The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-01
A Month of War.

The war has been under way just a
month, and some results of permanent
value have been achieved. On April 70
the resolutions of Congress ordering
Spain out of Cuba and directing her to
be put cut If she did not leave peace
fully We're signed by the President. On
the same day Spsin's Minister in
Washington demanded and received
his passports, and on the next day, the
2lst, passports were given to Minister
Woodford in Madrid, and diplomatic
connection between the two countries
ended. The President issued procla-
NATION on the 22l, telling the world
that certain ports in Cuba were block
AIDED. SIMPSONS fleet established the
blockade on that day. The same day
the gunboat Nashville made the first
capture of the war, the Spanish vessel
Buena Ventura. On April % the Pres
ident issued his call for l25, 900 volun-
teers.
In one direction not quite so much
has been accomplished in the past
month as was expected. 1t was gener-
ally believed that permanent landing
would have been made in Cuba before
this time, and that the grand advance
on Havana would be under way. This
outcome has been prevented by several
circumstances. The number of men
fit for offensive warfare has been too
small to justify a landing in Cuba in
force at as early day as many persons
expected and as everybody desired.
The menace of the Spanish feet on
this side of the water has had some
thing TO do also with the delay. More
over, there is pretty general belief
now among army officers that the in
surgent forces are far smaller than they
were represented TO be. Therefore, as
practically all of the fighting will have
20 be done by the United States troops,
it was essential that the force to be sent
TO Cuba be larger than was first DEEM
cd necessary.
But in another quarter the success
was greater than was at first looked
for. That is to say, Dewey's victory
came earlier than was xpected a month
ago, and its dimensions were larger.
Not even the most hopeful of Ameri-
cans supposed Dewey would destroy
the entire Spanish fleet, and that not
single war-ship of The enemy would be
left in the Pacific The brilliant tri-
umph in the Philippines will Offset the
delay in the West Indies, for when the
army now being gathered TO send to
Dewey reaches him he will complete
his conquest. Even the failure to ac-
complish anything tangible in Cuba
thus far need not discourage anybody.
Expectation was unreasonably high, as
it is apt to he among virile and conf
dent people az the outset in every great
enterprise. Seward thought the civil
war would be ended in ninety days,
and the earlier volunteers were called
for only three months service. a
month ago many persons evidently
supposed Spain would be driven out of
Cuba and Porto Rico in four or five
weeks and the war brought to an end.
The expectation was unreasonable, of
course. If the United States had an
adequate navy and regular army this
could have been done. Considering
their diminutive size the United States
navy and army are the best in the
world, but they were not as large as
they ought to have been, and as they
always will be hereafter. We have
done much in the month, neverthe-
less, even in the Atlantic and Gulf.
The navy has been increased and put
in thorough fighting shape, and an
army OF more than 100000 men has
been thoroughly trained, and is now
ready to take the field. In the next
month the war will be vigorously
pushed, and the beginning of the end
may possibly be brought in sight
st. Louis Globe Democrat.