Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-06-02

But, if the Spanish feet is not bottl ed
up, and there are doubters in high cir
cles. the country is in for another per-
iod of vexatious uncertainty and guess.
ing. mr., :,
others that nothing will be gained by
invading Cuba until we can send at
least 100000 men. Because it will be
useless to make an attack upon Havana
with land force much smaller than
that. Although nothing official has
been or will be given out on this sub
iect, there is excellent authority for
saying that 1t willrequire at least three
or four more weeks to equip enough of
volunteers to make up that number.
Although extra efforts were put forth
to make good showing at Camp Alger
when the President went to review the
volunteers there, the lack of equipment
was made painfully apparent by the
fact that only two-thirds Of the 10000
men in camp could take part in the
parade. and the equipment OF many
that were in line is utterly worthless
for fighting purposes. The same con.
dition exists at all the mobilizing points
The men are ready and anxious to
fight, but they are not yet properly pre-
pared to do so. But the work of pre-
pairing them is not being allowed to lag.
That Americans are tolerant is we'll
known. 1t is also we'll known that the
sentiment of the country was over.
whelmingly in favor Of the annexation
of Hawai-, even before it had been de-
clared by the administration to be a
military necessity. Should The pressure
of the European governments compel
Hawai- to declare neutrality and to
refuse to allow our ships bound to and
from the Philippine Islands to coal at
Honolulu, while the question of annex
ing Hawaii is hung up in Congress by
combination of the power Of the sugar
trust lobby, personal spite, and political
spleen, not even the habitual tolerance
of Americans will prevent the political
punishment of those responsible.
Should no trouble arise on account OF
the minority holdup in Congress that
Is now on, the parts played by individ-
uals in the holdup will soon be forgot
by the people, Notwithstanding the
present use of such words as "traitor"
and treason.
An amendment to the war revenue
bill providing for annexation has been
offered by Senator Lodge. 1t will be
pushed or not according to what Speak
er Reed does. If he allows the House
to vote on the annexation resolution
he has partly promised to do so-the
amendment will be withdrawn; If not
it will be pushed to vote, regardless
Of the delay it may cause in disposing
of the war revenue bill. President
Mckinley has intimated very plainly
that unless Congress acts at once he
intends to seize Hawaii as war meas.
ure. There are presidents for such
action.
Senator Teller always has positive
opinions, and they are usually interest
ing. OF the war he said in a short
speech: "Those who ought to know
estimate that the present war will cost
$300,000,O00 if it be prosecuted one
year. 1t ought not to last year; it
will not last year. 1t is not war of
conquest, but q war of humanity.
However since we have taken the Phil.
ippines We ought to hold Them until
some decision can be reached as to their
disposition. We ought to take every
foot of Spanish soil, outside Of Spain
itself, whether it be in this sphere or
in the other. We ought. l believe, to
drive the Spanish flag from the waters
of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
EInunr TNr1nlr