Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-03-03
What War Might Mean.


People are naturally discussing the
subject OF war with Spain, and all
sorts of theories as to what kind of a
war it would be, and how long it
would last, and what would become Of
Cuba, and so on, have been put for
ward. Some think other powers would
join and help Spain to maintain her
possession of Cuba, because Spain is q
borrower of large amount of money
and the creditor nations would lose
their money If Spain were defeated.
The discussion of these subjects has
gone SO far that correspondent
writes us that If Spain became en-
broiled with US, the occasion would be
seized upon by the great monarchies
to stop the pestilential growth of Re-
publican ideas which this country is
spreading throughout the world. and
which are fast undermining the effete
monarchies of Europe. The writer
sees an opportunity for those powers
to join Spain, throw their navies and
then their armies on this side of the
Atlantic, land troops ia Canada, or at
any sea port on our coast they might
capture, and invade the United States,
whip her, destroy her government,
and parcel the country out amongst
themselves. We are told that this
feeling is far more prevalent in Europe
than appears on the surface, and
that no project of modern times has SO
many real advocates. There is, he
says, the intensest jealousy existing
against this republic, which all poten-
tates look on as their direst enemy,
and the old feeling which animated
the ancient enemies of Carthagenian
civilization.and made sages and orators
cry "Carthago delenda est." (Clr-
thage must be destroyed), today ran
kles in the bosom Of European mon
arches, and in royal circles the fulmi-
nations of these personages are like
those which "fulmined over Greece to
Macedon and Artaxerxes throne" The
plan, he says, is agreed upon. Before
any of our ports are captured British
ports in Canada, as stated, would be
utilized and the armies would march
overland and attack our northern
boundary Great ocean transports
guarded by the combined navies OF
these great powers would Convey sol
diers by the thousand, with every
necessary equipment rendering them
safer from an attack than if they were
approaching by land. Then if possible
| a southern sea port would be seized
and vast army landed there, then the
crushing process would begin in ear.
nest, and we be ground between the
upper and neither milestone. Que mil
lion are to come from Germany, the
same from Russia, the same from
France, and England is to supply
most Of the navy, but fewer men Aus
tria and Italy are to join in the
despoliation SO as to come in for some
of the spoils. In the division Russia
Germany and England are to have the
lions share, and the other powers VIVA,
they can get. The north will be first
struck because it is supposed that
there is still much bitterness between
the North and South growing out Of
the late war. aud therefore the South
would not rally SO readily to the rescue
: IS otherwise.
we give the above for what it is
worth. 1t might be elaborated on by
an ingenious mind, or augmented by
the facts, put we do not fear any such
contingency ourselves. The spirit of
conquest is not dominant in the civil
cation OF this period. and the
game would not be worth the candle.
But when firebrand is thrown into
fax no one can tell the extent of the
contiigration. 1t therefore becomes US
to go quietly about this Cuban trouble
and battleship disaster, for we have
no friends beyond the high seas, and
We want to stir up no more enmities
than fall naturally to our share. 1t is
our hope therefore that the whole trou
Bile may be settled amicably and no
more lives sacrificed or blood spilled.
One war within the last thirty years
ought to fully satisfy the cravings Of
this nation.