The record-union., 1898-05-23

q LuOS4ullO meet CISdAeO anu p4dCeN
upon its stations along the Atlantic
Coast.
When all these things are considered
it is simply marvellous that so much
has been accomplished, and that out of
a state of miserable and humiliating
unreadiness we have inside of six
weeks prepared to the extent that we
have; spurred ourselves into as good
condition as the country occupies to-
day.
Yet in the face of all the facts in the
forefront of what every intelligence
with a square inch of brains ought to
know, that it would have been the
hight of reckless folly to have invaded
Cuba without complete preparation and
a perfectly established base, which
must command time; that to have sent
out a couple of thousand raw troops
to Dewey would have been to hamper
and injure him, since he cannot house
or use a small force, or take charge
Of land troops and neglect his ships,
and that whatever force is sent to him
must be adequate to care for itself and
confront an enemy with 5000 regu-
lar troops, 1000 volunteers and 1000
civil guards, within Manila-in the face
of these facts the Government is as
sailed, harshly criticised and merciless-
~ scored for its "sloWness," its fail
ure to have invaded Cuba long ago,
feet, to have maintained a perfect
blockade along 1,600 miles of the en-
emy's coast, and because it has not
shipped thousands of troops and ship
loads of naval stores to Dewey 5000
miles away.
These are the same critics-heaven
save the mark-who not long ago were
bowling until they were purple in the
face that Wall street or some other
New York influence was delaying the
declaration Of war and tying the hands
Of the President. Yet the Empire State
was the first to come to the aid of the
Government with 100000 for the i'm
mediate calling of the National Guard
into service. New York City is the
very heart and center of the most ar
dent and patriotic activity to-day and
was the first city in the Union to pre-
sent fulI-armed and equipped regiments
to the Government.
1t was the first city in the Union to
splendidly celebrate Dewey's victory;
the first city in the Union to locally
organize the Red Cross. and her citi-
zens were the first in the nation, ex-
cepting only one in Philadelphia, to
say to employees that while serving
their country as soldiers their wages
should go on
Her citizens were the first to tender
to the Government needed boats free Of
cost; her great business organization
of merchants the first of commanding
Importance in all the land to vote con-
fdence in the Government, and to pc
titRon it to intervene in Cuba in the
name Of humanity.
The con to Havana" critics should
take down their histories from dusty
shelves and read what befell the "On
to Richmond" ardents. They should
attempt to recall that Abraham Lin
coin found the nation in much the same
state of unpreparedness in which Pres
ident Mckinley discovered it to be, and
that the great nberator was the tar
get for the same order Of scurrilous
assault now aimed against the admin
istration Of President Mckinley.
Lincoln was not, happily for him,
compelled to wage war against yellow
Journalism as we'll as the armed host
of the Confederates. He was opposed
by a copperhead press, but knew pre-
ciseIy where to place it. But President
Mckinley has had to take into account
the pretended friendship and the nickel
patriotism of a treacherous and mer-
cenary press, that has done its utmost
to thwart the plans Of the Adminstra-
ton and expose its purposes to the en-
envy. until. for the first time in the his
tory Of the nation, it has been found
absolutely necessary to set up a CEN
sorship over news and threaten the
constituencies press with military
rigor.
Something more of haste possibly might
have been made in the invasion Of Cuba
and the dispatch of men to Manila, but
we apprehend that the Government has
been plainly advised by the Generals
Of the army, all of whom saw service
through the terrible years of the great
rebellion. that it would be waste to
haste to invade with militia half
equipped, one-third practically I'M
armed. all wholly unused to actual
warfare and not familiar with camp
life in an actual campaign, having
never confronted regular troops or
faced in war modern implements of
carnage.
Let loyal, patriotic, reasoning citi-
zens withhold their confidence from
those who assaiI the Government in
this hour of supreme Importance. The
war is not to be managed from the Of
fees of newspapers, or run according
to the notions of fat-witted critics. The
men at the head of affairs are situated
best to know what are the actual facts
and the real condition of the army and
the navy.
They should not be driven by the
yelping or snarling of the ION to Ha-
vana" and "On to Manila" crew to
give reasons for their action which
would shame US the more. and serve to