The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-21
Taps From the War Drum.

The Washington authorities are IN the
dari: as 10 Spain's plan Of action She
| may risk all In a naval battle of the
coast OF Porto Rico. She may scatter her
war ships, swoop down on American sea-
board cities and seek vengeance in bonn
! bardment She may hold her navy on the
ether side Of the Atlantic to invite attack
| under conditions most favorable to her
self The American tacticians have con-
sidereo all these possibilities and are pre-
pared for them
The president Is not at all Influenced
by ten malignant attacks upon his cour-
age and patriotism, which appear rom
day 10 cay, IN the sensational newspapers.
He. no doubt, remembers that Lincoln
was attacked in the same terms. not only
BY the radical war party OF his day, who
wanted 10 hang, burn, and destroy wher-
ever our armies had penetrated the South,
but also by the peace men. who synlpa-
thized with the rebellion. and who beliey
ed that the war for its suppression was
Unholy and barbarous. Re certainly has
not forgotten the curious career Of Brick
Fomeroy. who established a newspaper at
La Crosse Wisconsin. and built up an
enormous circulation for It by abusing and
Safeguarding Abraham Lincoln. II was
short-lived success that Pomeroy won
for his 'red-hot' Democrat, but he show
ed that there were mem ours enough In
the North 10 furnish 1t with hundreds of
thousands of subscribers.
Day and night men, women and girls,
urged TO increased effort by impending
war. are putting together for the United
States navy the emblem that will 1utter
defiance In the face Of the enemy Of the
nation. They are making flags at the
New York navy yard in Brooklyn. and
they are making them as strong as the
hearts and the nerves of the men who
will fight while life is left in defense of
"Old Glory" Formerly Ben Butler has
monopoly in supplying the nation with
bunting, but now the government buys
where it can find the cheapest and best
material each year.
Thomas Drawley, newspaper cores
pendent in Cuba, speaking Of fakes, says:
"A cat story which caught my attention
was that family of man and wife and
six children, while on their way to one
Of the fortified towns, had found a dead
cat, which in their extremity they had
eaten. with the result that all died except
q nursing baby, which was found shortly
after How did any one discover that
this party had been killed by eating the
dead cat? Did the nursing baby tell the
story? No one else remained to tell it,
Drawley also says: That annexation
would be resisted by the insurgents as
strenuously as they now oppose Spanish
rule is no idle Imagination of Mr.. Ru-
bens. When 1 was imprisoned by the
Spanish in Moro Castle two years ago,
was in the room with fifteen strong
insurgent sympathizers, and they had no
hesitation in declaring that they did not
propose to have any other government
than their own. Gomez. too. told me one
morning while we were breakfasting in
his camp that, after the Spaniards were
driven out laws would be passed forbid
ding any but the native races to hold
property in Cuba
As Commander-in-chiefo Of the army and
navy, Mckinley has a right to make up
his own mind and act accordingly as re-
CARDS the actual opening of the ball with
shot and shell. In the matter of making
and carrying on war, while it is for con-
gress to declare war. it is for the presi-
dent alone to carry it on. He may thus
determine whether the war is to be waged
on the offensive or the defensive a war
to be vigorously pressed or one TO be left
to drag on largely in inaction and be main
ly fought out in negotiation and diplo-
macy. OF course he would have the right
to be the judge as to how far he could
go in carrying out his own line of ac-
ton, the president not being under the
direct control of congress in such mat
tiers. Congress could. 1t is true. impeach
him should he, in the opinion Of the ma
tional legislature. fail to do his duty; but
that is far beyond the range of practical
politics at present.
Nelson A. Miles will command the army
in the field in person. He will go south the
latter part of the week to establish his
headquarters. either at Atlanta OF Chicka-
manga, taking with him his aids.
What smashing big navy we shall
have, whether events allow us the amuse-
ment of thrashing Spain or not! There
will be dry-docks, battle-ships, torpedo
boats. and torpedo-chasers galore. home
made and made in Europe. We shall also
have accomplished certain much-needed
improvements in the army and in coast
fortifcations-and what a nice big bill we
shall have to pay for il ALL That little
$50, 00O. 600 emergency fund won't cover 1t,
whether we go to war or not. Aside from
the debts contracted, there will be the an
nual cost of maintenance Of the enlarged
navy and coast defences in time OF peace.
and the extras" won't be small in
amount. Where will the money come from
to pay for these things? Only from fresh
taxes.
The status Of submarine cables in time
Of war is still very uncertain. By the
international conference held at Paris on
March IA. 1884. at which practically all the
maritime powers Of the world, including
Spain and the United States, were rep
resented, treaty was agreed TO making
the wanton destruction Of submarine tel
egraphic cables or injury OF the same by
cuipable negligence criminally punishable;
and other regulations for their protection
were made. Laws were subsequently pass
ed by the legislative powers OF all the
high contracting parties to carry the pro-
visions of the convention into effect. The
delegates to the conference from Great
Britain and Belgium, however. declared
their understanding OF the agreement 20
be that in time Of war beIligerent sigma
tory should be as free TO act in regard to
submarine cables as though the conven-
ton did not exist: and the agreement was
subscribed with the tacit assent of all par
ties TO this Limitation Of its effect.
The four big steamships OF the Arneri-
can Line which have been taken for gov
eminent use as cruisers, earned large
annual subsidy in the foreign mail service
amounting last year 10 over $4,000. With
the disappearance OF these vessels from
the transatlantic route Our foreign cor
respondence Will be necessarily intrusted
largely 10 alien bottoms. just as IN DAYS
gone by.