Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-04-08
A Lesson of Experience.

A Lesson of Experience.
y late dispatch states that III, Span
i>h g"'crnm"nt has placed forty sub.
marine mines in Havana harln,r. each
Of which is capable OF destroying the
largest war>hip atloat. so it seems
that this method OF warfare has passed
the experimental stage with our Cas-
titan nrighbor>, and the pronounced
success OF the enterprise in which
Uncle sam very innoccntly donated
the larger part "f the expense, has
completely settled the efficiency OF
torpedo warfare is i mean, oi harbol
defense.
1t is hoped that the lesson, so i'm
prcsSiyely taught, has found just as
apt pupils on the American continent
and that no more warships will be
sent into the jaws of death, Ostensi-
bly,, as Mr.. Mckinley says, "to accus-
tom people to the presence Of our flag
As 4 symbol of good will and of our
ships in fulfillmcnt of mission oil
protection to American interests, even
if no immediate need therefor might
exist" but in reality, as the conclusion
of the sentence shows, as a menace to
4 government that was, rightfully OF
otherwise, seeking to maintain control
OF one OF its dependencies. The act
resembles, in some degree at least
that OF the school-boy who stands with
a chip on his shoulder as umpire of a
fight between two companions for one
OF whom he has shown unmistakable
evidences of Partially.
1t may be no time to find fault, but
the matter may come up for consider.
alton after passion has subsidized, and
the question asked, Why was the
Maine sent on mission which COM
mon judgment should have shown was
fraught with serious danger. The san.
culinary nature of the Castilian race
should have impressed our rulers with
the gravity of such proceeding, and
the premOnitions of disaster felt by
Commander Sigsbce might have avert
ed the fearful disaster had not the
warnings fell upon ears that were deaf
to remonstrance.
The attempt to accustom the Span
ish people to the presence of our flag
as "symbol of good WILL" with the
well-known sympathy of the American
people for oppressed Cuba, was like
the shaking of a red flag before the
eyes of a maddened bull in one of
their national fete-day contests, and
the mission of protection" certainly
involved the possible use of the huge
guns of the warship, in an endeavor to
maintain peace, even though the alter
native be presented of having to fight
for it. Diplomatic language could
not, and did not, conceal this intent,
and the malign smile that oversprcad
the swarthy countenance of the Span
ish premier may be imagined when he
replied that similar manifestation of
"good wilr' would be shown by send
ing Spanish warships to the principal
ports of the United States.
But vain regrets will not bring to
life the 266 gallant men who were
murdered through this misplaced con-
fidence, nor restore to our government
one of its finest warships. The deed
is accomplished, and the only matter
to consider is, whether we better mat
tiers by rushing into war which will re-
suit in the loss of many more lives
and still further impoverish the people
of both nations. There is practical,
as we'll as sentimental side, to the
question, and it is hoped that an ALL
wise Providence will enable those in
authority to decide upon the wisest
course to be pursued under q full real
ization of all the circumstances and
probabilities.