The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-07-15

Washington, July lathe impress
ion prevailed IN Official circles when
public business closed for the day that
the flag Of truce sent in the Spanish
lines at Santiago at two o'clock Mon
day afternoon was still flying and that
negotiations continued looking TO a
surrender. The basis for these nego-
4iatiOns naturally could not be very
broad, in view Of the Injunction the
president laid upon Gen. Shafter to ac-
eept nothing less than unconditional
surrender, but It is supposed that time
may be consumed through the induI-
gence Of Gen Shafter in allowing the
Spanish to communicate by cable with
Capt Gen. BIancO in the effort to OBJ
tain his assent to the surrender.
Gen TOral undoubtedly has before
his eyes the vindictive abuse heaped
upon the unfortunate naval com
msuder, Cervera, for surrendering at
all, so that he probably viii be bound
by the direction Of BIancO in his own
case. It is not generally known that,
IN response to the manly and pathetic
report by cable to BIanco announcing
the loss Of his squadron, Cervera re-
ceived q most harsh and unsympa-
thetie reply, but such is the case.
Blaneo's purpose in this may have
been to dissuade other Spanish com
manders, military and naval, from
surrendering under any conditions,
and, in the case Of Toral, 1t appears
that he has made a strong impression.
Nevertheless, confidence wakes in
the speedy fall Of Santiago, though
many officers fear that the nest will
be found empty and the birds flown
when the American troops make their
entry into the town. Still, should
this be the case, it may be fairly
claimed that the prime object of the
movement on Santiago, namely, the
destruction Of the Spanish squadron,
having been achieved, the campaign as
a whole has been successful The ap-
prehensiOn that the Spaniards may
have succeeded to n cOnsidera-
bic degree in evacuating the
town before the American lines
were completed, so that when
the Americans entered the CITY It
would be found empty, with perhaps
nothing more than a desperate rear
guard Of Spaniards left to protect and
conceal the retreat of the main body
OF troops, is not altogether unfOunded,
as there have been several indications
Of some such move, which Is supposed
to have been in progress for the past
three or four days Gen Shafter him
self reported, under date Of Sunday,
that the Spaniards have evacuated q
small town on the west side OF
the bay, one Of the suburbs Of
Santiago, while the Associated
press dispatches Of Monday re-
ferred to the departure Of a body Of
troops from Santiago toward
HOlguin- Of course, these facts are
not conclusive that the town has been
evacuated by the Spanish army, but
the fact cannot be concealed that
there is some apprehension entertained
that the main resultof the investment
aside from the important achievement
Of driving the Spanish squadron to its
destruction, viii be the inheritance by
Gen Shafter Of several thousand
wounded Spanish soldiers and many
more thousand hungry mouths in San
tiago.
NO WORD FROM GEN. SKATER
Washington, July Is. This has been
q night of anxious waiting both at the
white house and at the war depart
ment- Information from Cen Shafter
has been mOmentarily expected, but
up to I:15 o'clock this morning not
word Of official news had been re-
ceiyed. At 1915 q N. information
was received at the war department
from the cable Office that there was
nothing in sight, Shortly after one
o'clock p N. Secretary Alger and Sec
rotary Wilson, who had been IN con
ference with the president during the
greater part of the night, left the
white house for their homes. They
say that absolutely not a line of OH
cial information had been received
last night from Santiago, and that the
only news Of the situation that they
had received came IN the Associated
press dispatch from Playa del Este.
Adjt Gen COrbin left the war depart
mauf ak a bout 0ua O'clock