Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-13
Hintto Risuarck.

A very interesting glance at the con-
dition the United States is in to meet a
war with Germany comes from Admiral
Porter. The stout old Admiral takes al
far more optimistic view of our situation
than any we have vet seen from compe
tent sources. He says that, whilst we are
weak at present on the ocean, we ceuld
greatly cripple Germany. While we
were getting a navy ready, we could shut
our ports against German commerce and
manufactures and We could speedily inn
provise q fleet of pFivateers that would
soon sweep from the ocean the
merchant marine of that nation. In
the meantime, he Gays, we could
buy all the rifed guns we would require
to stand off German Krupps in vessels
off our coasts. The sturdy old sailor,
however, strikes the key note to the logic
of such a war when he says that if once
begun the people of this country would
follow it up tc the bitter end. We are in
position to stand the 4 rain of long war
far better than Germany is. In six
months after the opening of hostilities
we would have a fleet of ironclads on the
ocean that would hold their own with
the German navy. 1t is not to be
friends in such a struggle, and
perhaps allies. At all events, there are
good vessels, with effective ornaments,
that could be bozght, and we have the
money to BUY them. 1t is not to be sup
posed that the inventive genius of this
country would not be equal to the produc-
tion in short time of vessels armed
with offensive projectiles that would hold
the German feet in check until we could
send from our dockyards a navy that
would meet it on equal terms. AS the
Admiral says, a pin is worth fighting for
if it involves principle and if the con-
test is about Samoa, We will never cease
hostilities till we have not only wrested
it from German control, but placed it
irrevocably under our own flag.
If Bismarck thinks he can bully the
| American people as he has bullied
European peoples, he reckons without his
host. We are slow to anger; but when
| once Justly aroused, we will not be found
| wanting in the courage, energy, re-
sources and steadfastness Of purpose that
always have made, and always will make,
US triumph over our enemies. Perhaps
| the "Iron Chancellor" would Just
now fill up his time proftably byreading
little history. If he will go back to the
beginning of this century he will find
that the first naval nation of the world
asserted the right of search against US,
and We went to war with her on that
question. He will also find that we did
not come out of that war second best, al
though We then had only just schieved
our independence and were in the first
stage of our infancy as nation. If not
blinded by pride and egotism, he
will draw a wholesome lesson
from that episode, and conclude that the
people who could achieve such a
triumph when they numbered only
seven millions and had an exchequer
thatwas bankrupt, are not going to de-
teriorate in achievement when they
are full grown and number sixtymillions,
with treasury overfowing with money
and with a country OF boundless re-
sources.
This thing is certain: The United
States is not anxious for a fight with
ANYBODY. But the United States, if
fight it must, is determined to come
out of it victorious at any cost.