Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-08-06
OUR TERMS OF PEACE.
Few Days rIay End the War-The
Campaign in Porto Rico
Trouble at Manila.


Spanish ,feeler as to the terms upon
which we would negotiate peace
which is now in the hands OF the
Spanish Ministry, is not only liberal
it is, under the circumstances, mag
unanimous. 1t provides for the evacu-
alton OF Cuba and Porto Rico, the
former to have an independent gov
eminent under the protection of the
u. S.. and that the latter shall become
our property, Spanish troops upon
both to be sent home at the expense
of Srain, and leave the question of
what shall be done with the Philip
pine Islands to be settled afterwards.
If Spain is wise, she will lose no time
in accepting these terms, as it Is very
certain that If the war is continued
the terms will grow harder and bard.
er, but tor Spain to display wisdom
will be new thing under the sun.
The French Ambassador, 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 the Phil
ippines have not been stopped to
await Spain answer, and will not be
stopped, and if Spain refuses the terms
and attempts to gain time by quib-
bling, the plans for sending Commo-
dore Watson fleet to Spain, which
were deferred in order to give Spain
a chance to ask for peace, will at once
be carried out 1t is doubtful whether
any other country would have been SO
generous to a defeated foe as not to
insist upon the payment of large
money indemnity; it is also doubtful
whether the Spanish character is capa-
BILE of appreciating that generosity.
The result of the first week of the
campaign of Gen. Miles in Porto Rico
has 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 yell
low journals to create the impression
that the relations of Secretary Alger
and Gen. Miles had become unfriend-
1y because the latter had not conduct
ed the campaign in accordance with
Ayers orders. The same sort OF
stories were circulated about Secretary
Alger and Gen. Shafter, while the
! Santiago campaign was under way.
but Gen Shafter has since stated that
he was allowed to conduct his CAM
paign OH his own judgment, and was
never at any time hampered in the
slightest degree by orders from the
War Department. 1t is we'll 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 iu-
terfered with him or expect to have
any cause to do SO. The adminlstra-
ton has the utmost confidence in Gen.
Miles. That confidence has been full
" justified by what he has accom-
plished in single week. The entire
southern end of the island, including
its second city and a number of small
er ones, is under our flag; and not a
si.gle American life has been lost.
Hurrah for Miles!
Sickness continues to increase in
Gen. Skaters army at a rate that
would be alarming were it 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
being perfected.
Dispatches from Admiral Dewey,
and Gen. Merritt, who has arrived and
taken command of the army at Manila,
have increased the apprehension that
we shall have to whip both the Span
iards and the insurgents before the
Manila campaign is over. 1t is ex-
pected that Gen Merritt and Admiral
Dewey will make combined land and
naval attack on Manila in few days,
if the Spanish do not meet their de.
mands for surrender, and if Spain
does not accept our terms of peace.
Then it will be seen whether they will
have to fight the insurgents.
West Virginian Promoted.
lanes l.. Wilson, formerly of Graf