Washington Letter: On to Cuba!
April 16, 1898
Summary
The Richmond police arrest a man they believe to have murdered one of their own, but he turns out to be an innocent look-alike.
Transcription
A cry for intervention.
Thinks Spain will back down.
General Blanco criticized.
A war tax proposed.
The reply to the Great Powers.
(From our regular correspondent)
Washington, D.C., April 11, ’98. On to Cuba! That is the order that will be issued the minute that Congress acts upon President McKinley’s recommendation for armed intervention for the purpose of driving Spain out of Cuba, and there will be no delay on the part of Congress in adopting the resolution that will place the authority in the hands of the President to use the army and navy of the United States to force the Spanish out of Cuba. Proclaiming an armistice in Cuba was a trick worthy of Spain, but it failed to bring the delay at the Washington end that Spain expected. Unless there is some unexpected delay, out warship will be demanding the evacuation of Cuba with shot and shell before the close of the present week. The Spanish will, of course, have a chance up to the last minute before the shooting begins to peaceable surrender Cuba, but there is now nothing in sight to indicate that they will get out until they are forced out.
In intervening in Cuba, this government has no intention of making a war of conquest, but in the language of President McKinley si merely endeavoring “to fulfil a duty to humanity by ending a situation the indefinite prolongation of which has become insufferable.” Therefore, whether the war will go further than is necessary to drive the Spanish out of Cuba will depend upon the Spanish themselves. While the official plan of operations is not known outside of those who are entrusted with the duty of carrying it out, it is understood that the initial naval demonstration of this government will be made against Cuba alone, and that no hostile movement against the Spanish Colonies in the Philippine Islands, the Canary Islands or Porto Rico will be made unless the opposition of the Spanish Navy to our taking possession of Cuba shall make such steps necessary.
There is an impression among naval officers that if Spain does not make an abject surrender before the fighting begins, it will throw up the sponge before we can get an opportunity to completely destroy its navy and call upon the European powers to arrange some sort of a peace for her. It is thought that the distribution of the Spanish navy indicates that an attempt sill be made by her fastest ships to attack some of our seacoast cities and to avoid battle with us unless they can catch some of our ships in positions where they can be overpowered and either sink or be capture. Naval officers will be surprised if Spain places a portion of her navy where it will come in contact with the powerful fleet that we will send to invest Cuba. Sixty days is the outside guess of our naval officers as to the length of the war.
Gen. Blanco did not improve the relations between Congress and Spain when he made a discourteous monkey of himself by refusing to see consul General Lee when he called to say an official goodbye just previous to his departure from Havana. It is likely also that General Lee may have some stories to tell when he reaches Washington that will likewise add to the existing enmity toward the Spaniards.
An informal agreement has been reached by the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has been considering the matter for several weeks that the war revenue bill to be reported to the House as soon as hostilities begin shall include a provision increasing the internal revenue on beer from $1 to $2 a barrel, notwithstanding the arguments of the representatives of the brewers who were granted hearing last week. It is estimated that this increase in the beer tax will add $35,000,000 a year to the government revenue. Tobacco, in its various manufactured forms, is relied upon to produce as much more; likewise a tax on several kinds of commercial paper.
A bill has been prepared by Chairman Dingley providing for the issue of bonds to the amount of $1,000,000,000 as a temporary loan, and from three to five times that amount, as may be needed, as a permanent loan. These bonds will be payable in coin, just as all our understanding bonds
Thinks Spain will back down.
General Blanco criticized.
A war tax proposed.
The reply to the Great Powers.
(From our regular correspondent)
Washington, D.C., April 11, ’98. On to Cuba! That is the order that will be issued the minute that Congress acts upon President McKinley’s recommendation for armed intervention for the purpose of driving Spain out of Cuba, and there will be no delay on the part of Congress in adopting the resolution that will place the authority in the hands of the President to use the army and navy of the United States to force the Spanish out of Cuba. Proclaiming an armistice in Cuba was a trick worthy of Spain, but it failed to bring the delay at the Washington end that Spain expected. Unless there is some unexpected delay, out warship will be demanding the evacuation of Cuba with shot and shell before the close of the present week. The Spanish will, of course, have a chance up to the last minute before the shooting begins to peaceable surrender Cuba, but there is now nothing in sight to indicate that they will get out until they are forced out.
In intervening in Cuba, this government has no intention of making a war of conquest, but in the language of President McKinley si merely endeavoring “to fulfil a duty to humanity by ending a situation the indefinite prolongation of which has become insufferable.” Therefore, whether the war will go further than is necessary to drive the Spanish out of Cuba will depend upon the Spanish themselves. While the official plan of operations is not known outside of those who are entrusted with the duty of carrying it out, it is understood that the initial naval demonstration of this government will be made against Cuba alone, and that no hostile movement against the Spanish Colonies in the Philippine Islands, the Canary Islands or Porto Rico will be made unless the opposition of the Spanish Navy to our taking possession of Cuba shall make such steps necessary.
There is an impression among naval officers that if Spain does not make an abject surrender before the fighting begins, it will throw up the sponge before we can get an opportunity to completely destroy its navy and call upon the European powers to arrange some sort of a peace for her. It is thought that the distribution of the Spanish navy indicates that an attempt sill be made by her fastest ships to attack some of our seacoast cities and to avoid battle with us unless they can catch some of our ships in positions where they can be overpowered and either sink or be capture. Naval officers will be surprised if Spain places a portion of her navy where it will come in contact with the powerful fleet that we will send to invest Cuba. Sixty days is the outside guess of our naval officers as to the length of the war.
Gen. Blanco did not improve the relations between Congress and Spain when he made a discourteous monkey of himself by refusing to see consul General Lee when he called to say an official goodbye just previous to his departure from Havana. It is likely also that General Lee may have some stories to tell when he reaches Washington that will likewise add to the existing enmity toward the Spaniards.
An informal agreement has been reached by the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has been considering the matter for several weeks that the war revenue bill to be reported to the House as soon as hostilities begin shall include a provision increasing the internal revenue on beer from $1 to $2 a barrel, notwithstanding the arguments of the representatives of the brewers who were granted hearing last week. It is estimated that this increase in the beer tax will add $35,000,000 a year to the government revenue. Tobacco, in its various manufactured forms, is relied upon to produce as much more; likewise a tax on several kinds of commercial paper.
A bill has been prepared by Chairman Dingley providing for the issue of bonds to the amount of $1,000,000,000 as a temporary loan, and from three to five times that amount, as may be needed, as a permanent loan. These bonds will be payable in coin, just as all our understanding bonds
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Cali Hughe
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“Washington Letter: On to Cuba!,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 17, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1374.