New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-24
TIE Uses OF VA X.
remains.


War has It's uses. and their value may be far
beyond the capacity of this generation to com
pute. II this contest had no other good result
than the epoch-makng welcome OF Baltimore
to the Massachu 9th, or the presence OF
generals side by side some Of whom wore gray
and others blue, its value would be incalcu-
liable Whether that grand union Of hearts
and hands in an honorable cause adds half or
third to the effective lighting power OF the
Nation In any case 1t adds more than an army
OF a million men. Patriotic fire In cause
which appeals TO the whole people has burned
out the antagonisms and jealousies which made
foreigners calculate seriously on the chance OF
Gripping sectional dsagreements here. The
certainty that there is not and cannot be such
dlscord enormously Increases the power or the
United States In the estimation of any foreign
country. No one guess what the value CT
that certainty may DO to the interests OF the
American people during long years TO come. IN
the presence Of the ambitions and the rivalrics
Of European nations. But that alone Is answer
enough to those who cry War Is waste. and
that only!
There ID no education more valuable than
that which enlightens the Nation as TO It's short
comings and its responsibilities. When the
American people walked mp 10 find :hat their
niggardly and short sighted course for many
years had left the Nation they loved pltlfully
unready for any combat, even In cause which
rang In their ears with the imperative com
mand OF duty. many millions Of them quickly
learned that II was a crime for great Nation
to be wholly unready 10 protect the interests
and the honor OF lis people, or 10 discharge
It's duty among the other nations or the
world What measure Of preparation IS de-
manded will yet remain question. But there
will probably be generation OF voters for
many years which will listen without Indignant
contempt 10 the mean and selfish ieinagog
ism which counsels sacrifice Of honor. manhood
and duty rather than Of pennies. nation
which has learned that one lesson suddenly
steps to a new place among the worlds Powers
and when Ii speaks will command measure
OF respect not before known.
1t Is lesson OF deeper importance that
great nation must ever be ready 10 face duty
and take responsibility OF which II cannot have
any previous conception. When The absolute
necessity of defending American commerce in
the Pacific and American ports on the Pacific
Coast inspired the swift order 10 Commodore
Dewey 10 find the Spanish feet and destroy
IT, probably no one imagined that the discharge
Of that plain duty 10 the people would place
upon the Nation for n period which cannot now
he measured responsibility regarding nine mill
ion Inhabitants on more than n thousand Isl
ands But the humane and honorable motive
which compelled demand npon Spain. though
with distinct assurance that no acquisition Of
territory was desired or intended. could not. in
the nature OF things, limit the acts or The re-
suits OF war The proposal which Spain re-
jected fell dead as II II had never been made.
Spain chose war and obliged the United States
to employ It's power without reserve TO
quer peace as soon rs possible. The first con
sequence, within ten days was the destruction
Of Spanish power In the Philippine Islands and
the certainty that this Nation cannot consent 10
restore Spanish tyranny there. What else II
can do or may wish 10 do remains Of ncces-
slty to be considered when the war ends, but
that II cannot do.
The measure OF responsibility about Cuba
and Porto Rico cannot possibly he determined
by the United States n single month in nd
vance. Even at this hour destruction OF an
other Spanish feet may again alter the face OF
the world. The Cuban insurgents may show
large power to strive for their own lndcpen-
dence or none. They may be sustained by a
large share Of the inhabitants, or by so few
that no stable government can yet be formed.
War puts upon the conqueror a responsibility
which Christian nation cannot shrk. To
plead that II does not want Il Is unmanly md
falthess to the high sense Of duty which die
tated Intervention. What 1t may be the duty
OF THE Nation to do II cannot now know, be-
yond that first plain duty Of putting m end to
Spanish barbarism and tyranny IN the West
Indies. But no one can measure the value TO
the American people OF the education they are
now gaining every hour in the responsibility
Of civilized nations toward and on account of
each other, and In the imperative duty OF stand
ing ever prepared to meet with manly fortitude
and Christian purity Of purpose what respor
sibillties may devolve upon them.