Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
MertZ and MertZe
Progressive Tailors,
600 f Street.

of truth and fact. This practice is so fire.
quent and so widespread that it is hard to
select an example more typical than an
otfer. Perhaps the following interview
winch is put forth by the Patrie as com
ing from a high officer of the Canadian
military forces, now in Paris" will serve.
II Is to be remarked beforehand that the
Patrie is a very popular paper in France
and that it is the organ of the national
defense
ITO start with says this so-called Cana
ul'ln oihcer, ali this commotion about Gu
"a simply hides a gigantic speculative on
grafton on the part of American financiers.
tor the moment they are baffled and their
schemes are at the mercy of Spain; let us
nope they will remain so.
1.-The United States are in no condition IN
sustain war with Spain. A war, even if
they were vfctors, would bring such dis
sster TO American commerce that 1t would
DE equivalent to their ruin.
with the exception of two or three
armored ships, the United States navy is
absolutely valueess. The officers who
command 1t may be decent enough engi-
neers in theory, but they are entirely ig-
norant of the method of fighting guns As
to the sailors, they have never been drilled
10 nSht: they are worthless as artillerists
The United States army does not exist
mere are, TO be sure, some % 900 men I'M
DER arms, but they are not soldiers Doubt
less one could get recruits, but in order
to raise an army of 100000 of them an
enormous amount of money would be re-
CURED, and it would take several months
Still they would be only mercernaries. who
would draw bOunties at the recruiting sta
uon ana then desert. During the war of
secession every recruit got a bounty of
$3,0OO, and have known personally of one
man who drew this unity three times
within week, and then Immediately fled
70 quebec, where he went into business on
the money.
The American soldier. the typical Amer
lean soldier, is not what one would call a
soldier in Europe. where expects a
he l.
gent and docile in the hands of his chiefs
individually he is a good marksman and
capable of withstanding fatigue, but he is
OF no use as a component of body of
troops, where he would have to learn tao
tics. However, the American officers are
not tacticians, and are absolutely ignoran.
of the art of war. Remember. too, that 1
am now speaking of the standing army of
22,G0 men. You may Judge from this what
the recruits would be.
Several years ago was sent with some
Canadian troops to the frontier where a
revolt of the Sioux was in progress Upon
our arrival we learned that a squadron of
American cavalry, commanded by a we'll
known general, was encamped in the neigh
horhood. With one of my officers and an
escort of a few men crossed the border to
pay visit to this general. We entered the
American camp as freely as we would have
entered an open field; there were neither
guards nor sentiDels. 1 met the American
ge neral at the entrance to his tent, and we
were invited to stay for breakfast.
I'm the course of conversation 1 remarked
to the general that he was very imprudent
to leave his camp SO exposed. The Sioux
are the bravast ard most savage of your
1Ediars,' 1 said. and you ought to guard
against a surprise 'Bahn calculated the
general. have 300 soldiers with me- the
best troopers in America, and all the saw
ages of the earth could not stand up before
them
81 persisted in warning him, and he got
angry. Shortly We parted. A fortnight aft
erward party of Sioux came to our camp.
They bad with them the scalps of these 300
heroes, including the long side whiskers of
the redoubtable Yankee general. The troop
ers had been surprised by the savages.
They had fought, and they had been ami
hilated.
There is jingoism in the United States,
but no patriotism whatever, as that word
is understood by other peoples. Americans
Will work, and sometimes fight, but only for
money. That is the one consideration, no
matter what Circumstance arises Perhaps
II the United States were, to undertake a
war of pillage in Cuba they would he able
to raise armed bands who would fight in
exchange for the proceeds of the robberies
they could perpetrate. Otherwise not
'All the ports Of the United States, from
New Orleans to New York. from Florida to
Newfoundland. are entirely open and un-
protected. Not one has q single gun or SOL
der for defense. small feet of Spanish
gunboats could lombard all the principal
cities, one after the other. and soon bring
thu Yankees to terms. 1t would be the
work of a few days only.
I'm conclusion, the resources of America
might prolong the conflict and make the
outcome doubtful But there are many un-
foreseen things to take into account. We
must remember that it would be war be-
tween valiant, courageous people on the
one side and horde of mercenary towards
on the other.''
This so-called interview. such as it is. is
temperate and truthful in comparison with
others sown broadcast throughout France
Most of them are fit only for funny papers.
Hearing Deferred.
The Court Of Appeals has passed until
next week the hearing of the appeal in