Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-11-12
TnE OUTLOOK FOX PEACE.
Gen. Lawton Testifies- Preparing for
Trouble in the East Frances
Large Wheat Crop-The
rIaria Teresa.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.l

very careful that the string attached
to its defamation of our demand for
possession of all The Philippine islands
should be in plain sight It's claim
that the wording of the procotol pro-
hibits our demanding the Philippines
/ is nothing more than a diplomatic
/ dodge, intended to extend the nego-
/ tiations, and its claim that our cap
ture of Manila forty-eight hours after
/ the procotol was signed was illegal,
is much like that of the lawyer, who
4 told his client that it was impossible
to put him in Jail on the evidence
presented against him, the interview
taking place through the bars of a
Jail cell, in which the client was con-
fined. President Mckinley and Sec
rotary Hay know exactly what the
Spanish Commissioners are after-an
offer of large specified sum of money
as a recompepse for the cession of the
Philippines, in place OF the offer to
repay Spain an amount equal to what
it has spent for public Improvements
on the islands. They know also that
Spain really has no claim for dollar,
because it is not in possession of the
Philippines, and could not ever again
be in possession of them, even if we
should withdraw our Army and Navy
from them. Aguinaldo now has a
force that could easily whip any force
that Spain could send against him,
and would do it, if the Americans
were not in the way. Knowing this,
any sum that President Mckinley
may agree to pay Spain will be the
result of liberality on the part of this
government, and not of any actual
right that Spain has to be paid. No
new instructions have been sent to
our Commissioners, because none are
needed. They know exactly what to
do, and it will all end in the Spanish
Commissioners giving in and agreeing
to the treaty of peace upon our terms,
and the matter will be settled proba-
bly, inside of ten days.
Since Gen. Lawton, who was in
command of the second division of the
Fifth Corps in the movement against
Santiago, gave his testimony, no more
was heard about anybody being afraid
to put Gen. Lawton on the stand be-
cause of the fearful things he would
tell. 1t has been the same in Gen.
Lawton s case as in that of all the
other officers of prominence who have
testified. Before they were heard,
things were put into their mouths by
writer's for yellow journals, that they
had never dreamed of; after they haye
testified in favor of the general effici-
ency of the management of the war,
as every one of them has done, their
names are dropped by the yellow
journals. Gen. Lawton closed his
testimony with these words: TAX
ing in consideration the conditions
that we were obliged to face, the char
acter of the country. its climate and
other things being considered, l can
say there were no serious or gross
mistakes made. l can say there was
no lack OF care on the part of any of
those in authority. whose duty it was
to look after the interests of the camp.
We had with us as fine staff of officers
as there are in the world; no better
could be found. These men worked
night and day, and no human being
could do more than they did"
This government isn't looking tor
no trouble III the East, but if trouble
should come, it is fully determined
t hat it shall not catch US unprepaled.
The cruiser Buffalo and the gun boat
Helena, are on the way, via the Suez
canal, to Manila, to join Admiral
Dewey's squadron, and the battle
ships Iowa and Oregon are on the
way, via Honolulu, to the same place.
With these four vessels added to his
!, present force, Dewey will have naval
force second to that OF no country ex-
cept England in Eastern waters.
The Department of State has Just
been officially informed that the wheat
crop of France this year is the largest
and of the best quality since 1874, the
total product being 37I,789,479,814
bushels, which makes it certain that
France will buy none of this years
American wheat crop. In this con-