Arizona republican., 1898-11-01
WE MUsrKE READY.

| one result or the war Wlln S1dlu Was
 the expenditure Of much money in
 erecting coast denfenses in this coun-
 try. Much of the work done was Of Q
 temporary character, but the possibility
 of an attack from Spanish vessels mad 3
 it imperative to take action locking to
 the protection of the harbors of the
 principal cities. The start just made will no doubt be but the beginning Of
 2 systematic strengthening Of oEr ccas. | line by mcrtars and siege guns.
 II was shown at Santiago and at San
 Juan, Porte Rico. that the forts there
 were able. in spite of their age,and the unskilled msn at tho guns, to be almost impregnabIe against the assaults of oIr
 warships. A shcre battery is always at better advantage than the batteries
 of ship.
 It is the custom of the avarage Amer ican to boast Of the strength and prow-
 ess of his country. It is but natural,
 and it is to be taken as the ebullition of
 loyalty to country. At the same time
 beasts dc not count in a fight. Had
 our opponent last April been Great
 Britain, instead of poor old Spain, we
 would have found every city on the At lantic coast blockaded inside of a fort night, and we would have been helpless to prevent surrender or the payment Of
 heavy indemnities. It is perhaps well
 that we have had a bout with Spain,
 as ib has revealed that if we are to con- tinue to believe in our strength we must back up cur words with coast defenses and mere ships. We must also have a general staff, so that in the
 time of urgent demands fcr a navy and an army We will have ready for iInme- diata action the machinery necessary to direct both.
 When the volunteer army of 100000 men was called into the field there w3s 6 hurTying everywhere to provide sup plies needed, and to that unavoidable confusion, and the necessity for em- plcying unskilled men in responsible positions, is tc be attributed most of ] the mistakes which the yellow journals arg new trying to magnify intc' crime. l We were in a condition of utter un- when we set about to of congress to, do something is, back of it all, the cause Of the investigation of the war department now Had congress done its duty in the past, and had the been willing to delay action fer. +T,roa o,. fo,-. ,,,ootb- +bo 1vialOr,, would have bsen none the less com plcte and the mortality record of the army would nave been better.
 Congress is the body that needs in vestigating, and the people should de- mand in the future that more attention be paid to the army, the. navy and the matter of coast defenses. We are well out of serious situation, and the ccun- try should profit by the lesson learned at such 3 heavy cost. What we ac- l ,ompiisned in four months, even when we consider that Spain was our adver- ,ary, was wonderful in the eyes of the world. We must put ourselves in position to back up cur words by nen and guns, both on shore and cn  he water.
 We are not seeking war, we ara al- ways striving to avert it. The very papers now seeking tcr condemn the ad- s refuse to recall that the ! was not for war before lae country was ready. The responsi- ( ,ility for haste and the mistakes re, ulting frcm incompetent and inexpari- need men is not to be placed upon the ' To attempt to place it hsre is cCntemptible and savors al ' nest cf dislOyalty. The president has i ,een right from the beginning and the c country will make a terrible mistake i he is not endorsed and his hand l trengthened in the performance of the Luties yet to be imposed upon him. ?