Omaha daily bee., 1898-09-29
A DANGEROUS ISSUE.
The Attempt 10 Make Capital out of
the War and How IL May Result.


INDIANAPOLIS News Gnd).
We would remind our democratic friends
that the war horror issue has two sides So
far there has been no serious attempt by the
republicans to make political capital out OF
the war or to claim credit for 1t that was
not fairly theirs. President Mckinley has
throughout borne himself, not as a leader OF
a party, but as the head OF a united nation.
The republicans in congress acted in the
same way. All OF us, republicans and dem
ocrats alike, felt that the war was one for
the honor OF the nation, as 1t was and is,
and all rejoced over the wping out of So
cial and sectional lines and the obliteraton,
at least temporarily, of party divisions. The
country presented to the world an unbroken
front-much, be it said, to the worlds sur
prise.
But now, with the approach of the fall
elections. a decided tendency appears among
the democrats to use the mistakes and blun>
ders in the conduct of the war for political
effect And with the political animus has
come the grossest exaggeration. Another
result is sure to follow The people nave
not forgotten how much was achieved in
very short time. And II the democrats per-
sist in going to the country on the war is
sue the republicans will meet them by claim
ing credit for the great things that nave
been done under the leadership OF the re-
publican administration. The story OF
1S61-65 will be repeated and we snail De
told that this is a republican war-thougn IL
is in reality no such thing.
But IL the republican party is to be at
tackled and denounced for everything that
went wrong 1t will be entirely justified in
claiming credit for everything that went
right-and how many things did go right!
No amount OF criticism can dim the glories
of Santiago and Manila. Whatever the mis-
management 1t is still true that the admin
istration organized and equipped vast
army and that under the direction OF the
administration two Spanish fleets were en-
tirely destroyed, the eastern END OF Cupa
was conquered, $4,000 Spanish soldiers were
captured and deported, Cuba and Porto hico
were both wrung from Spain, the authori.y
of the United States was established IN
Manila and all this was done in tour snol'
months with an amazingly small loss OF lie.
The people are in no danger OF forgetting
these things.
There never was more successful war
than that which we waged against Spain'
We may admit as absolutely true every
charge that has been made without III any
| way weakening the general conclusion 'ha'
! the war has reflected great creol' on 'ne 10
weIl for lis to give some thought to our tri-
,,n,nbs as we'll as to our failures. AT the
| nrosont moment the administration is con-
fronted with grave problems in Cuba, Porto
pico and the Philippines. Though ectual
| sgbtinq has ceased the war will not be over
| tTl these questions have been settled anu
| treaty signed. 1t is, therefore, the duty oi
| oil natriotic citizens to sustain the admlnis
| tro+ion with the same loyalty that was mani-
tested in the early days Of the struggle
| ye do not mean to say that the charges
| that have been made. some OF Which, Ia
| been fairly proved, should be ignored pu.
| - mic there Is no danger. The presldehI
hoe announced his intention to investigate
| the conduct OF the war, and II Is cei taln
| that there will be a congressional lnVestisa
| tion. It Is the duty OF good citizens lo pun
out cases Of mismanagement out notnihs 10
| IN he gained by wholesale denuncla'loh vi
| by the senseless and passionate repetl'loh Vi
| stories with which we are now ali iain,iia' =
The case is virtually made up 1t will be
tried at the proper time, and in the proper
wav We know that there was unnecessary
| srfrering in the camps and on the trans
ports; but there were many Incompetent
| officers for some of whom the admlnlstra-
| t;on is responsible and for some OF whom
| il is not responsible; that there was AT
| times a sad lack of cooperation among 'he
various departments, but We do not know
and cannot know, as yet, who Is to blame
for these things. The investigations VIII
| show, and If they are properly conoucteu
they will also show what reforms are needed
in our army organization. -,
! There need be no fears that the people Will
allow anything to be covered up. Ihcy
want, and will insist on having, the whole
truth But they will not take as true every
accusation made by sensational and parI'. n
newspapers Nor will they lose sight OF the
fact that the war as a whole is one OF winch
| they may well be proud. For our part, we
prefer to regard it not as a republican war
! or democratic war, but as the nation S
war in behalf of liberty and honest gov
ernment 1t is for that reason that we are
| sorry to see politics brought into the dis
cussion. II the partisan spirit shall triumph
the investigation will be made the more
difficult for the people will divide on party
lines, and no verdict that is rendered Will
| command the popular confidence.