The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-05-21
The MoitieHfutfi II War.

Three months ago the country was
startled and appalled, by the announce-
ment that the battle-ship Maine had
been destroyed in Havana harbor. As
far as the people were concerned that
was the beginning of hostilities. The
! Nation dropped, on the instant, the
! slow-going habit of peace, and caught
step to the intense and swift impulse Of
war. Since that date, the 10th o. Feb
ruary, we have been moving forward
with the momentum of high patriotism
/ intent on indicating our national
rights.
In three months He have been push
activity than any one deemed possible
in February. Great events have crowd
ed one another to such an extent that
we have made more history in sixty
days than in the preceding thirty years.
The movement has not been q wild
drifting, but has been as straight. swift,
and resistless as that Of cannon ball.
There was an object in view, and gov
eminent and people went straight at it.
When the Maine was destroyed our
navy was scattered. our army was at
thirty different posts in AS many states,
there were no volunteers in the field.
no purpose of war in the minds OF the
people. The Spanish hold on Cuba
seemed secure; no one thought OF
Spain's yielding Porto Rico or the Phil
ippine islands. The people could not
be brought to serious consideration of
the Cuban question, and they were
Indifferent to the fate of Hawaii. They
he'd back when any one talked Of our
rights in the Pacific, and had little en-
thusasm in the plans to strengthen our
navy and our coast defenses. All these
questions were urgent, but the people
hesitated and Congress Eesitated with
them.
The explosion that destroyed our bat
tle-ship and slaughtered our seamen
cut every rope that bound us to lilac
ton. In week the navy was massed
for offensive movement. In three
the disposal of the President to forward
the preparations for national defense.
In a month new war vessels had been
purchased, the old monitors had been
repaired and put in commission, the
American liners had been transferred
to the navy. In two months war had
been declared, the reurganized North
Atlantic squadron had blockaded Cub
an ports, and the regular army was
moving hurridly to rendezvous in the
South. In another week l25 600 volun-
teers were crowdIng the state capitals
and the battle Of Manila mad been
fought, giving the United States a hold
on the Philippines. One more week aid
the capital OF Porto Rico had been bonn
barded. and the Spanish fleet cut off
from its base. Another week and the
regular army was ready to move into
Cuba. and sixty thousand volunteers
were prepared for the field.
Three months ago all the nations of
Europe, except one, were l"tentlv or
openly hostile to the United States.
There was in every European capital,
except one, talk OF Intervention to limit
our field OF action to America. But SO
magnificent was the uprising o! the Am.
erican people, SO spontaneous was the
outburst of patriotism, so fierce the im-
pulse, to resent wrong to the Nation,
that we have gone forward in Europe
with the same momentum as at home.
There is now no talk Of Intervention
and little talk of limiting our field of &C
ton. Instead there are compliments for
our navy, discussion of " hat the future
of the Philippines will be under Amer
lean control, and tenders of alliance
from one of the strongest powers Of
Europe.
Under the momentum of war we have
swept forward in few weeks to the
most commanding position we have yet
occupied among nations. Without blus-
ter or boast we have impressed the
world with our strength, and have
made clear the righteousness of our
cause. We have shown that repub-
lie welded to peace can prepare quick
Iv for war, and that popular govern
ment is as quick and powerful as mon
archy to avenge insult or wrong.-Chi-
cago lnter.OceaD.