Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-21

or a semblance Of war with Spain
then Cuba will affect permanent indie
pendence, and become an established
nation.
1t is evident, however, that they are
incapable of self-government, and the
natives would, to a great degree, be
imposed upon by a few corrupt ad-
venturers. 1t then would be but an eX-
tension of our duty to annex them by
force of arms.
They have not asked for annexation,
President Cisneros Betaucourt has ex-
pressed himself against it, as likewise
has Gen. Gomez. We are to play the
act of the Good Samaritan, nothing
more.
Most probably the theatre Of war
would be in Cuba, and then it would
be necessary to transport our troops
TO that place. Out of every $4,000 men
sent there we could reasonably expect
from fifteen to twenty thousand to die
Of fever. Il is terrible to contemplate
the Unsuitable greed of that dread dis
ease. The light of thousands of homes
extinguished in the fetid closeness of
packed and sultry hospitals!
To say that Spain is bankrupt and
Japan is small" does not win battles.
Wars are curious things, they develop
unforeseen possibilities. France was
bankrupt in 1893 when the great Duke
of Brunswick. with over hundred
thousand men. Prussians and Austri-
ans. the flower Of European soldiery,
met the ragged unframed army of the
French under Kellerman and rumou-
riez. at Valmy, and was defeated. From
the date of this battle dates the birth Of
the new France and her armies radi-
ated about Europe in uninterrupted
victories.
Japan is small. and John Russell
Young. who had represented us in the
land of Confucius, said: China is
great. ponderous and slow. She will
crush Japan. annihilate her" We all
know that Young was mistaken, which
proves that wars are nearly always
productive of unexpected results.
FOR an army and people to have
confidence is a magnificent thing-to
underestimate your enemy is a dan
gerous thing.
On our western side we may have
trouble with Japan concerning Hawaii.
Hawaii is a small patch of freckles
out in the Pacific ocean and were I'M
known until recently, except as leper
colony and the home of Claus
Spreckles' sugar plantations. Through
some intrigue of Sanford Dole and
few others. with our minister, the late
John Stevens. an old gentleman Of men
tai decreptitude, who should have been
shelved years before, they subverted
the existing government. This Dole
government gets itself mixed in trouble
with Japan and knocks vigorously for
annexation. and Mckinley, with his
usual far-sighted wisdom, very gener-
ously desires us to annex this trouble.
BY treaty. Japan is entitled to send
emisrants to Hawaii. The Dole gov
erpment got frightened and declared
that the emigrants were disguised SOL
diers. and sent a ship load back.
japan sends a man of war and commits
sicner to enquire concerning this.
Thus the situation stands at last re-
ports. On account of no cable, news
comes slowly.
In the meantime we fix up treaty
and abrogate the rights given to Japan
by previous treaty,-Japan protests,
and it seems European sentiment is
with her.
In the event Of war, Japan mas
trained army of $1,000 men ready, and
a war strength of 81 400, using the
Murata rife, holding eight cartridges,
with copper bullets. She has an excell-
emf navy of 176 vessels, which includes
9S armored ships and 134 torpedo yes
sells mounting 2S3 guns.
1t is not probable that Japan will
back out Of her position, hence we
may expect arouble over Hawaii.
There is no tangible reason on earth
why we should annex these islands.
We are not crowded for breathing
space. If we become as populous as
Europe we will have within our bor-
ders over 22O,OOO,OOO Of people. One
great reason advanced is-"coaling
station
There are some people whose minds q.
are a dreary waste. banker than the
desert of Sahara, who would annex
ANYTHING Oh earth-the North Pole
even. and when asked why, they would
saw I'VE need it for a coaling station
Then we think they have produced an
argument.
The other argument, that 'ff we
dent take it some one else will" re-
minds one Of the very clever gentle i,
man who cantured = skunk and proudly !