The times., 1898-07-10

InlS spirit mas caused the loss OF more
battles than almost anything else in
the history of the world. There is
something in the brilliant daring of a
handful Of men who are willing to give
their lives for forlorn hope, which
inspires the rest of the army AS Have
lock said there are in every regiment
one hundred men who will storm the
gates of hell, and several hundred more
who viii follow them. But If bureau
cratic management restrains the one
hundred from obeying the impulse Of
their nature. there win be no leaders,
and there will be no following. and
nothing will be done. Meanwhile the
enemy may be doing a great deal.
Both these policies have been excel
lently illustrated in the present war
The people have had a chance to OBJ
serve them, and their results A great
deal Of time was lost in lodging the
formidable Spanish fleet which has just
been smashed into scrap-iron outside
the harbor of Santiago. There was de-
lay in mobilizing the troops, and ap-
pointing competent officers to take
charge of them and lick raw recruits
into shape. There was delay in getting
the men off to Cuba, and more delay,
to allow the formidable Spanlard to get
into Santiago Harbor and be bottled
up. And it looks, at the present time,
very much as if there would have been
delay enough to allow Cervera to get
out of the harbor and resume his fox
chasing up and down the Atlantic. had
there not been man on the spot who
knew how to take chances and was re-
solved to do some work, let the conse-
quences be what they might.
Nothing could have been finer than
the action of Schley in seizing the op-
portunity offered him, without an in
stant's delay. 1t may be that Comm dore
Sampson would have done the same
thing. If so, now is the time for him
to prove it. He has his chance He can
cooperate with Shafter and save the
weakened and wounded army of the
latter from any more waiting in ma
larial atmosphere, or he can pause, and
consider what is best TO do, and become
responsible for the first American de-
feat of the war.
The men who pursue the opposite pol
icy to that of the bureaucrat-the pol
icy of action-have thus far in the war
been responsible for all the victories.
Dewey took chances; so did Schley; SO
did Wheeler in directing the Rough
Riders TO walk into the midst of Span
ish force several times their number.
And all of these decisions resulted in
glory for the American nation and COM
paratively little sacrifice of life. Ev-
cry days delay in a climate like that
of Cuba means loss of strength for our
army. Unnecessary delays at the be-
ginning Of the war have made it nee
essary to carry on a campaign there
at most unsuitable time of year. The
! important point now is to have no more
| delays. TO strike quickly and power
| fully, and end the war as soon as pos
sible. To this end it is desirable thai
! Commodore Sampson should co-operat
with General Shafter without loss OF
| time, and reduce the city of Santiago
to ruin or surrender. Then it can be
said that we are conducting truly
merciful war When a surgical opera
ton has to be performed, the wise sur
geon does the job with all possible
speed and skill. He does not stop il
the midst of it to consider what ho
Tould better do next.