The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-21
TWENTY PAGES.
n AUGUST n. 1895.
A Good Test.

tlls HlofDtuls Nht i"pftS1'NN
n argument against imperialism.
or militarism, or whatever you
please TO call 1t, comes from the camps
where this country's volunteer soldiers
await action In their case with an i'm
patience that is not disguised. II ia
argument that is beyond successful
answering-you must have taken ac-
count of it.
The proudest page in the history Of
our war with Spain will be the one that
tells how American citizens, by tens
OF thousands, turned with alacrity from
the walks of civilian life TO answer the
presidents call for volunteers. There
appeared to be no limit to the number
OF citizens who were ready and willing
to enlist. The war vas undertaken
for the liberation Of a prosecuted peo-
pie. The motive commended itself; re-
specting the Justice n the expediency
Of the war, the people OF the United
States were a unit.
As far as all fighting In actual war
10 concerned, this high purpose has
been accomplished. At once an I'm
patience TO break camp and to return
20 the wonted pursuits of civil life
manifests itself In every camp of vol
unteers. These citizen soldiers know
perfectly well what has been going o n
they are aware that a sentiment in
favor of conques and territorial az.
grandizement has been zealous,y ex-
plotted since Dewey won at Manila.
Manifestly the volunteers are not for II.
Those of them who were landed on
Cuban soil saw bitterly severe service,
but there never came complaint from
them so long as any duty remained to
he performed. They won What they
went to Cuba to win; they then in
sisted that their return be expedited.
Those Of them who were detained In
camp at Chickamauga were eager to
be sent to the front, TO take their share
IN unfolding the cause that prompted
them to enlist. When that cause
triumphed. they requested dismissal
from the service.
Repeatedly the press dispatches OF the
past week have mentioned active move
ments among these soldiers toward Sc
curing their speedy release from serv-
Ice. This mornings press report In
cludes an account OF the stir among
volunteers in camp at San Francisco.
They hope TO be dismissed from mill
tary duty without delay; with the
dispatch referring to this matter comes
word, in an apologize way, from Off
GERS at San Francisco who have tried
to suppress the agitation among the
men.
No apologies are In order in this mat
ter. These volunteers have fun warrant
for the course they pursue. The we'll
denned purpose for which they enlisted
has been accomplished-they infer that
the regular army ought 10 suffice for
the garrison duty incident TO the inter
val until peace comes, and II the war
r. to end on the proposition with which
IL started-as II surely ought to-the
inference is right. These men did not
enlist for the purpose OF becoming the
victims Of conquest schemes. You Will
observe that the enthusiastic lingo ora
tors are men who have been stay-at-
( home patriots. They assure US that the
people Of the United States are zealou:
for military echemes--they themselves
see 70 IL that they are not a part Of the
military service.
II would be a very difficult matter &c
enlist American citizens in a volunteer
army commissioned 10 push conquest
campaigns. And that Is as good and al
safe a test of popular feeling as can b,
taken, respecting these much-prated
new-era Pacifc-emplre vararies-