Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13

proved himself man Of yalor, intelligence
and patriotism. In the land fighting the
military unit the man with the rifle, has
shown himself one of the most reliable, de-
termined, patient and potent factors in
campaigning which the world knows. His
opportunity for military achievement has
been small, but his heroism under the mos.
trying hardships Incidental to the hasty
mobilization of a volunteer army under Sc
we're climatic conditions has shown that
true valor is not confined to the firing line
In the conduct of the campaign there has
been such intelligent energy as was ex-
pected by the nation. Advantage was taken
Of every chance to bring the enemy to a
speedy realization of the American proves
Not reverse mars the whole record All
Is victory In the fighting. At Santiago the
problem was desperately perplexing Haste
was necessary to avoid the characteristic
levers of the climate. while haste meant
the exposure of the forces to suffering from
insufficient equipment, armament and pro-
Vlsioning. The time to strike was not set
according to the judgment of those in con-
troll OF the campaign. but by the passage
OF events. Delay meant the loss of a gold
en- opportunity and perhaps the indefinite
prolongation of the war
1he land and naval forces were concen-
trated before the city ana the naval squad
ron there cornered was forced to seek an
escape Its destruction resulted, Spain's
naval power was finally broken and the col
lapse Of her campaign inevitably followed
IN that result the army participated ma
ter1ally by rendering the further presence
or Cervera and his ships at Santiago a
source of military weakness rather than of
strength The fighting on land had been
sharp and bloody and the Spanish COM
mander foresaw his certain destruction
when the Gordon around the city was COM
pleted by those intrepid men who had not
faltered in the face of the most deadly fire.
The war has demonstrated many things
1t has shown how wise was President Nc
hinley in his efforts to prevent a precipi-
tate declaration of war while the nation
was wholly unprepared. His management
or the matter in the early stages was
enthusiastically intelligent and states
manlike- Events proved that he was no
less master of the situation when he sought
TO postpone decisive action then than later
when he assented to SPANS proposition of
peace.
The war has also shown that the world
must readJust its judgment of the Ameri-
can influence beyond the national boundar-
49, - ii>'' Oh chg titueu the preSClSe or the
United States as has no other event or
series of events in its history. The great
republic is henceforth to be reckoned as
one of the material factors in universal
trade and progression.
Best of all. however, has been the domes-
TIC uphft, the freshening of the peoples ma
tlonal spirit. the revelation to the citizen of
the nations duty and Its power to perform
what Is set for 1t to do. The people have
been taken from their narrow ruts of local
ism ana selhshness and placed upon a
broad, high plane of patriotism, and filed
with thoughtful, but ardent, confidence in
thelr government and institutions and in
the future of the great republic