Items of Interest January 5, 1899 Issue

Items of Interest

Word comes from Washington that General Otis has been cabled instructions to send troops from Manila to take possession of Iloilo, on the island of Panay, two hundred and fifty miles from Manila, the last Spanish stronghold in the Philippines. The reason for the hasty action in taking this island is said to be that it will stop the fighting between insurgents and Spaniards, which has for some time been in progress. This gives notice to the world that the United States proposes to maintain its authority over the Philippiness with a strong hand and indefinitely.

Another important move in the direction of expansion made by the administration lately, was the ordering of the gunboat Bennington to Bennington to Guam, our new possession in the Ladrones, instructing the Bennington to stop en route and take possession of Wake Island, midway between Hawaii and the Ladrones, on the claim of original discovery by the Americans many years ago, and in view of the fact that no other country has asserted authority over it. This island is isolated and unimportant, except for a cable station. The administration expects to have a United States cable laid from San Francisco to Manila by way of Honolulu, Wake Island, and Guam, and is taking the necessary steps to secure cable stations.

In connection with the President's plans for ameliorating the condition of the Cubans and getting them on their feet again, Secretary Alger is working out the details of the distribution of money promised by President McKinley to General Garcia at their last interview, when the President stated that he would arrange to give each Cuban soldier out of the congressional appropriation about $100 for compensation for services rendered by the Cuban troops as allies after the war began, the total amount to be repaid to the United States Treasury out of the future revenues of the island. Some rules to govern the distribution will have to be adopted in order to prevent the money from being squandered and the Cubans cheated out of it after they get it.

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