Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-08-06
W WASHINGTON NEWS
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President McI[inleys reply to the
Spanish "feelern rs TO the terms upon
which we would negotiate peace, which
Is now In the hands OF the Spanish
Ministry, is not ouly liberal, it is,
under the circumstances magnanimous.
1t provides for the evacuation of Cuba
and Porto Rico, the former to have an
Independent government, under the
protection OF the U. S., and that the
latter shall become our property, Span
ish troops upon both to be sent home
at the expense OF Spain, and leave the
question of what will be done with the
Philippine islands, to be settled after
wards. If Spain is wise, she will lose
no time in accepting these terms, as it
is very certain that If the war is con-
tenued the terms will grow harder and
harder, but for Spain to display wis
dom will be a new thing under the sun.
The French Am bassador, who is now
also the Spanish Minister, accepted
the terms, but, of course, his accept
ance goes for nothing until confirmed
by Spain.
Our preparations for pushing the
campaigns in Porto Rico and in the
Philippines have been stopped to await
Spain's answer, and will not be stopped,
and If Spain refuses the terms or at
tempts to gain time by quibbling, the
plans for sending Commodore Watson's
fleet to Spain, which were deferred in
order to give Spain chance to ask for
peace, will at once be carried out. 1t
is doubtful whether any other country
than the U. S. would have been so
generous to n defeated foe as not to
insist upon the payment OF large
money indemnity; it is also doubtful
whether the Spanish character is cap
able OF appreciating that generosity.
The results OF the first week of the
campaign of Gen. Miles in Porto Rico,
have been more than pleasing to Presi-
dent Mckinley and every member OF
his Cabinet, Notwithstanding the at
tempt on the part of some OF the yellow
| journals, to create the impression that
the relations of Secretary Alger and
Gen. Miles had become unfriendly be-
cause the latter had not conducted the
campaign in accordance with Ayers
orders. The same sort of stories were
circulated about Secretary Alger and
Gen. Shafter, while the Santiago cam
paign was under way, but Gen. Shafter
has since stated that he was allowed to
conduct his campaign on his own judg-
ment, and was never at any time hamp-
cred in the slightest degree by orders
from the War Department. 1t is well
known in Washington that General
Miles has supreme control of the Porto
Rican campaign, which was planned by
himself, and that neither President
Mckinley nor Secretary Alger has in
terfered with him or expect to have
any cause to DO so. The administra-
tion has the utmost confidence in Gen.
Miles. That confidence has been fully
justified by what he has accomplished
in single week. The entire southern
end OF the island, including its second
city and number of smaller ones, is
under our flag; and not single Ameri-
can life has been lost aurrah forMiles!
Sickness continues to increase in
Gen. Skaters army at rate that
would be alarming were 1t not for the
small number of deaths. AS it is.
there is much uneasiness, and plans for
bringing the men back to the U. S. at
the earliest possible moment are be-
ing perfected.
Dispatches from Admiral Dewey, and
Gen. Merritt, who has arrived and
J taken command of the army, have in
creased the apprehension that we shall
have to whip both the Spaniards and
the insurgents before the Manila cam
paign is over. 1t is expected that Gen.
, Merritt and Admiral Dewey will make
combined land ard water attack on
i. Manila in a few days, If the Spanish
do not meet their demands for surren-
der, and il Spain does not accept our
terms of peace. Then it will be seer
whether they will have to fight the
insurgents.