New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-16
ORR VIGOROUS WAR POLICY
REMARKABLE EXHIBIT.

-f.hf n
va. -, bosttcs with Spain are certainly the most
w. .r,oh,e IN history since steam was introduced
.r,rsoortation purposes on land and sea. No
]" ,r,. bss ever witnessed such spectacle No
~. country could produce so amazing an exhibit
w. for no other country is environed by the
,,.,ors under which peacc-loNng nation without
ol,andlng army like ours suffers. We live in a
-; state OF unpreparedress FOR war; dep
. .Ss9;e ard avoid war as mora. principle and
>,o.ionsl policy ana ar" almost equally divided
. o,r National councils between two political par
-. 49, Who do not always promptly agree even upon
-. grave question of the vigorous prosecution OF
"a when forced to undertake IT,
"a, this Nation. thus unprepared for war has
.,,,cssed ,he most rapid mobilization of her small
,.,.o n, Regulars. the raising OF volunteer army
:. reserves OF 125.0O men, the formation OF three
S.radrons OF tattle-shps Of superior fighting quail
.os and the collection OF feet OF the finest troop
.,0s ever employed in naya warfare FOR the trans
ror.atlon Of soldiers to the enemy's country known
T. history either before since the introduction
Of steam.
know that this Is not the usual view taken by
NJ acouaintanccs and by scores OF newspapers
- importance which my business compels me to
vacoine more o. less carefully every day. The
.~ege5 critics talk OF the vacillation OF the
r,ss,sent: the lack Of energy OF the Secretary Of,
N,, an The inexperience 90 the Secretary Of the
~,yv The latter-named cynics frequent in
.xnostula tions and often Of denunciations OF the
demonstration for what they denominate its de-
,rs Such personal and journalistic critics seem to
,,c % Na Ignorant, not only Of the conditions in
snencir- tnc authorities. but Of the facts OF what
has really been accomplished since war de-
,isred and | am sure none could have instituted
con,par sons between the activity OF the present
e,d tina; o. the Administrations which conducted
NE Mexican and our civil War
Let Us see what has been done since the declara
,on o. war by Spain on April q last. by dismissing
VI 8 ND doeio nv ha
Cor,es on April a. now about two months since.
op,r regular troops. about fifteen thousand In num-
her have been transported from the Indian from
ter two thousand miles away. to Tampa. and at
This time OF printing are several hundred miles
further ny sea. Cuban soil. This is not as quick
a mobilization as that OF the German and the
French armies the Rhine frontier in 1870; but it
should be remembered that neither army had far TO
TO- and both had been years preparing to go. Two
calls by President Mckinley for volunteers. aggre-
eating $4,000 men. have been answered, and the vol
unteers either in camp drilling and learning the
discipline necessary to effectiveness or are en- route
for the scenes OF hostt.es in Cuba the Philippine
Islands We have passed a War Revenue bill pro-
viding for increased income during the war. and
have authorized loan OF 500 100000. which will
REQUIRE far less time 10 place Oenfold over II need
fuD than was consumed in the debate OF the meas
ure.
But look at the actual achievements Of the Army
Spain on April q. The next day Havana was
actually blockaded Immediately upon the dec
,sration OF war President Mckinley. by cable, d.
rec,ed Commodore Dewey to find the Spanish
Asia,ic squadron and either capture destroy It.
Dewey did the latter on May T. or Jus, ten days
after war was declared. There IS recorded
similar instance of prompt and complete obedience
70 orders On May l. thirteen days after the dec
laration o; war. Admiral SIMPSONS fine squadron
sailed from Key West. and on May Il Owenty-one
days having elapsed bombarded San Juan. Porto
Rico on May IS a second great squadron under
Captain Schley left Hampton Roads and May
% (thirty-eight days since began he had bot
tied up the chief Spanish squadron in Santiago
Harbor. and at the present time the city OF San
tiago ard the disabled heot-ts usefulness hopeless
ly destroyed-s being besleged by orr fleets and
Army.
History records no such wonderful achievements.
either In modifying and transporting troops. organ
Isag fleets and cruisers and transports. in actual
naval operations as this brief record shows and
they are ignorant Of their own Nations achieve
h1ents In other who cavi at delays in the pres
ent struggle.
Take for instance, as further Illustration OF the
point urge that such criticisms unjust and
ignorant the facts about our Mexican War.
Mexico, aggrevei az our annexation Of Texas. de-
clared in January. ls4s. 1t was not until May
s -four months later that General Taylor fought
and won his first battle at Palo Alto and a year
army Buena Vista. Meantime a
feet had been collected and another army organ
lies under General Winfield Scott. who besieged.
hombarded and captured Vera Cruz on March g.
49, just about fifteen months after the war began
Take the only othe: war which can be cited IN
parsAcoUr Civil War; or. az prefer TO call 1t.
War ;or the Union-wnch may be said to have
Spain began. for then ne old Union renewed.
hope ior all time War wa begun in our own
conflict by the hring on Fort sumter on April J?
1851 The first conflict was at Bull Run on July Il.
or three months and seven days after That battle
served to show rs that three months was not
enough time to prepare volunteers TO meet even
volunteers on the defensive no battle Of de-
dsNe character TOOK place un'u over nine months
after hostillties began wnen. or January ~ 1862,
army a. NIL! Spring. ~. defeated and literally
obiiterated It as completely - Dewey obtcrated
nrmy was never heard o. again. Thomas followed
II up 50 closely on the retreat that the survivors
This time, and with General Mahlon D. Manson. o.
Indiana and Colonel john NJ. Harlan, OF the 14tn
prem court o6wed G rSr d hy m Ss' on a he inc
Of retreat Of Zoro;fcr and found that his mon had
Tolerate armies actuary obiiteratcd Gencrai
Thomas did The same thing 70 General Hoods army
tutniu.ly said that General Thomas was the only
commander o; Union troops who ever drove an
The date of General Grants capture OF General
suckners army at Fort Donelson. Tenn. on Feb
Toned have ever reflected that this was ten months
t s,,Sr " war began. Grant acquired chrHlic
II was not until July 1853 years and three
months after Fort Sumter that he bagged another
army at Vicksbvrg and II just four wears after
the war began that he took Lees army into camp
a. AppOmattOx
have been hoping that some OF the less rusty
pens would urge those facts and news on tho carp
ing critics. but IN despair. after long waiting
though, would do Il myself.
WILLIAM F. G. SIIANKs.
New-York June 70. 1895
Since writing the above remark about the rapdity
OF Tho concentration OF the French and German
frr1es no T., hay = ba
chronology of the famous campaign In France and
ma that. everything being fairly considered.
own work in the existing war with Spain compares
very taVorah.y with that ot Won Motke and the
herman corps IN the brefest OF all modern military
campaigns on a grand scale wrote and The
Tribune published on January 2s. 1911 brief his
iory OF that struggle. then about 10 eliminate in
tae CONTINUATION u Iarls. In which may be found