Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-08
II War Should Come.

how would it he fought? The great
conservative. patriotic mass of the
American people hopes that war can be
avoided Peace has its victories no less
renowned than war. and We hope that
the delay in sending the President s
message to Congress means that peace
with honor is an Immediate possibility.
But if Spain does not back down and
depar; from Cuba or if she refuses TO
give the reparation this country will
demand FOR the loss of the Maine and
the murder of her crew. then it is not
easy to see how war can be avoided. 1t
would probably be a short war. but like
any war under modern conditions 1t
would probably be terrible one, and II
might have some grim surprises. It
could have but one result. however. the
same result that has uniformly fol-
lowed whenever Uncle Sam has drawn
his sword for action.
II war should come the navy, the
regular army ana the National Guard
would be at once ordered into service.
To map out the campaign IT this time
would he the merest guess work. but
We may be sure that many thousands
of the brave ard patriotic youth of the
land who would be- anx Gus to volunteer
would he disappointed, 1t will be a
battle Of max hines. IA her than of men.
and it Is not probable that one out of
tour Of these who are now so eager t.
enlist will have their services accepted.
The scenes of the Civil War when every
village and It's recruiting office cannot
he repeated. and the draft" VIII be Il
thing unknown.
Ii is hard to conceive Of any land
battles between Spain and the United
ON the island of Cuba. 1t is not likely
that Spain will attempt to invade the
Tnited States or that we shall attempt
to invade Spain. In Cuba the Spanish
now haye an army of perhaps 150,o9o
men which may he recruited to POO. 900
by additions from Porto Rico and other
neishbo,inS Spanish colonies There x
the possibility. of course. that Spain
will send an army from the mother
country. but this would be Il perilous
undertaking after war had once been
declared. \ more desperate project
could scarcely he conceived than load
ing ships with men and sending them
out upon the high seas to become TIL"
prey of our navy. Spain is not so well
equipped that she could furnish gun,
boats enough to escort such fleet
undertake it, OF course, large numbers
uf soldiers may he conveyed across hr
the gunboats themselves. but the most
liberal estimate will not allow more
than 100000 men to the completed
Spanish army in Cuba.
How many Americans Will be needed
to contend with such an army. and how
many more Americans will be needed
to garrison our forts and man our coast
defenses? Is not 100000 liberal esti-
mate? a Washington authority re-
Gently declared that there are 5000 900
men in the United States of military
age, and it is not an eXaggeration to
say that 1.00o.000 of them are ready to
enlist tomorrow. Indeed ii is certain
that the war department. VIII be over
Whelmed with tenders of service tGe
moment war is declared. and that not
one fourth of these tenders can be az
cepted
w. e,j,t ma, +, ,.,u,ll H., q hat-
~. nf ,,,a.bir.S and W., r,fol,t bo,n
added unt,.;Dd machines The last wa,
of any c.,nsaouenca was the Franco-
pr,,sei,p ciuca its o,osa tho anoiras ..
v.o,. hath, fc, land ,rd ca. how, l,a.,
entir4.I,. rauoda,ad Janan rave us an
in,xlino j., ba, brrsb with chin, of the
a,il,t,. of - ,nodarn ornhnat hut sbe