Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-08-18


lean Army.
Washington, Aug IS, The presi'
dent has decided thai the United
States shall hold permanently the
bay, port and city OF Manila lie Is
prepared TO instruct the American
members OF the pence commission to
this effect Further consideration
will develop whether the United States
shall take more But IL Is decided
that so much rs the bay, port and city
shall be retained, This decision was
only made known yesterday by the
president to those near him. Until
now the president hns been studying
the situation carefully. He has en-
deavored to gauge public sentiment
He Is now convinced that the very
least that the United States should
have and hold is what the protocol
places In our possession. But this
decision does not necessarily imply
that when the commission meets II
may not be deemed eXpedient that the
title of the United States must extend
beyond the city. At the present time
the president is not willing to say this
government should claim permanently
more than has been taken temporarily,
The nature OF the relations Of Admiral
Dewey and Gen, Merritt to the insur'
gents, the character of these insur.
gents and their capacity for home rule
these and many other questions must
be considered before the United States
can decide on the full extent to which
its possession shall be extended in the
Philippines
In the discussion OF terms OF peace
a good deal of unnecessary considera-
ton was given to the subject OF the
Cuban debt There is no Cuban debt.
There are Spanish bonds quoted on
the bourses as "Cubans," The Span
ish government issued them, and TO
give them more attractiveuess to in
vestors pledged for the payment OF
the interest the revenue derived from
customs collections OF Cuban ports, In
the protocol signed there is no refer
ence whatever to the Cuban debt The
question OF the assumption OF any part
OF 1t by this country or by any govern
ment that the United States may set
up in Cuba has no place. Secretary
Day was asked II Spain had attempted
to obtain the inclusion OF any
provision having reference to the
Cuban debt in the protocol. NO"
he replied, 'the matter was not
mentioned" This Is one of the most
important contributions to the diplo'
matte history of the peace negotia'
tions 1t has been widely assumed
that one OF the vital points at issue in
the discussion of the terms was the
question of responsibility for some
part of the debt Opposition newspa.
pers have served solemn warning upon
the administration that there must be
no concession to holders o. "Cubans"
The representation has been made
that SPANS insistence upon this view
that some of the debt should be taken
by Cuba, or its protector, the United
States, might defeat the conclusion oil
an agreement at this time, But the
secretary makes n frank statement
that the question of responsibility for
the Cuban debt, so-called, was never
raised by Spain.
Ths Futnre Of tho American Army.
Washington Aug. 16.-President Nc
.linley Is canvassing public sentiment
rs to the needs Of military organiza.
tion in the time OF peace and has con.
suited number of visitors as to how
much of TN army they think should be
kept up after the treaty Of peace Is
executed, No conclusion has been
reached as yet on this point, but it is
receiving considerable attention. That
the United States is to have more of.
fective military establishment Is g
foregone conclusion. The lesson was
much too plain and too serious to be
ignored. But as to just how the needs
of the nation in this respect are to be
met there is wide divergence OF
opinion. 1t would seem, from the
indications of public sentiment which
have thus far come to the surface,
that q compromise wiN have to he
reached somewhere between large
standing army and an unprepared and
ineffective militia. An effort to in.
crease the permanent military estab.
lishment of the government to ut least
10000 men is certain to be made, and
'he policy will have strong advocates.
That the effort will meet with strong
opposition is equally certain. Many
plans are being discussed by those who
take an interest in military affairs
One, which seems to meet with the
most approval, is that the government
make larger appropriations for the
state militia and exercise a sort OF
uperyison over it, while leaving, Of
course, the control to the governors
q the states The plan is to
ring the organized militia OF
Ito states up to u point OF