The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-06-24

of so many who have worked so har,
and persistently in the direction of tn
goal now about to be touched. Their
were congratulations and cheering
and handshakings and settlements o
wagers, more premiums on stocks ant
heavy advances in real estate.
It is the belief of Mr. Castle tha
the new American policy will bring
about in that great country, as vel
as in this small group, most astound
ing and progressive changes. For in
stance, it is now held quite generally
that the United States as a Govern
ment will construct and maintain the
Nicaragua canal. There will be prac-
ticaIly two naYies-one for the Allan
tic and one for the Pacific. There will
be a quite large standing army There
will be a reconstructed or reorganized
state militia under national control
and drilled by educated officers. There
will be expansion and widening in the
industrial world And for another
thing there will be more of President
Mckinley as chief magistrate of a
great nation.
1t is the proposal of the leading
army men and their advisers and con-
fidants to have a standing corps of
more than 100000 men The bill re-
Gently enacted placed the figure at
$1,000. The need of a large trained
force has been keenly felt. There was
real embarrassment in the fact and
the law that the President could not
handle or use the States militia of the
various commonwealths without con-
sent of the Governors. This must be
remedied, for the United States has
entered upon a new policy.
Mr.. Castle says now that personally
he is of the opinion that the war with
Spain will have ended before this year
is done. When the ultimatum went out
Mr.. Castle thought the peace settle
ments would be under way by July 1.
That is still thought by many OBJ
serving and important men in the
States. There is a most striking
thought in the realization of the un-
preparedness of the American Govern
ment when hostilities opened. A peo-
pie who harbor no idea of fighting till
their liberties are trenched upon or
their sense of right tested were sud
denly called upon to do battle. There
existed no smouldering ambition to
conquer people and acquire territory
There was no standing army and it
had TO be made and has been made
magnifcently. Courage and intelli-
gence and purpose have combined to
contrive wonders. Bot the lesson has
been learned and there will be in the
equation hereafter the factor of war
footing. One of the men whose com
mand has the eager and willing ear of
every wearer of the blue has said that
had this war been with certain con-
tinental power, the foreign govern
ment, being one of famous prepared
ness, would have had an army of in
Vasion 250,OO0 in number on American
soil. The chief dependence of the
generals of the United States is upon
the small regular forces.
Cuba now seems well in hand, though
there will be much fighting yet in and
around the Pearl of the Antilles. There
remains to dispose of yet the fleet of
Ceryera and the city of Havana. The
feet is being corded and the next
news from the States will tell of ap-
preaching investment of Havana At
the capital of Cuba, Blanco has gather
ed an army of $4,000 of the best SOL
diers he can get. He has called forces
from the other cities and the other
provinces and has fortified Havana
and mined the harbor. His resistance
will be a determined one, but Havana
must succumb as must Santiago and
the whole of the Island. 1t is said
that in the army of Blanco the men
average six years younger than the
men in the American army and that
there are in the Spanish force many
boys between the ages of fourteen and
seventeen.
Mr.. Castle says the United States
have been given the best use of the
Islands in the entertainment of troops
here as arranged by the citizens. The
health of the men in transit has been
and will be saved by the opportunity
afforded here of giving them few
hours ashore. Without this halt,
travelling in crowded ships, they would
for the rest of the journey be fine sub
jects for the cruel fevers of the tro-
pics. ga