Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-06-03
A Long War.
From Nouconformist.

prepared for "a long and expensive WAR
The bond thieves find they cannot get
bends so easily as they supposed at FIRST
and the war must be prolonged as
means of securing an issue of the blood
suckers" The men who fondly hoped
the war would he over in a few days did
not rightly estimate the greed of the
prospective understanding bond thieves
The war began when the Maine was
blown up.
If the United States had owned an
island within stones throw OF the
English coast. and had blown up an
English man of war in one OF its ports
no sane man but believes that English
guns would have doomed revenge and
demanded tcn-fold rcparation within
tweM y-fonr hours. If Mckinley had or
dcfed the Texas, the Indiana, the Iowa
and the Massachusetts to Havana Ill ten
inmates after the news came OF the de-
str,.ction of the Maine, Havana would
have been in ashes or Cuba free before
Spain could have issued an order to ilre
up tase engines in her navy. The frontier
scoat Was right when, being asked what
was the hest strategy in war. he replied;
Cit the most men thar fust, an GIT
the balgel''
But no such mastery activity prevailed
IN WASHINGTON. Two months was worse
than wasted in alleged negotiations
while the Spanish were busily engaged
m strengthening their forts and hitting
ont their fleet.
Then when action was decided on, 1t
was delayed on every conceivabie pre-
tense. Our navy and standing army
were ab,ndantly strong to have freed
Cuba before Spain could have gotten
men ar munitions across the sea. But
that would bring no bloodshed Bonds
feed ON blood! And bonds must he had
if il cost rivers of blood.
Dewey disappointed the politicians and
eleetsified the people and amazed the
world by pounding to pieces a few span
ish tubs in Pacific waters IT Sampson
and Schley could have lost their orders
or been cut off from communication with
a unreasonable board of alleged "strat-
egy," they would have closed the Incl
dent" without a war and to the ever
lastinp honor of the American ships and
sean.en. Their force was sufficient tocut
every cable ON the island in one week ana
bonnissrd every fort and batter down
every fortress before Spain could have
raised her puny arm to start her navy
westward. The war would never have
been. The Spanish dynasty would have
realized all to quickly the uselessnee OF
resisting the western republic and Eu-
ro,,ean nations would have compelled her
+o s,,,uat without struggle. The
thousands of the flower OF our country
would to-day he engaged in peaceful oc-
c,,natioas; the expense of the country
Axo,id be normal and not an extra NIL
ion dollars day, as is now plling up.
p,,t then the Republican party was
r,n,r,;np short on campaign thunder
The .Diagicy bai had failed to pay gov
o,n,,,ent exrnses, and the deficit was
growing. It is true the sale of the Union
Pacific roads put over S5O,OOo,0oo INTO
fhe treasury and helped to hide the de-
sc;, h,., a,c deficit had scOoped hole
h;c ene,,ch to swallow the railroad and
considerable more. The party was onits
last legs Its sympathizers had Spanish
bonds ,oshing must he done to destroy
their xa,uc. Then the only thing to do
was to create an army
1t was done.
The eall was made
The soldiers came instantly at the
co,s,.Yx,s call They were ready on
shsst notice. They were recruited at
one camp and then moved to another
,na We, 10 q third. War supplies were
h,,,cht ia Chicago and shipped east,
o,,lu to be shipped back again through
chicago, for San Francisco, while the
,,,o, u.,,acd in camp for the supplies that
ysase playing hidc-and-scek with the com
Y s,,.t ,hsoagh the incapacity' imbeeil-
~ - reasonable acknowledgement OF
army oalaSys -,
The s,laic was assured in daily bulle-
;,,s Tia, Gen Miles wouldgo next day
for Tampa to embark for Cuba Inc
..,,o.. dav. came and went a score OF
times -, A..
Me,,amlar SPAN rcmodeled her fleet
md gathered her scattered squadrons.
American ships did nothing!
They were not allowed to do anything
s,.nrsoa and SchLy would have done
..so,netb.ec'' creditable if their leading
striaes had been cut II
y>hev were held back, until SPAN could
,,st ,eodx TO test the mettle of our boys
q .h. e,,ose, and send as many OF them
az no,.;,lc To the bottom OF the sea.
NJ a.,,,,,,,, was TO bc done until SPAN |