The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-05-06
Editorial.
a RIGHTEOUS WAR AND ITS FRUITS.

Until our present war with Spain it
had long been the abstract thought both
in this country and Europe that, because
of the compact and powerful territorial
organization of the United States, OF
their wide separation from monarchical
governments, and of their entire immu-
nifty from all forms of foreign alliance,
the need for colossal naval establish
ment would probably never become even
an affectation on this side of the Atlantic.
A foreign war against this country. and
especially war foreshadowing, as does
the present one, long duration and large
expenditure. had always been discounted
in international calculation as altogether
unlikely; and this universally hreceived
theory undoubtedly contributed until
within recent years to restrain our due
naval development and to cOnfne our
flag to few and fragile warships that rode
in peaceful seas. Astounded, then, may
the world well be at seeing the United
States emerge from this struggle second
only to Great Britain in naval arma-
ment, having entered it at the low rating
of fifth among the powers. Even1to-day
no country dare despise our fleets and
guns.
But our marked advance toward naval
supremacy may be reckoned as.among
the least potential of the prime sequences
certain to flow from a successful contest
teeming with material and patriotic
blessings. Vast incidental fruits cluster
about the victory certain to reward our
arms-fruits that it will be ours togather
and for our posterity to cherish through
all the changes of time. As to the Amer
lean motive and purpose, they are the
loftiest and purest that ever animated an
uplifted arm for the defense of stricken
humanity. Nowhere in the annals of ma
tional self-sacriice are there parallels to
the abnegatory unanimity and enthusi-
asm with which this country undertakes
the military rescue and deliverance of
an impoverished and appealing people
who have not even the remote claim upon
us of common origin. This spectacle of
a great and peaceful nation, more skilled
in the amenities and arts of commerce
than in the intrigues and sacrimonies of
Jealous foreign States, challenging to war
the widest and wickedest kingdom of the
earth-and this in behalf of liberation for
an oppressed and helpless island-may
never again embellish the platonic annals
of time. Out of the Negroes crimson and
costly emancipation came no recompense
to the hand that struck from his limbs
the fetter of his Inheritance; and the
armed rescue of Cuba can repay this ma
ton only through the poetic gratitude of
its patriot heart.
Yet there abide for us material and re-
splendent trophies at the close of the
present war. The enormous necessary
expenditures of the government will have
thrilled the:faccid arteries of languorous
trade with veritable vitality, stimulat-
ed the currency circulation, and reawak-
profitable energies. For such a general
and desirable result only great national
irruption, whether warlike or otherwise,
could have suficed; for. withs varying
condition of success and failure offsetting
each other in different sections and the
sense of depression present everywhere,
widespread prosperous conditions would
have continued impossible. And worse
than all, our pople, having experienced
five full years Of grinding hard times,
were growing hopelessly used to miser
able and misfit state of poverty. AS we
have intimated, the war will assuredly
dispel that nightmare. The nation will
rise, rejuvenated giant, renowned and
regarded the world over, and the Ameri-
can people will agilely adapt their genius
and pursuits to new and higher demands.
And, yet more devoutly to be wished,
the United States are destined to survive
this struggle concrete nationality patri-
otically and perpetually cemented in all
its parts, its entire territory peopled by
homogeneous millionsssingle in national
loyalty and supreme in love of country.
The yellow ensign of Spain having been
swept from this hemisphere, there will
linger with us not vestige of the bitter
ness of civiliwar that Glove the land into
open chasms, and not living ember Of
distrust in the ashes of its memory. The
men in blue and the men in gray who on
six hundred battle6elds symbolized the
genius of war by feats of devotion and
valor that put to rebuke the Wanted ex-
PLOTS of the ancients are to-day shoulder
to shoulder and step to step in the march
of martial glory, and the grandeur of
their united courage will forever illumine
the thrilling story of Americas philan-