The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-09
the fan ex.en, Of the country. unhappy

EEse szfs8 eAksAt "a sSts7 %1sas<esF = ~A1-frs
condition
aslse n1e are mn.asse at ta@ afecta-
iion az advantages obtained b. she
Spanish forces ever ours. ve can see
in ii 3 dread Of admitting 30 the Span
ism peoyf. that the whsle campaign
has aasn q succession OF utter defeats
10 the extent 10 which operations have
gone. TIE ministry Is permitting the
people 10 BE- deiuded. It's object Is 10
make them think that the Spanish
army and navy is making most heroic
defense: and when disaster comes. they
will be able 10 say that everything had
been done hnt that the Spaniards had
10 succuub TO sheer superiority Of num-
hers.
The Spanish government will be in
tenseiy relieved when the strain is
ended. The treasury Is without funds.
salaries are in arrears. soldiers are I'M
paid and the country IS in a deplorable
condition. The cabinet officers must
BE- at their wits end. They keep send
ing out the Cadiz feet, with orders to
come back again, and for no other pur-
pose than TO make the people believe
that active operations are being under
taken. They do not know whether TO
send more ships to the Philippines. or
to Cuba, or to hold them in reserve in
case OF an attack upon the home ports.
The last is the only safe course. because
TO send them against Dewey or Samp-
son is only to invite their destruction.
The lesson taught us by this war is
just as wholesome as that taught Spain.
We have been engaged in a conflict
with a sixth-rate power. whose fleet is
absurdiy inferior to ours, and whose
army we have been accustomed to sheer
at. The Maine was sunk on February
IL. 1t is now June, and We have been
held at bay most successfully practical
ly all this time. 1t has afforded US an
opportunity to better comprehend the
hazards OF war, 10 say nothing Of it's
expense. We can begin to figure on
what our condition would have been
had our adversary been Germany or
France. The American people will have
10 make up their minds either to avoid
war hereafter or 10 be better prepared
for IL. OF course, the cost is to be con-
sidered of maintaining q standing army
and a powerful fleet The little expert
ence we have had In the past sixty days
suggests the cost of war. Glorious as it
sounds that the great battleships poured
a perfect hail Of shot and shell upon the
enemy, every such projectiie cost con-
siderable sum OF money. No shot Of
any size is fired at q cost os less than
from 500 to $500 per shot. The dis
charge OF 100 OF the largest shells
amounts, therefore, TO an expenditure
of $4,000. There is economy in the
use Of these modern giants of destruc-
ton when properly directed. One shot
| from the Olympia swept entirely
| through a Spanish warship. exploding
| in the engine room. disabling the ship.
setting it on fire and sinking IL. with a
! loss OF the captain and sixty men.
| Such a shot az that Is worth its cost
The bomba rdment of Santiago also
entails an enormous cost. The descrip-
| ton Of the terrific fusilade from i'm
mense guns inspires the reader with
| admiration for the vigor with which
| the war Is being prosecuted, but as
taxpayer he will later calculate the ex-
| pense with gravity. Nevertheless. there
| is no suggestion OF Sinking. We are
| at war and we must be successful, no
| matter what the cost may be. 1t is not
| with view to throwing cold water
| upon the present war fervor that atten-
! ton is called 20 the actual conditions,
| but only To impress upon public opinion
| the necessity OF Supporting war meas
tires in times OF peace in order that we
| may no; be taken at any disadvantage