The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-14
MONDAY. MARCH IA. 1895.
America and the world.

America and the World.
TimoroUs Americans. and there are q
feg of them, should take comfort from
The fact that this nation could put the
greatest army Of history into the field
within few days. The utter ease
with which we could raise a military
force numerically superior 10 the COM
bined armies of Europe is sufficient
reason for believing that no foreign
power would be likely 70 invade our
territory.
According TO a statement prepared by
the War Department. there are 1O.O37.-
$50 men within the Union available for
military duty. more than two-thirds Of
whom could be Immediately utilized
for short term service, and susceptible
OF mobilization in the various States in
from eight TO forty-eight hours. The
State Of Pennsylvania alone has a
fighting resource Of eight hundred and
fifty thousand males of military age,
ninety per cent Of whom could be con
centrated in thirty-siX hours, while
New York and New Jersey could raise
another army Of one million five hun
dred thousand men in forty-eight
hours
It must be confessed that careless
ness and stupidity Of our legislators in
the past have left the nation in very
poor shape FOR aTming and equipping
a big volunteer army; but that defect
can be speedily overcome by Yankee in
dUstry and ingenuity. For any military
purpose yet in sight or likely TO be
our small but efficient Regular Army Of
say tWenty-seVen thousand men, re-
enforced by fifty thousand National
Guardsmen may be looked upon as
ample.
In the event Of a necessity to punish
the SpanisTds by military occupation
Of Havana, Matanzas and other places
now occupied by them in cuba, very
few, if any, American troops would be
needed. At the first named place. for
example. il would only be necessary
for our feet 10 reduce the f0rtifica-
tons and the cooperation Of Gen
Gomez on The land side would finish the
business. So il would be elsewhere.
We should thoroughly understand that
Spain would not BE- holding an inch of
territory in Cuba today if the patriots
had been able 10 secure siege ar
tiIIery capable OF effective use
against the large Spanish forts.
And it is only under the shelter
of their big guns that Spain has
any Judgment anywhere in Cuba. 1t
follows that our obvious military policy
would be 10 batter the defensive works,
and Jet the Cubaus attend TO the land
operations They are amply able TO
do H.
As The Times has repeatedly suggest
ed, IL is foolishness to dignity by the
name u war the short. sharp casti-
CATION which it is our duty, and doubt
less our purpose, TO administer to
Spain. When the population, resources
and general conditions Of that rotten
and falling country are compared with
those II America il viii be seen at
glance how contemplate an adversary
the Spanish monarchy is. 1t has pop
Ulaton estimated al i. $4,000 against
ours. which is placed at 1850. 600. In
1885 the annual value Of Spanish man
UfacJures was stated at 100000, 900.
ed L. 50 81. 600, 600. SPANS treasury is
absolutely empty, and war fund there is
none on March Z, 1898. We had a cash
balance in our Treasury Of $224, Sos. 297,
and President Mckinley has an emer-
gency fund II so 900 600 TO do anything
he pleases with.
Since the time Of our War OF Inde-
pendence. Spain has steadily declined in
power and prestige, losing one after
another of her colonial possessions, and
falling from the position Of a vast en-
pire 10 that Of beggarly little fourth
rate state. on the contrary. this
country. starting from a group of weak
British colonies, strung along the At
lantlc coast Of North America, has
grown during the same period To the
position Of one Of the five nrst-class
powers Of the world: the others being
Russia, Great Britain, Germany ana
France.
Since the beginning Of the century
Spain has lost the colonies louisiana
Argentina, Venezuela, New Granada,
Mexico Florida. Chile, and, lastly.
cuba. She stin holds Porto Rico in the
West Indies, the Philippine Islands and
the Canaries. These remnants viii un-
doUbtedly go, too. The last named
alone would pay as handsomely, if held
in Leu Of cash indemnity. Then the
Western Hemisphere win be finally rid
Of the treacheroUs, tOrturing, butcher