Evening journal., 1898-08-06
1T WILL SOON BE OVER
Our War with Spain Will End With
in the Year.
This II the Opinion OF Diplomats who
Believe Spain WiII Surrender
Modern Conflicts Of Short
Duration.

will be at an end. lhls IS lhe OpinlOn /
of the members of the diplomatic |
corps. The opinion is not based on
any negotiations in progress for in
terference by the concert of powers.
Since Great Britain has refused to
take any part in suoS negotiations
that plan has died, end there islittle
talk of it IN any quarter. 1t is prece-
Gent that leads to a belief that the
war will not be prolonged.
Modern war is too expensive a lux
ury to be indulged-in for any length
of time" said a diplomat the other
| dav. THE strain entailed and the
drain on the resources of the contend
| ing countries is too great TO be en-
! dured indefinitely. Enormous prep
arations are necessary, and q great
outlay is involved. The stronger ma
tion may be able to stand this for n
few months, but however great may
be the pluck of the weaker party, it
must quickly come to the end of its
rope Spain's pluck at present is no
/ greater than was that of Greece in
the war between Greece and Turkey,
yet the Greeks, though vowing that
they would never submit, were forced
to succumb to the inevitable.
Somewhat analogous was the war
between Japan and China. Those who
knew nothing of modern warfare be-
levcd the war would last for years,
yet it continued for but twelve
month, and but three battles of inn
portance were fought. 1t was not the
, defeat of the Chinese so much as their
awakening to n realization of the fu-
tility of their opposition to the in
evitabe that brought the war to a
close.
, "The other wars of the past genera
tion have also been short. In Turkeys
p struggle with Russia the Russians
) we're within sight of Constantinople
before the end of year, when the
British fleet appeared upon the scene.
The Franco-Prussian war was another
short, sharp struggle. France was the
weaker power, and battles and sieges
following in quick succession proved
D. to her that she was inferior to the
y Germans. The French at first thought
themselves certain of success, and
then resolved never to surrender, but
the capture of Paris was a staggering
blow, and the French willingly con-
cluded humiliating peace, involving
3 not only the loss of territory, but the
payment of an indemnity of enormous
b proportions to the conqueroPs. Prus-
y sia and Austria fought only seven
weeks in 1866, when the great battle
of Sadowa crushed the latter's power
Rhe Crlmean war was longer, lasting
two years.
b "Phe experience of the United
d States Is also interesting. The war OF
l. 1912 lasted three years, that with Mex
b leo two years, and the rebellion was
not suppressed for four years. These
=, were not long wars, but yet longer
than the more recent struggles. The
p evolution of warfare with it's new anC
powerful agencies has had the etlec'
1, of shortening the contests. Each cen
3 tury has shown not only improvement
AL in methods of warfare, but a constan-
v shortening of the duration of wars
= The wars of Napoleon turned Europ'
, into an armed camp for Is years, bu
:, the separate decisive campaigns wer'
IL short. Wars were longer in the eight
,el eenth century than in the nineteenth
and longer in the seventeenth than II
d the eighteenth; longer in the six
E. teenth than in the seventeenth, and 81
!, on. The English civil war lasted 70
IS years. Spain and the Netheriahd
fought for AZ years, France and Eng
d. land fought for n whole century, an
the crusaders engaged the Saracen
for two centuries.
n "War IS no longer a business of ma
Of tions, even though they make more O
10 a business of getting ready for 1t an
n. spend vastly more treasure in tn
p preparation. Steam and electricit
= have facilitated military movements
lll Forts are no longer impregnable, no
Oh may bands hold mountain fastnesse
is against a large and determined army
I'd A single projectile may sink ship an
h. one engagement may exhaust the 10;
H. ing nation.
"The change in the financial metl
ods of conducting warfare has la
% much to do with this shortening. Nc
re only are the wars far more costly, bu
as the terms imposed mean financial rui
ch in a long war. Not only must the lose
le, bear all of her own expenses, but th
rt custom now is to make her indemnii
IA the victorious nation for the amour
~ that it cost to give her good beating
'9 Each day of fighting means double G.
pense, and with certain defeat starin
'se her in the face the financiers are al
sr, 10 bring the generals to reason.
n There is no doubt of Spain's trut
ed when she says that she is going to tigl
vi, 20 the last ditch, but the limit will
"a reached. The sending out of pI
~. vateers is talked of. This would
Ol most foolish. 1t would be opposed
all Europe, even by her friends, and
as she did great damage to America
Of shipping and commerce she wou
IN have to pay for it.
ict There is nothing more certain ths
no that the weak and impoverished n
u tion is clearly outmatched and W
soon be unable to continue the wa
Even if she be so blind, her advise
know what the outcome is sure to h
CT and are ready to advise her at Il