The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-02-02

vana of two young Americans. Proof |
is finally obtained that they were ar
rested by the Spanish officials, taken
outside the walls of the city, hastily
tried on some trumped-up charge and
summarily shot. The reply of the pop
ulace Of Madrid to peremptory note of
the American minister was the hang
ing of General Woodford from the bal
cony OF house near his hotel. The
Spanish ministry, under the compul'
sion of the mob, framed formal note of
regret for the assassination of Minister
Woodford, but it's tone was otherwise OF
such sinister import that war became
inevitable. All Spain resounded with
the note of preparation for the con-
fiict, and Spanish ENJOYS hastily de-
parted to arouse the sovereigns of
Europe TO the necessity of curbing
American arrogance and aggression.
England and Germany, actuated by a
long cherished desire to cripple the
United States and arrest their rapid
march toward commercial supremacy,
despatched powerful fleets and armies
of hundreds of thousands of men to co.
operate with Spain by invading the
country from Canada. Cuba was taken
by the American feet and army. There
were meetings of hostile fleets on the
waters near Cuba, in which the destruc.
tive force of modern naval enginery
was illustrated by the brevity and aw-
full fatality of the conflicts. The Amer
lean fleets were victorious but victory
wrs purchased at appalling cost
The American army was hastily recall
ed from Cuba 70 meet the dangers
gathering on the northern border. A
million men were in arms and another
million in reserve. A dash was made for
Canada, the vast military stores accum-
ulated for this war at Montreal were
seized, the provinces were overrun, and
at last vast fortified camp was estab'
lished on the banks of the st. Law
renee below Quebec - whose citadel
had been blown up by dynamite-to
meet the allied fleets and armies of
Spain, England and Germany. There
all the death-dealing hospitality that
turks in dynamite and enginery con-
trived for its service was spread for the
reception of the invaders. A great
army of Mexicans, commanded by Pres
ident Daz in person, OPPORTUNITY ar
rived to reinforce the Americans. The
British fleet was disabled, 400, 900 OF
the pick of European troops were de-
feated with slaughter to victor and van
pushed that has no parallel in all the
annals of sanguinary strife.
Meantime France was improving her
opportunity for the recovery of Alsace
and Lorraine and Russia was mobiliz-
ing million men for the conquest of
Constantinople. England and Ger
many, in hot haste, recalled their fleets
and armies, leaving the Americans
''slone in their glory" The Canadian
provinces entered the American Union
as States, and Cuba became an indie
pendent republic, prospecting in ma
terial affairs, and, in civic rank, becom-
ing model republic.
If the writer had declared that his
aim in this imaginative narrative was
to show how Americans could meet q
crisis like the one he presents, or to
show that this country should be pre-
pared for such a elimination of hostile
feeling in Europe as followed the
events in Madrid, such purpose
would be ineligible. The fancies
and extravagances of the historian
of "Our Late War with Spain" aside
there is, nevertheless, in his fictitious
narrative of the titanic energy
that was aroused in the United
States, and the preparations that were
hastily made to direct its force, sug'
gestion of what would happen in the
contingency of supreme crisis in the
affairs of this republic, like the leagu.
ing against it of the powers Of Europe.
There is also in the subjoined para
graph a possible hint of precautions ac'
tually taken by the government OF
the United States for the defense of the
nation:
zone thing specially noted at the break
ing out of hostilities was that much had al
ready been done in aid Of the authorities
For instance, in January 1897, General
Miles, thinking it probable that before the
Cuban question could be settled we nigh
be embroiled in war with Spain, prepared
and sent out to the manufacturers OF tn,
United States the following list of ques
| TONS"
The information sought in these in
quiries was as to thelnumber of men il
the employ of each manufacturer fitted
for military command; name, age, ad
dress, physical condition, judgment
courage, trustworthiness, ability t.
plan, manage, etc. The machinery o