Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-24

91SOVO,uOO q 0GJ OF d1
of that sum. The next war VIII cost
about half million dollars day from
the very beginning. Consequently the
money which has been appropriated for
coast defense. so far as ammunition is
concerned, would scarcely last over
night.
costly thing war is; not TO speak of the
losses of life and the sufferings TO be
entailed upon thousands of bereayed
families. Consequently the wisest
course would be to avoid war, anyway,
so long as we can do so with honor.
Gen, Miles was reminded by the COM
mittee on appropriations that so, 0o0.-
600 have been expended up to date for
seacoast defenses. He replied that, al
though that is true. the enormous sum
is insignificant as compared TO what
should be done. Counting our Cana
dian, Mexican, gulf and Pacific and At
lantic boundaries, we have 10000 miles
TO defend; and that don't count in the
coast of our rich possessions in Alaska,
which must be defended in time of war
with any nation.
We are proud of our strength and
vastness, but we are apt TO forget that
our very bigness makes US vulnerable
and that it will cost almost fabulous
sums to prepare for war. The nations
of Europe have powerful navies, and il
two of those nations were allied against
US we would be in an unfortunate con-
Gition, with our 10000 miles of boun-
daries unprepared for defense and our
great coast cities at the mercy of for
eign fleets. 1t would take almost our
entire naval strength to defend New
York alone. and what would become of
San Francisco and other importa t
ports?
Gen. Miles says that before we go to
war with Spain, we must be sure that
Germany and Austria will not join with
Spain and make a triple power against
us. The very possibility of such a
contingency makes advanced states
men hesitate. That is what made Pres
| ident Cleveland so conservative. That
| is what has made President Mckinley
so conservative. We may sheer at dan
ger; but sneers count for nothing in
the presence of powerful foe.
| There is only one great nation that
really desires to avoid war with us,
and that is Great Britain; because,
while that power might injure our
coast cities with her powerful navy,
she would lose Canada speedily, and
that she cannot afford to do. Great
Britain might do US harm along our
coasts, from which it would take years
| TO recover; but we would recover. She
would lose Canada, and from that loss
Great Britain could never recover.
| Therefore, there is no danger of war
with Great Britain.
| But, if we were overpowered by other
nations, we might naturally expect
Great Britain to swoop down upon us
also, and take part in despoiling US, for
Great Britain is not our friend.
There is another nation which does
not fear to war with us, but does not
intend to have hostilities with us, and
| that is Russia, which has always been
our friend. Itwas Russian guns which
compelled Great Britain to keep hand,
off, when we were in trouble among
ourselves in 1S61-5.
The fact stated by Gen. Miles, that we
are unprepared for war, is known to al
of the nations of the earth. Our forts
and ships are always open to inspection
and the agents of foreign nations have
looked us all over.
From an eminent statesman, one WHO
| is acknowledged TO be one of our great,