The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-14
Victory and Peace.


1Nese are precious words. And, yet
the eXuitaat, cry of victory necessarily
,lnveixss Something over Which Triumph
has been produced.
Less than four months age the Unit
ed States, in obedience to a reselu-,
ton passed by the Representatives. sf
the government in congress, decided
70 wage a war upon Spain for the pur-
'pese of DISCRIMINATING what was con-
ceived to be oppression by authority,
foreign to our own ideas of govern
ment..
At the very beginning of the contest
it must have been apparent that this
country possessed an advantage over
the defenders Of Cuba. It has been
an unequal contest. Why should we
not. In cur hour Of triumph, admit this
fact? Spain has been long recognized
as an inferior power in European con-
sideration. Cuba was a colony lying
close to our shores. The government
of that island was primarily a matter
with which this nation had no con-
Germ whatever. We might just as we'll
Interfere with the government by Great
Britain OF Ireland as to have inter
fered with the government by Spain of
Cuba. But in the progress Of national
events 1t became apparent to the peo-
pie of this country that exactions were
made upon the predominating islands
of the Antilles which were greater
than they could bear. Their people re-
belled. This was nothing more than
What cur own people did more than a
bun 6,.r.l
rebelled against Great Britain upon
specific grounds. The people of Cuba
rebelled against Spain upon general
| grounds. The latter maintained a bit
ter warfare, extending at intervals over
period of sixty years. Not until
the United States interviewed was
| their liberty secured, and today, over
the island of Cuba, we may say, floats
the flag of the United States, and so
also does this condition prevail in the
island Of Porto Rico.
Less than four months of warfare
has changed the entire map of the
Western hemisphere. We have taken
Porto Rico incidentally. We have as
sumed control of Cuba. Out of this
| last proposition will evolve many i'm
/ pcrtant questions to be decided later
on by our government. The Philippines
and their possession by the United
| States supply mere incident, and yet
it is likely to prove the most trouble
some problem which this country has
| tC solve.
But, reverting to the original propo-
sition of victory and peace, these words
have a most intense meaning, if they
are properly appreciated. We have Sc
cured peace. but the peace we enjoy
| does not extend to those whom
| we have conquered. The entire
outcome of this war with Spain affords,
in it's way, moral lesson. 1t is not
the time at present to discuss all that
is involved. The developments of the
war have been far beyond in scope the
expectations of those who embarked
officially in the work. The seizure of
the Philippines was never contemplate
ed in the original programme. The adj
vance upon Santiago was an incident
unlocked for. The demonstration be-
fore San Juan has been merely an out
come of this dramatic programme. Ha-
| vana, to which all eyes were turned,
! remains intact, and it's surrender must
come under the general provisions of
the protocol signed by the representa-
| tiveS of our own government and that
! of Spain Friday. And this is the
end. An armistice is ordered, and this
| means peace. We have passed out of
| that which We enjoyed, in expectation,
| in the early part of April into that
! which we shall enjoy in the closing
! weeks of August The war has been
terminated. We have Won The Stars
! and Stripes have been extended in their
authority far beyond the dreams of
| those who looked upon the aggression
| as a mere incident to international
| complication. What does it all mean ?
OF course it means enjoyment of ma
tioral influence gained through the
blood dripping from the end of the
sword of the hero in his explorations
for conquest. There is a good time
ahead for the people to measure their
| responsibility, to reflect upon the value
that has been achieved by this encoun-
| ter at arms. We believe that nothing
has been lost by our people and that
| much has been gained in the line of
. civilization and advancement of the
doctrine of government. by this little
tussle which has come to so fortuitous
a conclusion.