Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-03-19
NO ENTANdLINu ALLIANCES.
Preparing for War in Time of Peace.
No Compromise.
From our Regular Correspondent.)

From our Regular Correspondent)
WASHINGTON. March ID President
Mckinley is one of the hardest work
ed men in the country just now. He
has not abandoned hope that peace
may be preserved with honor, but he
is working night and day to place the
country in a position to wage sue
cessfui war against Spain just as
| though he were certain that war is TO
come. His head has not been turned
even little bit by the extraordinary
confidence rcposed in him by Con-
gress, in putting by unanimous vote
| Sso. ooo. 600 in his hands to be used
for national defense. He is cool and
deliberate, just as he has been from
the first. lie calmly ignores the sen
sational reports of this or that Euro
pean nation being about to form an
alliance with Spain, and is as fully
determined as ever to maintain Ma
tional honor at all hazards.
Notwithstanding contrary asser-
tions, it is a fact that neither the
President nor the Secretary of the
Navy has received from any member
of the Maine Court OF Inquiry, sim
gle word intimating what the report
of the Court will be. They have, Of
course. like all other intelligent men,
formed an opinion from the evidence
that has appeared in the columns of
respectable newspapers, OF what the
probable nature of the report as far as
it concerns the explosion, will be, but
they have no knowledge of what
the Court has done or will do, and ex-
pect none, anymore than they would
expect advance intimation of what
decision OF the U. S. Supreme Court
would be in any given case it might
have under consideration. There will
be no delay in acting as soon as the
report, which the President will ac-
cept as final, is made, and Spain will
not be allowed to delay responding to
the demands of this government, if it
is shown that the Maine was blown
up from the outside, and of that there
is now very little doubt. While the
President is keeping his own counsel
as to the demand that will be made
upon Spain. it can be set down as GER
tain that it will be one that will be
Endorsed by the entire American peo-
pie, Just as the Presidents policy has
been up to the present time, and it is
generally believed that it will include
a proposition for definite settlement
of the trouble in Cuba There are al
ready strong indications that Spain
has adoped policy of delay, which it
will seek to carry out, but it will seek
in vain. 1t will either have to meet
our demands promptly or fight.
No Quaker could profess greater
brotherly love for the United States
than does the new Spanish Minister,
who was presented President McKin-
ley Saturday. He talked as though
peace were assured and that his great
est anxiety is to complete reciprocl-
ty treaty with us. This talk isn't
throwing any sand in anybody's eyes.
The confidence felt by Congress in
the President is duplicated by that re-
posed by the President in his Secre-
taries of War and Navy, and by that
placed in their bureau chiefs by those
Secretaries. An instance of this con
fidence is the case of Gen. Flagler,
Chief of Ordnance, who has been au-
thorized by Secretary Alger to place
orders for as much war material as he
may deem necessary under existing
circumstances. Gen. Flagler has di-
rected all makers of guns and ammu-
milton to run their establishments to
their full capacity until further orders.
But no waste or extravaganza is to be
countenanced in the War or Navy De
partment; every dollar spent will be
upon estimates, approved not only by
the Secretary, but by the President,
and in writing at that.
Congress is very decidedly opposed
to anything that might be construed
by the world as an alliance between
the United States and Great Britain |
The feeling against "entangling for
eign complications" is quite as strong
now as it was in the days of George
Washington. We do not need any
help from England to fight our bat
ties, and we do not intend to help |