The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-01

most unsenatorial diligence and is now
able to tell Us just what it viii do, but
there is still the painful uncertainty
about the action of the h0use. The only
certainty is that the bill VIII be among
the last taken up, ana Amos Cummings.
General Flagler, General Craighiu and
others who have made q specially of the
subject are almost in fever lest in the
rush Of closing days 1t be insumciently
considered. From all these and Senator
Squire I have q pile Of statements and
reports to peruse which would drive an
unscienbido man distracted, SO L have
made personal appeals to those who have
digested the matter, and, first Of all, to
Senator Hawley.
Senator Eawiey's views.
fsThe great obstacle, " said the sen
atOr, is what you might call Wis in
ertia, the capacity to sit still There is
a sort of happy go lucky American op-
ti1nism which takes it for granted that
things viii work out right and every
emergency produce the right man for it.
We are so great and so smart that in
case Of war we are to get up something
on the spur of the moment, and many
Americans seem to think-no, they
can't think that; they are too intelli-
gent-but they act as if they thought
that cur enemy would give rs three
years notice before opening fire. In
truth, all recent wars have begun very
suddenly and unexpectedly The Franco
Prussian war of 1870 was like a bolt
from the blue. One mornings paper
told as that there was a misunder-
standing, the next that diplomatic rela-
lions were broken, two or three days
later that the army was in motion, and
in q fortnight or SO there was q great
battle Why, on the 1st of April, 1861,
a majority of Americans still trusted
there would DO no war. Now, the gist
Of the present situation is just this: Our
whole coast is open to foreign warships.
and in the cities they could easily reach
there is at least So. GOO. goo. 600 worth
of destructible property. Add the lake
cities, and it may be $40, 600. 600, 600
Now, according to the experts, a
complete system Of seac0ast defenses
consists of three lines. There are, first,
the warships 20 fight and conquer, if
possible. and, If not. to delay the enemy,
run away from him and give warning
of the point of attack. The second or
szirmish line consists of torpedo boats,
and inside Of that is the third line Of
manned fortifcatiOns and channel OBJ
structious. There should also be a re-
serve of warships, torpedo boats,
launches, gunb0ats and floating bat
teries. The future historian viii find it
hard to believe that for about 4 years
we did not expend q cent on The most
important Of these lines, though every
man knew that our old Notifications
We're going to ruin, and that even at
their best it would be fun for foreign
ships TO knock them to pieces. Take our
old wooden ships, of whose honorable
record our people are SO proud, and the
British steel gun would send q shot
through two such vessels from stem to
stern. The apathy which followed the
war was perfectly natural, however
and it was not until 1882 that even a
beginning was made.
$50 long as this is the case congress
viii not declare war and our diplomats
cannot talk with effect, but it is posi-
ble-nay. sometimes think that it is
likely-that demands viii be made upon
us which fer very shame, If not in the
interests Of humanity. we shall DO obig
ed to deny, and then there viii be
great national humiliation and a blaze
Of popular wrath which VIII make those
responsible for the delay call upon the
mountains to fall upon and hide them.
So far as our navy is concerned, we are
making commendable and I might al
most say satisfactory progress, but we
Still stazl3 sixth Is tlse ls=s Of nations,
and compared with the first of them our
condition is Imaginable. BY way Of con
trast just read this last report from Lon
don. When Hr. Goschen. first lord Of
the admiralty br0ught IN his BILL the