The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-27
UNCLE SAM AND CHINA.
Are We Amy Better or than the
Heather Government.


How like to China in some things we are,
after all! Germany Seizes one of China s
SeaportS, and China hardly makes protest
ing sound. She keeps silent because she
cannot resist and it seems more dignited
to acquiesce with seeming immobility than
TO set up ridiculously feeble squeak, like
a trapped mouse. Yet China is the most
multltudinous nation on earth. she mas
riches and resources untold. Her men, with
training, might make very fair soldiers.
Without feeling the expense she could have
fortified every port and bought a fleet
equal to the entire naval strength of Ger
many, and infinitely more formidable, be-
cause so close to the base of supplies and
repair. But China has no military patriot
ism. Her government is too sleepy to COM
prehend the danger or too senile to meet it,
We nave plenty of patriotism, but do we
make q much better showing materially?
Japan's great navy could wipe our Pa
cine squadron from the seas and shell San
Francisco before our north Atlantic squad
ron could double Cape Horn. A concentra-
ton of the superior German navy could
overWheim our Atlantic fleet by sheer force
of numbers, while German transports could
land at any one of q dozen of our smaller
Atlantic ports a dicipLned army of enor-
nous size.
A military coalition of European powers
against us could exact it's own terms in a
single fortnight from nearly all our sea-
coast cities, If not from the Nation itself
We are the best fighters in the world, but
what have we to fight with? We have illim-
liable resources for q prolonged war. But
modern wars are generally finished in a few
weeks. We have a gallant little fleet, but
we haven't dry dock on the Atlantic coast
large enough to repair battle ship. In
ship could mend her timberS and maStS and
be ready to tight again In tWenty-Iour
hours. But the modern battle ship is SO
complicated and delicate that even II tri-
umphant in a duel her wounds would drive
her home for long repairs
We have a few coast defenses, but they
are ridculously inadequate. The statesman
mind of Tilden urged on the country the
complete fortifcation of our coasts, but
none needed him.
We have a lively little militia but they
have never operated together. Many regi-
mentS have never even seen another regi-
ment The States have different styles OF
arms. The soldiers it is true, are better
trained than the regiments of 81. But then
two months of drill had elapsed between
the assembling of the volunteers and the
first battle at Bull Run. And after that
amateurish battle Mcclellan took q year to
organize and discipline his army before he
advanced on the enemy. Such leisurely con-
ditions could hardly exist again. Our next
enemy will be some standing army perfect
ly trained, capable of mobilization ut home
and landing on our shores in two weeks UNI
less we fortify
If any European power capable of engage
ing our little fleet should at the same time
throY even 100000 trained soldiers upon our
shores, could we successfully face such an
army in a fortnight.
1t is a crime against the continuance OF
peace for Congress to keep us so detense-
less We have trusted to the mutual
jealousies of the foreign powers for the pre-
vention of any attack upon us. We have
trusted to our luck.
Like England, are we not hated more deep
ly each year2 Dislike or hate is the price
that power or promise of continued great
ness must pay among nations as among IN
dividuals
Nothing under the canopy but powerful
navy, adequate coast defeases and modern
army able to be modified and to act to-
gether in one week can be safely banked on
to discourage foreign attack