Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-06-25
Gen. SHAFTER ON CUBAN SOIL.
Porto Rico TO be Ours Before Spain's
Fleet Arrives Annexation Treaty
on in the Senate.

WI ~ thG SGhdAI.
tFrom our Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON, d. c.. June zo.--No
person in Washington received the
news that Gen. Skaters army was
on Cuban soil with more pleasure
than did President Mckinley. 1t is
not large army. but it is large
enough to accomplish the purpose for
which 1t was sent; the men are splen-
didly equipped and are all eager to
distinguish themselves. 1t will re-
quire several days for Gen. Skater to
take up position from which ag-
gressive operations against Santiago
can be started, but it is confidently
expected that news of a crushing and
decisive blow being administered to
the Spaniards will be received during
the present week. There isn't the
slightest doubt in any quarter that
Shafter will give them a drubbing
that they will remember as soon as he
can get at them.
While neither the President nor any
of his advisers believe that the Span
ish fleet which LETT Cadiz several days
ago will dare TO come to Cuban waters,
its starting will hasten the capture of
Porto Rico. No chances are to be
taken. If that Spanish fleet should
cross the Atlantic it would naturally
endeavor to make Porto Rico its base
OF operations, but, unless something
now unforeseen shall prevent the car
rying out of present plans, Porto
Rico will be in our possession before
the Spanish fleet can possibly arrive
there. In this connection it may be
we'll to state that the steamship COM
panies which own vessels suitable for
the transportation of troops are re-
sponsible for any delay that may oc-
cur. They are playing hog with the
government by refusing to charter
their vessels to carry troops, because
they wish to sell them to the govern.
ment at fancy prices. The govern
ment can, of course, impress the YES
sells, leaving the compensation of their
owners to be settled hereafter, but up
to this time the President has not
been disposed to resort to that method
of obtaining ships, but it may yet be-
come necessary for him to do SO.
The contest over the adoption Of the
joint resolution for the annexation of
Hawaii, which went through the
House last week by more than two
thirds vote, is now on in the Senate.
How long it will last depends largely
upon the endurance of the Senator's
less than third in number-who have
started out, not to defeat the resolu-
ton by direct vote, but to prevent a
vote at this session of Congress.
There can be but one end--a vote and
the adoption of the resolution. The
Senate could not adjourn without
voting on this resolution, even if
majority of its members desired to do
so. No adjournment can take place
without the consent OF the House, and
the votes of 2oo Representative for
the annexation resolution was a
notice served on the Senate that adj
journment without action would never
be consented to by the House. In or
der to make the work of the anti's
as hard as possible, it has been de-
cided that the friends of annexation
shall allow the other fellows to do all
the talking.
Although the subscriptions for the
war bonds to be issusd are already
largely in the excess of the amount of
the first 5000, 600, ooo-one
bank offering to take half Of them at
a premium of per cent-there is no
reason Tor any small investor to with
hold his subscription for fear that he
will not get the bonds. Those who
desire $500 or less will get them first,
and it will take lots of these small
subscribers to absorb the entire issue
So any of your readers who desire
small amounts of these bonds at par
may forward their subscriptions, on
blanks to be obtained at any express
or money order post Office, with con-
fidence that they will get the bonds.
The third expedition will leave San
Francisco for Manila this week, and
will be accompanied by Gen. Merritt.
1t is not probable that another expe-
dition will be sent until some of the