Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-22
Garry the War Into Africa.


about the dire things which will befall
the sea board cities of the United States
when their king ''cries havoc and let's
slip the dogs of war;" and while weak
kneed mugwumps like Larry Godkin
and others are whining over the dangers
which threaten New York, which by
the way has more guns mounted for
her defense than the entire Spanish
feet can show, it will not be inopportune
to take a glance at SPANS weak points
which lie open inviting attack. One OF
the most fertile islands in the West
Indies is Porto Rico, whose exports are
twice as valuable as those OF Jamaica.
The ancient Notifications of itsprincipal
city, San Juan, were built some 300
years ago and have never beer rebuilt
to meet the %exigencies of modern war
fare, hence could make no resistance to
any serious attack. The Canaries, so
well known to all readers of the life of
Columbus, as the last resting place of
his fiotilla before its daring venture out
into the vast mysterious ocean,, are still
in the possession of Spain and would
fall an easy prey to any one of the great
battleships. Then come the Balearic
islands in the Mediterranean, although
but a short distance from Spain, are but
poorly defended according to modern
ideas. Away off in the South Pacific
lie the Philippine islands, in which the
smouldering emberS of rebellion have
been rekindled by the knowledge that
in the n%eighboring port of Hong Kong,
an American squadron is impatiently
waiting the word to swoop down and
annihilate Spanish authority. So much
for Spanish colonies every one of which
would be captured Immediately after a
declaration of wal was made. But on
the coast of Spain itself, half a dozen
important cities would be compelled to
surrender at discretion, being in their
present ~defenseless condition unable to
make the slightest show of resistance.
This would be carrying the war into
Africa with a vengeance and would be
simply repeating the story of Scipio and
Hannibal.
Even now active measures are being
adopted by o vigilant administration to
carry out this policy to the fullest ex-
tent. A hundred and twenty years ago
Paul Jones in a rotten old Indiaman
carried terror and destruction up and
down the British channel. In the early
part of the present century gallant tars
from America inflicted condign punish
ment on the Algerine pirates, and IS
years ago whole fleets of British mer-
chantmen were destroyed Of captured
in and near the narrow seas between
Ireland and England, so the American
war eagle is no stranger to the distant
coasts of Europe and the bird of Jove'
and Washington, can reach them inside
of two weeks, instead of two months as
Ill III VlulCS SpOhCH VI. u IC ANEW
MEXICAN has repeatedly said war is not
desired. Peace being the special mis-
sian of America, but if it comes it will
be backed up by every man and every
dollar in the Union. The $50, 600, 900
voted by the senate inside of Is minutes,
is a mere bagatelle to what would be
forthcoming the first day the long roll
is beaten to rally the young chivalry of
America to arms. Then once again the
old song,
The union of lakes, the union of lands
The union of states none can sever,
The union of hearts, the union of hands,
And the flag of our Union for ever
And ever,
The flag of our Union for ever.
would resound throughout the republic
from Passamaquody Head to the Rio
Grande and from Montauk Point to the
Aleutian islands.