Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-08-04
Waitina tor the End.

waiting is more endurable and less
trying than was the waiting of the
early spring. Then we awaited grim
war with all it's horrors. known and
unknown; now, after three months of
continued triumph on land and sea,
we await the peace that cannot be long
delayed. 1t looks as though August
would end what April began. If it is
really true that Spain accepts our
terms of peace, the war is ended. No
other terms but those offered Spain are
to be considered. and if Spain has the
sense and honesty of purpose to ac-
cept them as is now reported. the
peace commissioners will be appointed
at once. short work made of the diplo-
matte difficulties, and the treaty drawn
Senate.
This government has pushed the war
with unprecedented vigor and un-
paralleled success and it will not coun
tenance delay or Castilian diplomacy
in the peace proceedings. If Spain
means what she says, then the war is
over, Cuba is free and under our pro-
lection, Porto Rico is part of the
Union as Hawaii is, we have coaling
stations in the Pacific, and Manila is
ours to be held until the final DISPOSE
ton of the whole Philippine group is
determined by the commissioners. If
Spain is trying any game of treachery
the war will be pushed With renewed
energy IN both oceans, and powerful
fleet will speed toward the coast Of
Spain. The Spanish people at last
situation, and the promised outbreak
when they learned how badly their
country was defeated does not seem to
materialiZe. The Spanish government
is fortunate to escape from the war
without losing more than all It's
colonial possessions
AS to the present situation of our
arms, the most critical point is our
difficulty with Aguinaldo and the
Philippine insurgents. Admiral Dewey
and General Merritt are in one sense
masters Of the situation there They
can take Manila at any time, but it
would be no easy matter to protect thu
city against the ravages of the in
surgents. 1t is the insurgent army.
not the Spanish, which promises the
most trouble in the Philippines, and it
is this which has caused the strong
reaction against the idea of per
manently holding the archipelago 1t
is one matter to retain a port and a
naSN L and y coaling station in the
Philippines. but quite another to an
mex, or be responsible for, those hun
dreds of islands with their millions of
rebellious savages, ana face all the at
tending dangers of foreign complica-
tions. 1t Will be delicate task to get
ouE tfle lynllIIplHeS, Sface1ully anu
SAFELY, Win no more of them on our
hands than we want or need, hut the
wisdom and ability of William McKin-
ley are equal to the occasion.
In Cuba our army is suffering the
horrors of a fever epidemic, but the
death rate is remarkably low. and we
are losing far fewer men than the
storming of Santiago would have
caused. No doubt it will be necessary
to retain a good sized army in Cuba
for some time, perhaps years. to sup
port the military government that will
be necessary until Cuba can show it.
self able to maintain a stable govern
ment of its own, and we shall soon
have an army of ''immunes" ready for
that work. In Porto Rico General
Miles and his army are having a grand
triumphal procession across that beau
tiful and prosperous island, raising the
American flag everywhere amid the
relief from Spanish oppression. The
Spanish force on the island is centered
at San Juan. but if the continuation
of the war makes it necessary to at
tack or besiege that city, it is not
thought that General Miles would have
Il very serious task before him.. +
our navy has done its great work at
Manila and Santiago, though if SPAN
does not make peace at ONCE the BON
| bardment of San Juan andaperhats an
expedition to Spain will give our blue
| jackets Il chance to add to their al
ready abundant laurels. The Cuban
| blockade is maintained more efrective-
| ly than ever, and the few remaining
small Spanish craft in those waters are
fast being sunk or captured. Our great
reserve volunteer army is held in the
various camps, every organization hop
ing it may yet be sent to the front
Occasional deaths occur, but the great
amount of sickness which it was pro-
| phesicd the summer would bring to
lalI