The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-04
Patriotism and Patience.

This light hearted, airy war emo
ton, wa to be over in thirty days
mo more delay 'Victory if there be
action ''On to Havana recalls the
"On to Richmond campaign against
Lincoln which eliminated in Bull
Run. That disgraccful episode in our
, history inds q parallel in the trucu-
lent dcnunciations Of President Nc
kinlcy by the yellow journals for his
supposed apathy as to a vigorous pros
coution Of the war. I@.inc0ln was
bounded to premature battle and de-
feat. Mckinley is mcnaccd with the
same fate.
The Con to Richmond blundcr
imposed upon Lincoln by the yellow
journalism and yellow demagogy Of
1861 revived a still born revolution.
If Lincoln could have resisted the
pcrnicious influence and held his hand
until he was ready the outbreak would
have been suppressed in one wise,
comprehensive campaign. 1t was
son to Richmond" then as it is "On
to Havana now, the cry Of ignorance
and folly.
What is war? It is not a game OF.
,, solitaire. What is our readiness as
an armed people? Assurcdly not that
of paladins prepared for fight. What
IS cur army? 4 skeleton organiza-
ton. Villa. arc our volunteers?
Thousands Of the best and bravcst
fellows that ever ploughcd a wheat
field, but wanting discipline and drill.
What is our place among the nations?
One of a family and bound with fami-
~ obligations. What have we for re.
sources? \ revenue that as yet must
be provided for and collected. Yes
tcrday unarned, to-day our
are crude and ~undcvclopcd. Before
the war Is over the powers Of Europe
may be active forces in the campaign.
War is not a mere yellow newspaper
waltz. We may dare Niagara, not de-
- i. lscfnre we mndnrrate a foe
study Agincourt, Iiossbach and Sc
dan, or, as an impressive theme. the
Spanish Armada. Take nothing for
granted, not even tho d~ecadencc of an
enemy. The eyes Of Europe are but
open to the fact that the "Sick Man
OF the BosphOrus was, in the Crctan
question, strong enough I'll paralyxc
European diplomacy. Nor should we
rcvol in the moonshinc Of foreign
sympathy Yes, there is the friend
ship of England. Well, England, per-
hars, if yellow dcmagogy had not
thrown into her teeth that peace with
arbitration treaty, which would have
united us as with hooks Of steel
England is not apt to answer a blow
with a kiss. There are, of course,
other powers %yearning. it is hoped, to
fight Americas battles and make the
cause of humanity their own. France
and Italy arc, like Spain. Latin
nationaliticS and race sympathy SUI
pcrvcncs. Germany is the ally of
Austria, and an Austrian princess is
on the Spanish throne. Russia is far
away and too much concerned in her
magnificent Monaghan problem to
waste her hardy Cossacks upon The
squalid provinces Of equatorial Cuba.
Patriotism is patience. The Prcsi-
dent must no be hawk driven upon
another Bull Run. Nor by blundcr
nor IL defeat must we find ourselves
face to face with a wal OF Far reaching
consequences. War is not n liked
science. Each war evolves it's own
lessons. We must learn them by OK
pcricnce. \ modern hattlcship would
have destroyed the fleets of Nelson
and E~illcncuvc, while Il modern rcgi-
mcnt would have driven Wellington
from the field Of Waterloo. To be in
readiness is half the battle. The
needle gun forced Austria out of the
German empire. 1t was Il surprise,
but defeat has at times been the pen.
atty of II surprise.
Patience, steadily a%r,ning, drill,
making ready, ST anticipating every
contingency that when the blow falls
the discontinue of the foe will be
complctc--this is what war means.
This will not be attained by forcing
upon the president the disaster Of
another Bull Run.
We arc i'll the war to the end. The
causes are beyond debate. Every
sacrifice viii be Il privilege. it is a
war OF humanity, but at the same
I'M we must crave the favor Of that
Providence who never deserts a pco-
. pie whose arms arc ready and whose
powder is dry. We must sustain the
president. There must be no word of
pause or dishcartcnmcnt. no more of
tins "On to Richmond" frenzy which
distressed the soul Of Lincoln and
would paralyzc the arms Of Mckinley.
We can neither whiri into war nor
sarcen toward victory. Nor can we
expect mamma from heaven nor the
starting OF the watcrs under the suit-
ing wand nor the falling Of the
: Jericho walls. The supreme duty dc.
wolves upon US as it did upon our "a.
theirs. AS our fathers did. We must
!, grid ourselves to it as men pronercd
for any. effort, and not madly foment.
ing. strife, even as the swine who
rushed devil possessed into the sea-