Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-06-25

to year. Questions relating to coast
defense were idly debated In Congress
session after session, and the Atlantic,
Gulf and Pacific seabOards were left
unprotected. When a real emergency
came, after single furry with Italy
and temporary menace Of war with
Chill, the country was unprepared for
campaign. Everything had to be done
ut once at high cost and unscientifcal.
~. Ports were hastily fortified, YES.
sells Of war were purchased abroad, q
merchant fleet was armed. and the Eu.
ropean market was rnnsacked for
quick-flring guns and war material Of
all kinds. 1t was most expensive and
wasteful method Of preparing a nation
for serious warfare. 1t Is easy, but II
Is not wise. to be bcguiled In piping
days Of peace by the cuckoo song that
we shall never have another battle to
fight. War Is invited by lack Of pre-.
paration. The surest guarantees of
peace are fortified coast. strong
fleet, a well.organixed army, and o
large stock of the best weapons known
In modern warfare. There should be
knowledge Of war, without public
taste for bloodshcd.
~SA
The death Of Samuel Plimsoll, "the
sailors friend" shows what one mans
determined activity ana devotion to
duty can accomplish. His whole life
was devoted to reform and particular.
" to the doing away Of the abuse Of
overlooking vessels and sending them
out In an unseaworthy condition. He
labOred In private and In Parliament
for this object and wrote books and
pamphlets calling attention to II. For
years he was opposed b. the greedy
shipping interests and hampered by
the Indifference Of public officials. but
he labored on und!scouraged and at last
success crowned his interchangeable eff.
forts. He took no part In politics ex.
cept rs connected with his special mis-.
sion ana was regarded In some quar-.
tiers rs a crank. but II Is to be set down
to his credit that by his persistence and
enthusiasm he achieved the great work
OF reforming the British shipping laws
and protecting the lives of seamen.
Such life was heroic, well rounded.
and not spent In vain.
~eA
Tho report that In the examination Of
volunteers for the army w per cent. Of
the habitual cigarette smokers were re.
jected as physically unit for the ser.
vice has brought out good many dec.
laratiOns going to show that smoking
cigarettes IL not more injurious than
similar use Of tobacco In other forms.
examining surgeons come the stats.
tics OF the hygienic conditions Of the
French army. These figures show that
the general mortality Of the French sol.
der 10 annually increasing. In 1906
the rate of mortality was G.s5 per 1000
soldiers, but 1t has increased constantly
each year since. The increase 10 almost
entirely from cases Of lung troubles.
eliminating In pulmonary consump-
ton, one Of the chief causes of which IL
attributed to cigarette smoking. I'm.
sanitary barracks and abslnthe drink.
ing are believed to contribute their
share to this increase Of mortality. but
the former are no worse than they
We're ten years ago and absinthe has
for many years been favOrite intOxi-
cant In France. 1t Is believed that the
increased use Of tho cigarette is respon-
sible for the weakened lung power Of
the French soldier.
~6A
| Within a few years our navy win
rank second only to thar Of England.
II this means anything 1t means that
our merchant service will move up ulti-
mately to the same place. Safety and
dignity will be given to our trading
ships by the presence In all waters OF
government vessels. Capital will seek
investment In shipyards and In ships,
and foreign governments will follow
the lead OF Russia by having their war
ships constructed here. This may seem
a rOseate view to take Of the situation.
but 1t Is one amply borne out by the
facts.