The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-31


need to husband coal that there is on
the longer and rougher voyage. The
value of such a canal in war time be
comes apparent. General Tracy, for
merly secretary of the navy, express
ed it in one of his reports when he said
we must either build the canal of main
tain two navies-one for the Atlantic
and one for the Pacific. The cost of
two battleships would almost build the
canal.
There will be war with Spain.
And, in the course of human events, it
is about time.
Upon the hole the disaster to the Maine
was not an accident. And upon the whole
it is not an incident.
Our indemnity from Spain will be about
s25, 100000 We have alrea iy spent So, o., 900
getting ready to ask for it,
In the hottest war there is many long
y
shot with a short range gun.
Give. oh give US war, that is as easily
read about when transpiring as the cid
wars in the school histories are.
Fools frequently rush in where diplo-
mats fear to tread, with the result of
showing diplomats how groundless their
fears were.
1t is thought that with proper care Sec
rotary Long. who was so cock sure it was
an accident, will be cured to the degree
where he can read the Maine report.
1t is to be hoped that congress will load
up on smokeless speeches and fire away
at Tom Reed. Congress at outs with Reed
would be as good as a Spanish bull-fgnt
With the navy severely crippled because
sufficient men will not enlist, Major Nc
Kinley is probably sleeping with the mot
to: More haste and less speed under his
pillow.
During the thrill of war it IS almost
criminal to forget that in ten years, after
Cuba has become a part of the Union, she
may be as big blot on TIE nation as
Missouri
Campaigns are supposed to be the trying
times in candidates experience, but
there are moments now when Mckinley
longs for just one look at that old ia
miliar Canton lawn.
Most people are snap prophets. Nine out
of ten Americans are saying calmly:
Spain viii win the first battle" This is
largely the view because the Union forces
were whaled at Bull Run.
Spain will ask to have the Maine mat
ter srbitrated. When our nation agrees
10 that. the world viii know that she has
completely, ingloriously and timidly
backed down before Spain.
II is impossible for the public to know
all the influencing news received in Wash
ington. Let us have patience. Possibly
they are waiting for General Miles linen
TO be returned from The laundry.
Excitement is an intoxlcant. The peo-
pie poured the Maine report down and it
Just wet the throat and they rappel the
glass down hard on the table and called
10 the waiter: FIJI her up again
The people are long-suferiRg. The next
congressman who makes q speech and
rings in that old age-corroded chestnut
about this nations fair escutcheoa"
ought 10 be promtly Drained with a coup
nngpin.
War is a big thing and must be handled
carefully. a HORSEPOWER can move a
house four blocks in Two days. although
Il is hard 20 see the house moving. But
unlike the cyclone which viii move the
house instantaneously, the housemoye-
gets il there intact.
The war viii be unsatisfactory as soon
as IT starts. In the first place. the first
battle VIII come in an Irritating brief bull
letia. II viii be far out at sea and the
public VII so crazy waiting for the facts
AZ last it VIII arrive in detail The
chances are we viii be larruped cross-eyed
and raralyzeG. ba; our officers will clsi-u
/; was a draw" The next time Ne WI
probably whale Spain into q wlnd-pudding