The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-24


the extent OF the wrong. We are ask
ing too, first-class power to acknowi-
edge our right to trace her frontier in
defiance of her own claims and in ter
ritory which does not belong to U.s. Is
there any way out of this but war:
"a large number of persons who are
now applauding Mr.. Cleveland's ac-
ton answer this question by declaring
that they may safely applaud, because
there will be no war, as Great Britain
is sure 10 back down. Ii is this belief
that Great Britain will submit TO any
thing rather than fight, which in our
eyes constitutes the real danger OF the
situation. Our orators, writers, and
teachers, even. have been sedulously
spreading it for years. with the FISK,
as we pointed out the other day, that
the public and our public men would
come TO view bullying Great Britain
with such levity that we should be
some day landed in the difficulty in
which we now find ourselves. For
We might have ascertaiRed the rights
and wrongs Of the Venezuelan matter
officially and for our own information.
in a friendly spirit, in civil language,
and without threats or foregone con-
illusions. But in our ways Of asking
for the evidence we have in the same
breath acknowledged our ignorance OF
the facts and insulted one of the par
ties.
1.-The minatory part of the presiden-
tial message is purely gratuitous, and
therefore, desperately wicked. 1t was
not necessary for a commission OF in
quiry, and in fact tends TO defeat its
object, while, according to the diplo-
matte usage of civilized countries, 1t
means war; If Bismarck had written
it, it would probably have been accom-
panied by mobilization. The opinion
that we can get out of this without
fighting or great humiliation comes in
the main from newspaper editors who
expect TO make money out of the row,
or from persons who know so little OF
England, and foreign nations or for
eign affairs generally, that it would
be waste of time to listen TO them. No
firSt-class power could possibly take
force it, or pay any attention TO its
finding, after the way in which it has
been presented to it.
I'm our belief, therefore, it is the
J1-r of oil no +rin mon and aSnpc-
tally of business men, the work of con-
gratula ting the president on his stupen-
dous folly being over, to come down to
business, and see what is the prospect
which they have to face in the probable
event Of war with Great Britain. Most
Of those who are 'hOllering' today
probably fancy that we should all, bar
ring the fighting men, find ourselves
as comfortable in such a war as in the
one with the south-that is, with an
active business, plenty of money, open
ports, full theaters, and exciting 'ex-
tras' There could not be a greater
mistake. We are only just recovering
from a severe panic, and our currency
is still trembling on the edge of a
chasm. The mere existence of q min
atory commission during the next six
months of a presidential year will re-
tard if not wholly stop the process of
recuperation, if it does not land us on
a silver basis, and will cause heavy
Withdrawals of foreign capital from
our securities. The war, unlike our
last, will be naval war, and the in
feriority of our naval forces is so great
that we have the authority of the gen
eral of the army, in his last report, for
saying that our navy could not posi-
bly, prevent the blockade of our whole
coast within ten days, and the leyying
Of ransom on everyone of our Atlantic
cities, including New York, on pain of
bombardment Our lingo papers in
this city would probably have to do
their 'holering' at Yonkers or Peeks
kill. Not only would our ports be
closed. and our coasting trade stopped,
but foreign trade of about 81 500, 600,
600, on which our agriculture and
manufacturing industry are largely de-
pendent, if not for success, for pros
perity, would cease at one blow. I'm
migration and travel would both come
to an end. and the national mind would
be wholly turned away from civiliZing
agencies from trade, commerce, cur
rency, and manufactures, from art,
literature. and science, and be cOncen-
trated on the accounts in the extras OF
the daily work of slaughter and de-
sruction and the gradual rising OF the
tide of barbarism. The forced ceSSa-
ton. too, OF work in every sort of en-
terprise. either through want of conf
dence or the loss of markets. would
fill every town in the country with
furious unemployed. with their heads
full of socialism. and part. and large
part, of the work of our troops would
be the protection of railroads. factories,
and 'princely mansions from the at
tacks of hungry m0bs. One of the de-
lusiOns of the Jincoes has been for
years that in fighting England We
should be able to make up for our naval
fnferi0rity by attacks ON her COM
merce at sea This was true. in
measure. Of the war of 1872 But II
there be any thoughtful men among
JinSces, they will remember that the
whole conditions OF maritime inter
course has been changed since then.
and that this weapon Of oifense has
been practically taken away from us