New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
PEACE AND PATRIOTISM.
Come Peace. not like mourher bowed
For honor lost anC dear ones wasted,
Blu, proud 10 meet a people proud,
With eyes that tell Of triumph tasted

Rut proud TO meet a people proud.
With eyes that tell Of triumph tasted
Defamation Of the United States no longer
has the excuse of a coming political campaign.
1t is no longer expedient. in the service OF a
polltlcal party. to blacken the reputation OF
the American President, the American generals
the Army or the Navy. That part of the peo-
pies industry can now take rest. 1t Is prop
er to submit an earnest appeal to all good clti-
zens and even to those who may not be good
citizens or honest men but still have some
patriotic instincts. In behalf or the Naton
reputation May there not now be suspen-
sion of falsehoods about the conduct or the
war the appointment of incompetent offcers
in the Army. the mlltreatment OF soldiers ana
the profits Of contractors! There never has
been a war conducted by any Nation without
some laundering and some plundering. Sellsh-
ness has not been entirely eliminated from
human beings since the first consumption OF
the apple In the garden. But 1t may with rea-
son be doubted whether the beginnings OF any
other war by any nation have ever been more
free from corruption, from personal or partisan
fayoritsm. from misfortune due to official IN
competence or inexperence than the earlier
stages of the recent struggle, which was so
conducted that they also proved It's final stages.
The official returns show that the Nation,
though in war with a European Power which
had in Cuba alone five times as many regular
soldiers rs the entire force Of the United States
when the war began, has not lost battle nor
n sklrmish, not foot of ground once Ocou-
pied. not fort or q flag. not gun nor rIfe.
This proud declaration by the commanding
General of the Army at the banquet In his
honor Friday night ought 10 wake up the
patriotic feeling even of the ghouls who have
done nothing since the war broke out except
to belle their country. little earlier an Off
cial statement gave the name of every officer
appointed by the President showing with what
care every man had been selected from sons
of Army officers. from graduates OF military
schools, from persons recommended by the
most competent authorities and from those
who had met with success severe examinations
4 little earlier still another official record had
shown that the losses by wounds or disease
had been actually smaller. In proportion 10 the
men exposed. than In any other war during
the same time from It's beginning.
Even while men are lying about corrupt con-
tracts there are shrewd business men in this
and other cities who are counting up Their
heavy losses sustained because the war did
not at any time. as they expected, advance the
prices Of clothing or shoes or other materials.
The almost matchless record is presented or
an equipment of a quarter of a million men
without affecting in the least the markets from
which their needs were supplied The demand
for few kinds of meat and other food ana
drugs did indeed affect for little while prices
in some localities, but so little that almost
everybody who spcculated on tho assurance o.
an advance in consequence Of Government buy
ing has only dismal loss to record. EXtrava-
CANT prices were doubtless paid In order to
secure some vessels in haste by purchase or
by charter; but n war finished by the dcsiI'uc-
ton of the Spanish Navy and with less naval
loss of life than occurred in the destruction OF
the Maine is an achievement so astonishing
that Americans may well be proud of Gov
eminent which ST AIRED no expense to make vic
tory certain swift and cheap. In word,
Americans have right to he very proud OF
their Government. their Army and their Navy,
and II would become American citizens In
stead of defaming their own country as far as
they can. TO pay attention to the grand achieve
ments which other nations regard with adj
mration and envy.