The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-30
such A WAR
John j. ingalls, Makes Fun of
the "Peaceful Blockade
And the Wariness of Both Hos
tile Countries
In Abstaining From Any Act
That Will Hurt.
WHILE WE CAPTURE
Some Loads of Canned Goods
and Lumber
Spain SnoOps About Looking
For the Paris, Etc.

piers of the academy and lyceun,
when they were not making epigrams or
drinking hemlock, used to consider,
among other equally practical ques-
lions, what would happen if an irresist-
IDLE force met an immovabIe body.
Among the most important results of
war with Spain will be the determine
ton of the value of armored battleships
and cruisers as fighting machines, Of
fensive or defensive.
This may be one reason why Spain is
not anxious for an encounter, and why
our fleet is maintaining a pacific
blOckade;;" to waylay unarrned merch-
anthem, loaded with canned goods and
lumber, is less hazardous and much
more lucrative. 1t is reported that
millions in this way in the last week,
which is very fair profit on the in
vestment-half to the officers and crew
and the rest to the treasury.
: ain, meanwhile, turks privily in
ambush for the Paris, like a footpad,
and stealthily creeps westward across
the deep to lombard Charleston, or
Brunswick, or Portland, or some other
undefended city, and extort ransom
from it's terrified fugitives, and Samp-
sons fleet, like painted ships upon
painted ocean, rocks and drifts idly on
the tropic waves of the straits of Flor
ida.
From the shore batteries the Span
iards fire with impotent insolence upon
the squadron, which makes no reply,
under instructions from the commander
in chief to maintain a pacific blockade.
IF thine enemy smite thee on one
cheek turn to him the other, and if he
take thy coat give him thy cloak also"
The author of this plan of mastery
inactivity for freeing Cuba, for abOl-
ishing Spanish sovereignty and aVeng-
ing the destruction of the Maine is re-
puted to be General John McAllster
Schofield, veteran of neary three score
and ten, who has been summoned from
backward a tO
be the military adviser and chief STRAIT
egist-the Halleck or MOltke of the cam
paign. He remembers Bull Run and
the premature, abortive cry of ''On to
Richmond and does not propose to be
frightened from his prOpriety by the
clamor of those impatient patriots who
are already beginning to shout ION to
Havana!'
The reason given for not answering
, the batteries is that there are non-com-
batants, women and children, cOngre-
gated in denSely populated suburbs be-
yOnd MORO castle and that in the eX-
element of battle some of the shots
might cross the harbor and shed the
blood of the defenseless and Innocent;
and, in addition, there is a possibility
that some residences and business
houses might be injured. Such human
itarianism has had no fellow since I'm
Gle Toby caught the annoying fly and,
instead of MASKING the offending insect,
saying, as he flew: "Go, little one; there
is room enough in this world for me and
thee
1t is announced, apparently by auth
GRITTY, that the president has determined
to free Cuba and eXpel the Spaniards
with the minimum loss of life and
treasure. To this all the people say
amen. The less blood shed and the less
money spent, the better. But if a man
has aching tooth there is no sense
in pulling it out gradually; or if his
leg must come off, in amputating it a
little at time The sooner something
is done the better.
1t may be grand strategy to starve
the Spaniards, but at the same time
we are starving the recOncentradOs,
whom we are pledged to relieve. Their
enemies, no doubt, are at work more
vigorously than before with torch and
sword, burning, butchering and raw
aging; making a solitude and calling it
peace. What joy and exultation they
must feel in their wretchedness and
misery that we are maintaining a pa
cific blockade.
To the unprofessiona1 mind it seems
that it will never be easier to reduce
Havana than now. 1t must be done
sometime. Possibly it may not be wise
to occupy it Immediately with raw, I'M
seasoned troops; nor is it necessary.
But every man and woman in the Uni
ted States would have rejOiced with
exceeding great joy if. when fired upon,
Admiral Sampson had notified non
combantants to leave in six hours, and
had dealt with Havana as SeymOur'S
fleet dealt with Alexandria in 1882 We
might take lessons with advantage
from out kin across the sea.
Some morning, above the eastern hor-
lion off our coast will appear the
smokestacks of the Spanish fleet, and
then the pacific blockade of Havana
will be suspended for a time. Sampson
with his ships, will hurry northward.
Instead of policing Cuban ports and
capturing tramp steamers, he will have
more war-liISe occupation, and Havana
will be strengthened and provisioned
and reinforced and fortified for another
pacific blockade.
lions since the war was imminent ap-
pears the same uncertain and hating
INDIGESTION which has characterized
every preliminary step and incident
leading up to the declaration-an mex
plicable reluctance and hesitation to
take the instant path.
The whimpering cOntagfOn spreads it
self, and even the press is beginning to
speak of the dangers of the rainy sea-
son. of the want of docks in which to
repair ships that might be disabled in
battle and of the injuries that hostile
cruisers will inf1ict American COM
MERGE
Fear is expected that the Oregon may
be attacked by the Temperate as she
energies from the Pacific, as if it had
not been the habit of our navy, from
Paul Jones to Farragut, to fight any
thing that floats, without waiting for
an accident insurance policy.
Caution, prudence and circumspection
are desirable, but carried too far they
become timidity. In war even a brag-
CART is better than poltrOOn. Sir Lu-
ciuS O'Trigger would be a better lead
er than Bob Acres.
What would Blaine say about pacific
blockade and ''bIoodless wars ?" The
people want more action and less medi-
-