The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-22
Understanding
Yankee Resources
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
OREIGN journals and even foreign
If governments can hardly avoid esti-
\ mating the possibilities of the Unit
II cd States as a power interested in
II the determination of international
guastions. Not that there is any reason
to think we shall ever abandon the tra-
ditiunal policy of avoiding all outside en-
tanglements. our advantages as an iso-
lated people, with no direct interest i'll
the questions that are liable at any mo-
ment to drive all Europe into war, are too
many and too obvious to be thrown away
for anything we could gain by the most
attractive alliances. STILL so vast and so
rosourceful a country, with so large and
active a population is a spectacle that
is alluring TO those who figure on the in
ternational problems of the future. Such
q tremendous influence could be exercised
by nation of 70,0000O0 people, that only
those who are intimately acquainted with
the character of our people can leave 1t
out of the account in estimating the
worlds political forces. Yet those who
figure on it show large ignorance of our
qualities and our means when they speak
of us as wholly unprepared to uphold
whatever honor and obvious duty or de-
fense might require.
o
It is found that we have not only ample
necessary for war purposes, but also guns
and ammunition and available ships
enough to afford ample protection to our
coasts and our commerce on the seas. we
have only small regular army of some
80 600 effective men and officers, and an
organized militia of 900. Half of the
latter, with the tens OF thousands of able
bodied survivors OF the civil war could
supply drill masters and officers enough
to place on an effective footing the larg-
| est army the world has ever seen. We
| have the material for such an army. 1t
is estimated that Go per cent. of the male
| citizens of military age would be availa-
BILE for service, making the unparalleled
! force of 5000 900 men. 1t is the quality of
| this available material that the foreign
student does not understand. At the
| breaking out Of the civil war an utterly
| undisCiplined, undriiled army was put in
! the field, and the officers had no closer
| acquaintance with military affairs than
| the men. The common soldiers had lived
| under democratic institutions and We're
! suddenly placed under the conditions of
| an absolute monarchy. They were igno-
| rant of the aristCcracy of shoulder-straps
| that is essential in an army Yet to their
officers, with whom they had lately been
| on terms of social equality, they gave
| positive, If not always cheerful obedience.
| There was never a more intelligent
army. 1t was said that in every regiment,
| could be found a man who could repair
and run an engine or construct a bridge.
| The men knew their rights and insisted
| on them, but unavoidable hardships and
| deprivations they bore with a good nature
| that is characteristic of Americans. Their
| power of endurance was extraordinary.
| They quickly mastered the drill that is
necessary to an effective army. But they
lost none of their individuality and force
| of character under severe discipline. A
charge was ordered on line of works at
the foot of Missionary Ridge. 1t was car
ried with such spirit that the men them
| selves regardless of commands and to the
astonishment Of the commanders, deter
mined to scale the steep hills and take the
| formidable works above. The officers fell
in with the humor of the men and thus
one of the most important and brilliant
| achievements of the war was the inspira-
ton and work of the American private
| soldier.
1t is because they lack knowledge OF our
material resources, and, especially Of the
| quick intelligence and adaptability Of our
people, that Spanish military officers aind
church dignitaries mislead the masses of
their people as to our strength and cour-
age. Europeans, naturally enough, are
not able to see any difference between the
American people and the masses of their
own countrymen.