The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-09-06


camps have been badly selected, or i'm
properly managed. On the whole, a
foreigner, after reading our newspap-
ers, and John Sherman's inyective
against Secretary Alger, would con
clude that the American people We're
without business methods.
The simple truth is. that compare
lively the business conduct of the war
has been much more successful than
could have been expected, under the
circumstances.
The Sovereign people chose to de-
clare war without military preparation
and without forethought. When the
pessimists, like Admiral Erben, said:
before you declare war, prepare for
it," there was a howl of derision The
people cried fight, fight! Never mind
preparation" When the naval and
military men said put off the invasion
of Cuba until the danger from yellow
fever is over" the response was
fight the Spaniards" The people re-
fused to talk about preparation when
the cry of Remember the Maine" was
ringing in their ears. The demon Of
Yellow Fever, stronger than the armies
of the Republic, was not seen. though
the wise men knew he stood behind
the Spaniards.
At the close Of the Civil war, prud-
ent men advised the establishment Of
a military staff, and the organization Of
the militia forces under Federal au-
thoriUy. Congress, that is, the people,
refused. All were tired of war. The
navy was neglected and the magntf-
cent fighting ships we have, were built
in spite of great hostility from the
West.
Providence, therefore, kindly fixed
up a fight for Uncle Sam, so that his
opponent was an old, crippled, power
ty-stricken, bed-ridden, paraIyzad crit
ter that couldn't handle a gun.
The organization of a great army is
a business, and demands business
methods. Capable as the volunteer is
he must be trained. Old soldiers know
that magnificent assaults, - desperate
charges" "bayOnet attacks forced
marches depend upon grub" and we'll
regulated bowels, and not upon fine
bands of music playing to Old Glory.
A big sandwich, with plenty of beans
and coffee, steady the soldier on the
field better than an eloquent Grafton
about duty and sacrifice.
To put some thousands of inexper-
fenced men into official positions, and
expect them to properly and success
fully conduct an army is like importing
a hundred clergymen into these Islands
and expecting them to instantly organ
ize successful sugar plantations.
The suffering of the soldiers is due
mainly to the want of preparation. The
want of preparation is due to the indif-
ference of the people. There is now
a widespread desire to skin some
body" 1t will not be done. Congress |
will investigate the cause. BY the time
that is finished the people will have
cooled off, and forgotten about the af-
fair Back numbers" do not interest
the public. There will, however, re
main the national self consciousness
that the people must share the blame
Perhaps sufficient credit will never
be given to the men who, as veterans
of the Civil War, have dohe mastery
work in calling a great army suddenly
out Of the ground. Without their ex-
perience, and knowledge, it would have
been utterly impossible to have done
what has been done. Had the entire
business of the organization been left
to them, and the politicians been re
dUced to the ranks" even much more
would have been accomplished
Much that has been learned during
the last three months will be forgot
ten. Enough will be remembered to
place the military and naval service on
a better footing.