The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-08
the Man.

~ ERVERA'S telegram to Blanco is
a. a suggestive document-it has a
snappish sound. The defeated
admiral evidently is willing to let the
world know that his orders TO move out
of Santiago harbor came from Blanco-
"in compliance with your orders" he
wires to Blanco. II went out of the har-
bor." the admiral adding that he met
a force three times his own. that his
squadron was destroyed and that the
loss Of life was terrible.
In Cervera's message there is an l.
told-you-so tone. The assumption is
warranted that Cervera sailed out be-
cause. under Blanco's orders. he was
compelled to: between the lines of the
dispatch printed this morning one can
easily read the words in which Cervera
says to Blanco: you meddled, by your
foolish orders. with the movements Of
my squadron, and now you've got your
pay for it,"
Think Of the immensely of the service
which, un~wittingly, or, If you please, In
studied stupidity. Blanco thus rendered
our side! The first days Of July found
our land forces under Shafter waging
desperately unequal battle. 1t is con-
fessed now that he administrators
strategy board was premature and that
II erred badly in ordering the attack
on Santiago. Our forces. with the best
courage in the world, were by half too
weak in numbers. short in supplies, not
properly equipped, hopelessly beyond
the reach of ready reinforcing. This
| country reached the eve of the Fourth
! under the gloomy impression that our
men were at a mighty hard pass. SHAFT
| ter himself was compelled to wire that,
after terrible losses, he could not pos
sibly storm the city, in front of which
he lay terribly exposed, without rein
forcements.
The Administrations strategists at
Washington promised to send TO SHAFT
ter. within a week. fifteen thousand men.
The event is proving that this promise
could not have been kept. But suppose
IL could nave been-a week: think Of IL.
Presently IT transpired that the Span
iards e~ntrenched at Santiago were
strongly reinforced: but for Blanco,
there is little doubt that this strength
ened force, with Cervera in the harbor,
would have roken loose on our worn
out land forces. to sweep into the sea
the remnant of them that might sur
vive a fight so uneven
Thus Blanco was for us a special prov
idence; by his ill-timed order he re-
versed things-he made glorious a
Fourth of July which, by every proba-
bility, would otherwise have been an
anniversary day of deepest anxiety.
Knowing how unspeakably foolish his
action, in sailing out, must appear TO
be, Cervera evidently is willing to let
the world know that II was none of his
doing; his telegram 10 Blanco puts the
accent on the words, in compliance
with your orders
For this, Senior Blanco. much thanks;
your bad angels couldn't have been
more perverse. 1t is a habit with our
sailors and soldiers to treat their Span
lard prisoners with consideration. But
when his Captain General Blanco has
to seek our shelter. as soon he will have
to-why, when he does, our men will
welcome him with all the ELUSIVE cour-
tesies they can find in all the diplomacy
of all the modern tongues. in return for
the significant successes to which his
miserably bad judgment helped US. He
greatly aided us; to be downright frank
about It, he doubtless rescued us from
a perilously bad place. And Cervera
doesn't care who knows ii, so long a:
the worlds military circles do not blam'