Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-09-23
WAR may NOT Be OVER
FIGHT OVER THE PHILIPPINES
General Wheeler Thinks the War
May lie Resumed-The President
Keeps One Hundred Thousand
Volunteers In Service Until Peace
Is Settled.
Chicago, Sept. ia Washington spe-

Chicago, sept. ia Washington spe-
cial says:
The opinion of Major General Joseph
Wheeler that the war is not over and
that Spain will refuse to give up the
Philippines until forced to do so is shar
ed by many army officers and by menu
bers of the cabinet.
| President Mckinley is not an optim-
list as to the continuance of peace and he
has insisted that the war department
shall keep inlly 100000 volunteers in the
service until the peace commissioners
have succeeded in drafting satisfactory
treaty or have failed in this effort.
The president has been imtortuned by
senators, congressman and governors to
muster out particular regiments, but he
has put his foot down and said that the
war department shall maintain sufficient
troops to be ready for any emergency,
even that of resuming hostilities, in the
event of failure to agree upon settle
ment of the Philippine question.
To an Ohio delegation that called at
the White house few days ago to urge
the muster cut of another Ohio regiment
the president stated his position very
clearly. he told them he had little
confidence in the peace negotiations
with Spain except as they were backed
up by the determination of this govern.
ment ito enforce all its demands and be
ready to do this by resuming hostilitics
on short notice.
No Confidence In spain.
The presidents experience in seeking
to settle the controversy with Spain
without resorting to war has not given
him nor his advisers much confidence in
Spain when diplomacy is the method If
reaching a settlement. Spain is a mas
tter OF that kind of diplomacy which
means delay, and, while she sought
! terms of peace when her fleets We're de-
stroyed and her army at Santiago sur.
rendered, she has done nothing as yet
to prepare .or the contamination of her
| promises.
There has been no preparation made
for the evacuation of Cuba, and there
are indications that the Spanish COM
missoners in Cuba will attempt to drag
! III otuSi uutslipho Dtsiuts thS
plain and simple one of evacuation. The
American commissioners in Cuba have
been instructed to hold to this as the on
ly question for settlement there and
leave all other questions to the peace
commissioners in Paris.
The president has the best of reasons
in the action of the cortes for doubling
his ability 20 secure a final peace with
out at least being ready to resume hostil
tiles. He las therefore impressed upon
his import innate callers that he can not
muster out all of the volunteer army,
but must keep sufficient number of
troops in readiness to enforce his de-
mands. He must be ready TO throw u
large body of troops into Cuba again at
short notice and he must be ready to
send re-enforcements to the Philippines
to show Spain that he is just as deter
mined now to have prompt and def
mite acceptance of his terms of peace as
he was when he went to war.
Terms of Peace.
The terms OF peace have been laid
down, and they are explicit as to Cuba
question that il not definite about the
Philippines, and that is AS to just what
part of the islands this government pro-
poses to place under the American flag.
That is to be the purpose OF the peace
commissioners. They are to say wheth-
cr Spain shall release all or only a part Of
the islands. But this question must
be settled apart from the Cuban ques-
ton. The evacuation OF Cuba will not
he allowed to have any bearing upon the
Philippines, though it is apparent that
the Spaniards are again trying to get
round to that old diplomatic position
of surrendering Cuba and retaining a
large part Of the Philippines.
Must lie Ready 10 Fight.
The president has told some of his con
gressional callers in the last few days
that with such a condition and with the
uncertainty Of the Spanish character, he
is not Justified in assuming that the war
Is over and mastering out the volun-
tecrs. lie has stated to some OF these
callers just what General Wheeler stated
in Il public interview, that the war is
NOT ONtls DuL - ilhtiN 10 ne ltSuIltu III
IA few months unless the Spanish politi-
clans show better disposition toward
permanent peace by providing for the re-
lease OF Territory as agreed upon in the
terms of peace.
At least one of the peace commissions
ers shares this suspicion and doubts the
ability OF the two commissions to agree
upon any proposition concerning the
Philippines. The American commission
crs will insist upon retaining at least the
island of Luzon. if not the whole group,
and the Spanish commissioners will not
dare, in the present state OF public
opinion in Spain, to agree to either of
these propositions. 1t is therefore fear
ed that the negotiations of the peace
commissioners will be long drawn out
and finally come to naught unless the
president stands ready to break off the
negotiations and resume hostilities.
This is the reason why President Nc.
kinley does not intend to muster out the
| whole volunteer army He has no de-