The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-04-22

It is well defended and to reduce If will
no doubt entail the use of land and naval
forces both and perhaps regular invest
ment by siege. There can be no doubt
of its fall, but the idea that many war
like statesmen have, that it will sur
render whenever a naval demonstration
In force is made in its vicinity, is believed
by military men to be erroneous. The
first move probably will be to land
force at Matanzas or Cardenas, establish
fortified camp and get into commune
cation with General Gomez. A railroad
connecting the eastern and western parts
of the island passes through both Matan-
zas and Cardenas. The object will be to
enable Gomez to make junction with
our own troops. Plenty of arms and
munitions of war will be taken there
wherewith to supply the deficiencies ex-
isting in the Cuban army and put it in
condition to operate in the field against
the Spanish. These strategic points
lie about sixty and eighty miles south
ward respectively from Havana. They
are not we'll fortified and ought to be
easy prey for our forces. Matanzas,
next to Havana, seems to have been the
chief point of relief for the wretched re-
concentrates. who very likely will be in
need of further relief: by the time our
forces get possession of that point. From
this point operations could be carried on
against Havana and against any Spanish
force in the field. General Lee is in
favor of an immediate invasion Of Cuba
and combined movement by land and
sea against Havana, which he thinks
should be ours within sixty days from
the date of the initiation of the move
ment. He is quoted as being fearful
that, if the invasion of the island is de-
layed, riots involving great loss Of life
and property will result, the Spanish
army becoming unmanageable. The in
formation of the President is that the
Spaniards have no more than thirty days
supplies of provisions and ammunition,
and he may therefore yield to the mill
tary experts and order an immediate
movement of invasion.
~
Representatives of General Gomez
have already been here in consultation
with General Miles and Secretary Alger.
They are preparing plans for supplying
the Cuban commander with needed sup
plies of arms and ammunition of all kinds.
They can be got TO him more readily
now than at any time since the war in
Cuba began, as the warships of Spain
have been withdrawn to the Cape Verde
and Canary Islands. The Cuban coast
is not therefore patrolled as vigilantly as
formerly and landings at out of the way
places where the Cubans could secure
the supplies could be easily made. This
may be one of the initial movements OF
the campaign.
Congress will pass bill authorizing
the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow
$500, 1000, 900 as war loan, the bonds to
secure which torun twenty years at three
per cent. interest per annum and to be
payable in coin, the Government retain
ing, however, the option of redeeming
them at any time after five years. He
will also be authorized to raise money
temporarily by means of exchequer GER
tificates bearing three per cent. interest
and running year. The war loan will
be offered to the people Of the United
States, who, it is confidently believed,
will subscribe for it readily.
OF course, the necessity will exist of in
creasing the revenues of the government
to meet these bonds and for the payment
of current expenses. The new revenue
measure prepared by Representatives
Steele, Payne and Daizell was cut up
badly by the committee yesterday The
increase of one dollar barrel on malt
liquors was retained, but the tax on tea
and coffee has been stricken from the
proposed bill These articles were re-
garded as good for $2S, 0O0,0 In their
place a number of articles not entering SO
largely into the consumption of the poor
man will be taxed to supply the defcien-
cy thus created. All kinds of mineral
waters, chewing gum, speculative trans
actions on the exchanges, domestic wines
and domestic and foreign tonnage of
vessels will come in for a share of the
burden. as well as number of minor
articles not mentioned. The sub-com-
mittee has completed its measure again
and may report it to the full committee
to-day. EDWARD WRIGHT BRADY.