The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-23
THE OTHER SIDE.

The great majority Of America s
eighty millions of people grow impa-
tent over the seemingly slow pace
which marks army and navy move
ments The average American has
great faith in the word rush" He at
taches it to his kilograms, writes it on
his letters and inscribes it as his motto
on all his banners. Phil Armour's
wheat delivery, in the spite Of ice, in
the dead Of winter, illustrates the
spirit that is admired. The war has
been on now just two months. In that
two months we have accomplished as
much as the average nation would in
six months. We have now an army Of
10000 in the field, with but $4,000 to
start with; three superior squadrons of
fighting ships with one decisive naval
victory; two great fleets Of ocean
transports have been arranged and put
into service and nearly one hundred
vessels purchased. remodeled and put
in commission. Five thousand soldiers
have been rendezvoused on the Pacific
coast and sent on 1000 mile voyage,
which by this time is probably COM
pleted. Fifteen thousand troops have
been gathered at Tampa and transport
ed to Santiago, probably landed by this
time Two months ago the average
American hardly knew Of the existence
of the Philippines with their eight mill
ably laundering at the citadel gates Of
the capital Of that far away land. Two
months ago Cervera's squadron was
proudly floating in the open waters at
Cape Verde, today it is bottled up in
Santiago by Hobson's AIerrimac. The
Cincinnati Times-Star in reviewing the
great accomplishments Of the brief six
~ days past, embracing so much of
important history, calls attention to
the fact that military Europe considers
rightly the mobilization of the German
troops in the FTancO-Prussian war as
the greatest triumph. The German
army when war was declared was fully
equipped and prepared and a great
mass of the army was not more than
300 miles away from the first objective
point. Our regular army was modified
at Tampa, from the Indian frontier
1000 miles away. In Germany the rail
roads were used to convey the troops
and all commercial traffic was stopped.
our railroads have not been interfered
in,
ing the army. The first general en-
gagement Of the Franco-Prussian war
was fought on August II at Gravelotte,
one month and a half after war had
been declared, and the mobilization Of
troops had been begun. Now. within
two months we have fought one great
naval battle and within a week viii
fight two land battles on foreign shores
one at Santiago, 500 miles away from
out coast line; the other at Manila. !
1000 miles away from our coast line.
In the Mexican war it was not until !
May S, 1916, four months after the de- .
claration Of war, that General TAYLOR /
fought his first battle at Palo Alto.
The bombardment of Vera Cruz did
not take place until fifteen months |
after war began.
In the civil war Fort Sumter was |
fired on on April y, 1861, but it was not I
until July p three months and seven /.
days after, that the battle of Bull Run |
took place. AS a matter of fact the /
first decisive contest was not fought /
until January 70, 1862. when General |
Thomas defeated General Zollicoffer at /
NH Springs, KY, and destroyed his
army.