The times., 1898-06-17
The Ccrduet of the War.

We are very glad TO learn that Mr..
Mckinley will not tolerate any for
eign Intervention in the Philippines.
We are also delighted to know that
none has been proposed, and that all
the bad names which some CT our con-
temporaries were hurting at the Ger
man Emperor yesterday were unde-
served. 1t is nevertheless desirable for
the President TO understand that there
is limit to the time which Europe
will allow him to terminate a situa-
ton which is entailing losses upon all
commercial nations, and, in an in
ereasing degree daily adding to the
things which make for trouble and
general war.
From this point of view, it is proper
to remind the Commander-in-C Chief
that his conduct of the punitive
operations against SPAN thus far has
not been Of a nature to earn him the
approval of Europe. or even of his
own country. We do not wish to speak
harshly. nor TO destroy confidence in
his patriotic motives. We do mean
ant facts, the Importance of which he
should be the last person TO ignore
When the war broke out il was un-
derstood that, in addition to twenty
seven thousand regulars, fifty thou
sand National Guardsmen could be
mCbilized within three days. Officers
| charged With the duty of reporting
upon the condition of the State troops
so reported, and it was believed. AS
far as the latter were concerned, the
information of the Army intelligence
bureau is seen to have been defective.
But the militia could have been
utilized for possible home defense
and the regulars could have been sent
! to Havana In combination with the
! fleet, no technical authority doubts
/ that Blancos stronghold could have
been easily taken within ten days after
the declaration Of war. Now. it is a
/ very different matter. Delay has en-
! abled Gen. Blanco to construct such a
/ system Of defense that it will be a Sc
rious thing to attack his position.
But delay was the war policy OF Mr..
Mckinley at the outbreak OF hostili-
ties He seems to have thought that
Spain could be brought to her knees
with moral suasion and a pacific naval
demonstration; so he waited. 1t i.
true that Admiral Dewey did some
| thing. because he was so far removed
| from the source of authority that he
could not be interfered with. Other
wise, we are quite certain that the
| Philippines would still be a Spanish
possession. But his achievement only
warned the central power AT Washing
ton that such things might happen
elsewhere, unless promptly prevented
So Capt. Sampson, whom we have
criticised, perhaps. unjustly, was care
| fully coached TO do his work of death
and destruction without hurting any
body. He made a handsome appear
ance before San Juan and contributed
a number Of unexploded shells to the
museum Of the city. Some projectiles
were expended at Matanzas and Glen
| fUegos also. Reports vary. but we
are confident that a few of them ex-
| ploded.
After all this, Sampson, no doubt
believing that the Army was coming
to support him, landed six hundred
marines at Guantanamo. with what
results We already know. The whole
battalion might have been extermi-
mated if the Cubans had not re-en-
forced it, though why an admira
should not have given Col. Huntington
couple of thousand bIuejackets be-
fore Rabi came up, is past our com.
prehension.
And so the seven-weeks' war has
dragged along. Havana is still intact
The Notifications whose construction
might have been prevented by a few
we'll directed shots now and then, are
all in excellent condition. We have
not taken an important place on the
island, and nobody in Porto Rico yet
knows what an American soldier looks
! like But we must have confidence
and courage. Gen. Coppinger has beer
told to prepare an army of invasion
for San Juan. and Fitzhugh Lee has
been requested TO get another ready
for an attack on his old friend Blanco
| Camara with his terrible ghost squad
ron, is lowering around Gibraltar. the
Canaries and Jamaica, and excuses
| for indecision and delay are as good
as they ever have been.