The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-14

sist that IL is better to get one. as the
result Of the operations Of a reasonably
adequate force. close to Havana than
TO sacrifice life at Santiago.
The Standard is not saying that these
critics are right; the man who remem-
bers what ~incalculable damage the
"on-to-Richmond'' shouters did dur
ing the civil war will be very slow TO
harp about his wars methods. even
when they involve untoward results.
Yet there is no denying that the time
is not very far distant when the public
will be more willing than 1t is to-day to
lend an ear to those who are insisting.
on the basis Of the showing already
made by our land forces. that the war
department is bungling. 1t took nearly
a year to bring about the change that
retired Cameron. as secretary of war.
from Lincoln's first cabinet, and gave
the place to Stanton-it was an emil
nently wise change. One factor in the
situation is hat the news from Santi-
g has a a plentiful proportion OF
romancing. There is the MORO Castle
at the entrance OF the harbor. for in
stance. The newspaper correspondents
have had that fortress, as the result
OF the wonderful accuracy Of our guns.
leveled with the ground not less than
half a dozen dimes and completely
wrecked. Yet this mornings sug-
xestion from Washington is that our
ships simply cannot be turned to ac-
count for the destruction of Santiago
because MORO Castle is doing business
right along at the old stand.
We shall take Santiago all right
there's no doubt about that; In all
probability we shall take 1t speedily.
Let us all hope that and believe 1t.
Probable II is, too. that this conquest
will p~recipitate the end of the war:
that SEQUEL ought TO be our ardent
prayer. Nevertheless, the situation has
its impressive lesson. That lesson deals
not so much in criticism of Secretary
Alger, or Of anybody. as in the point
ing of the impressive truth that unless
we propose to turn all our traditions
and all our Iong-oherished convictions
completely upside down, we must stop
this advocacy of Imperialism and col
onizing and m~ilitarism. Here. in the
middle of July. in a war that started
last April, in the first land engagement
OF the war, close to our W shores,
tumble-down, bankrupt, poverty
stricken Spain gives us as good a
hght as we want to tackle; honestly, II
our soldiers weren't as stout-hearted
men as ever stood in shoes, the record,
as long as a week ago, might easily
have been made up against us It Is
the u~ndoubted truth that IL, a day d
two after his victory at Manila, Dewey
had been unfortunate enough to ge'
into actual trouble with Berlin, a hun
bred thousand perfectly-equippeu hcf'
man soldiers, II not actually at Ma
Mia. would be on the Philippine side OF
the Suez canal this morning.
Let the American people, In theli
sober second thought, steadfastly abid'
by h policy that keeps them unpre
pared for war! We are the conspicu
Gus example in the worlds history o
a nation that came to greatness througI
the processes of peace. Are we goinI
TO depart from the policy that gives u
this magnificent distinctions There
a drift that way at this moment un
doubtedly American citizenship's bette
Judgment will check the wrong tendenc,
after a little.