The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-19
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, July 1s.-The war is to
be pushed vigorously and the Indiana troops
will have an opportunity to assist in the
pushing. The movement against Porto Rico
has begun and it is expected that the whole
expedition of some thirty thousand troops
of all arms will be under way by the end
of the week. Included in this $4,000 are the
One-hundred-an -and-ffty-seventh, One-hun-
acknowledgement and One-hundred-and-
sixtieth Indiana Regiments. 1t is now under-s
stood that General Miles will adhere to his
original decision and lead the Porto Rican
invasion in person, in fact, he is already on
the way. General Brooke, who hoped to
command it. will lead two divisions of his
corps and will be second in command He
and Miles have beer friends for years. so
that II Brooke is not to be in command
he would rather receive orders from Miles
than anybody else. Commodore Watson's
fleet is being made ready for its operations
in Spanish waters as rapidly as possible
The whole of General Merritts command
will soon be in Manila harbor with Admiral
Dewey. The Monterey is expected to seize
the Caroline islands on her way to the
Philippines Merritt and Dewey will pro-
ceed to take the city of Manila and such
other points in the islands as are necessary
to extinguish completely Spanish control
and sovereignty in the group. Havana and
all of Cuba, aside from the eastern end,
already captured. will be left for the end
of the rainy season. at which time if Spain
has not sued for peace, they will be wrested
from Spanish control. Such, in brief. is
the present programme of the administra-
tion
There are absolutely no immediate pros
poets Of peace. Secretary Day says that no
negotiations looking to peace have begun
directly or indirectly by Spain. From
Madrid comes the intelligence that the
Spanish government is pushing the work of
strengthening the defensive works of the
exposed cities with all the vigor possible to
the Spaniard. The only talk of peace in
Spain that can be traced to any authorita
tive source is based on conditions possible
before the war began but which became
impossible the instant a hostile gun was
fired. One thing the government holds es-
sential. and that is that overtures for peace
must originate with Spain and must come
directly from the Spanish government No
middleman will be recognized, no mediation
by a third government will be listened to
and no Intervention by any other power or
powers will be toleret ted. The United States
and Spain are the only parties to the quar-
rel and it must be settled by them without
the interference in any way of any other
power, unless that power wants to take a
hand in the war. This represents to-day the
attitude of the government, according to
the statements of one who is in position
to know the views held by the government.
Following in this line this government
will not grant an indefinite armistice for
the purpose of conducting negotiations for
peace. No armistice has been asked for,
but If it should be. the answer of this gov
ernment will be that OF Napoleon to Austria
when he was advancing on Vienna, that we
can fight and negotiate at the same time.
A prolonged armistice would be as injurious
to business as was the long suspense be-
tween the blowing up of the Maine and the
outbreak of hostilities. The United States
has every desire to be fair to Spain in this
matter, but the administration realizes that
II cannot tolerate any trifiing: that it can
not submit to the dilatory processes of
Spanish diplomacy
The question Of cable connection with our
Porto Rican army is of interest. There are
only two cables to Porto Rico, both owned
by English companies. subsidized by the
Spanish government They start from
Kingston. jamaica One lands at San Juan.
passing thence 10 ST. Thomas The other
touches at Ponce. on the south side of the
island. passing thence to ST Croix. If we
cannot use these cables it will become,
probably. a military duty to cut them to
prevent their use by the Spanish. as has
been done with other cables during this
war. 1t will depend somewhat on the atti-
tude OF the agents of the companies at
Kingston. They may decline to operate