t has been apparent from the first that
the Spanish Government had no hope of
| being able to successfully conduct a. war
with the United States, and that the
main reliance of Sagasta, on entering
upon he war, was that foreign Powers
might be drawn into it and this Govern
ment become involved in entanglements
which would draw it off from the origi-
nal issue of the war As the situation
has become more and more desperate
for Spain, the Spanish Ministry has
,, become energetic in the role of mischief
! making.
The three stories related in dispatches
published this morning ON the London
! Mail, two of them from the Nails Mad
rid correspondent and one from Wash
ington, are recognized for their Spanish
inspiration and their motive of mischief.
The first, that the South American Re-
publcs are forming an alliance against
the United States and in sympathy with
Spain is pronounced an absurd Spanish
fabrication intended to give courage to
the ignorant people of Spain and to boil
ster up the failing Government. The
second story, that OF German forces hay
ing landed at Manila to take possession
OF the town, is pronounced as evidently
equally false, and the motive Of the state
mcnt clearly disccrnible is to rritate the
people of this country at Germany and
to lead to expressions Of defiance; while
the third story, that from Washington
stating that we intend to transfer the
possession OF the Philippines to Great
Britain, is designed to excite the emo
tional ruler Of Germany.
The whole thing is regarded H. trans
parent, and eXritps no feeling ot conc"rn
as to what NAV have already happened
or been planned. 1t is serious y regarded,
however, as an adlnOnition that if Spain
is to be permitted to protract the war we
must confront the danger, constantly re-
curing of some issue being devised by
Spain to lrritate one or more Of the Tor
elgn Powers against us. The effort being
persisted III may at any time hit upon /,
the right plan to cause mischief
At PRESENT this government has salts /.
factory assurances OF the neutrality of
the Powers, and there is no suspicion of
the sincerity of the amicable professions
of Germany, but il mischief makers are
given full swing for an indefinite time
there is no telling what they might az" /
complish.
This situation being fully recognized,
it is expected to affect our war policy. !
II is said that the Administration is con-
tirmed in the intention to force the
speedy termination of the war by menac-
ing Spain at home, and that naval opera
tions against the Canaries and Spanish .
ports, which have been u,1er discussion
for some time, will be set on foot as
speedily as is consistent with the COM
pletion of operations already on foot. 1t
is realized that the way to avoid dis
agreeable entangIelnents is to make our
operations as vigorous and effective as
possible at once, and to force Spain to a
of the war on terms salts
factory to this Government. The idea is
to press the war at every point and not
to let it linger and drag. Effective blows
struck at vital points, it is believed, will
speedily bring Spain to terms.