Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-21

lDpineS IN ner possession. hdu TIE
administration had the common sense
to trust to skilled Judgment in Samp-
sons case, as it was compelled to do
in Dewey's, Sampson would undoubt-
eddy have at once sailed into Havana
harbor as Dewey did at Manila, and
Havana and all Cuba would have been
at the mercy of his feet and an army
could at once have landed and driven
the Spanish off the island. AS it was,
Sampson was compelled to chafe in
useless peaceful blockade of Cuban
ports, which Simply has given Blanco
the time he needed to ifortify weak
places and place the whole coast II
direct Geographic touch with headQuar-
ters so that it is impossible to land
our troops or arms and ammunition
for the insurgents anywhere without
being met by Spanish troops or mask
ed batteries, as witness the miserable
failure of the Gussie expedition. And
this is a sample Of the strategy they
are practicing at Washington. 1t is
costing the treasury dearly and pro-
longing the war needlessly. But TO
return to the old woman of Fourteenth
street and her scolding. She goes On
as follows, this time garbling the Reg
lister in order to make her point:
Another comment, exhibiting the Regis
ter's lack Of appreciation or tne sisil M
grave reference to Porto Rico as belng d
pon ''in which we have no interest IN
this war and that nothing was accom- accom-
plished there This is amazing. consid-
ering that our naval authorities ana the
diplomats and naval experts of Europe
regard Porto Rico as a very important
rary's own news columns, only Yesterday,
contained a. detailed report of what was
accomplished there, showing heavy dam
age to San Juans defenses was done.
strong point was gained.
Thus does the shrewish old thing
make a pitiful display of the astonish-
ing height, breadth and depth of her
mighty ignorance The Register will
repeat lat the risk of throwing the OLD
lady into another fit, that the United
States have no interest in Porto Rico
in this war except IN destroying it as
a base of supplies for the enemy, and
this Sampson did not do, for he was
Immediately called away to go on
useless wild goose chase after Admiral
Cervera's fleet. What good did it do
us to destroy battery or two at San
Juan and leave Spain's immense coal
stores on the island untouched, so
her fleet might coal there as usual
when convenient? What does our
silly neighbor think Sampson accom-
plished by firing tons Of shot into
San Juan's defenses, only to sail away
leaving the island almost as good
base of supplies for the enemy as l.
was before? Since Sampson could not
follow up his attack, capture the island
and destroy the enemys coal and
stores, was it not practically, simply
a waste of ammunition?
"As to the alleged delayed invasion
of Cuba" remarks the Old lady oracu-
larly, that has been thoroughly made
plain" 1t has, indeed been made
plain TO every one but the lntelllgen-
Ger. 1t is made very plain from the
Intelligencer's own columns, as Wit
ness the right-hand column of the
deadly parallel Adore. The invasion
of Cuba has been not only delayed but
made infinitely more difficult and costly
by the ignorant bungling and indecis-
ion of incapable officials at Washing
Ton. In conclusion. cur scolding
neighbor quotes the Register as fol
lows:
The President would not have risked
any loss of public admiration II ne mao
early called about him the ablest mil ,,sit
and naval organizers in the country VIII
the frankly expressed intention OF relying
upon their advice in the conduct or the
Mr.. Mckinley is not and has never
PROGRESSED to be, qualified to deal with af-
fairs of war ~ Duou;ao,+
trained man in. his cabinet. He has not
even a man who has acquired familiarity
with military affairs in Congress.
Ii would not hurt the President or the
cabinet TO admit what everybody knows.
The country is net foolish enough TO eX-
pect spontaneous military brilliancy TO
arise in a body Of men whose minds have
ma.ured with no thought of ever being
called to such duties.
On this it comments as follows:
Perhaps our contemporary who as
sumes to instruct the government in the
art OF war does not know that i'll the
war operations the movements of naval
fleets and the military are conducted in
something like the precise manner in
which the Register complains that they
are not conducted. The board of STRAIT
egg, otherwise known as the war board.
is in constant session as Washington. 1t
is in close touch with ;he entire situation,
which il knows better than the genius
presiding Over the Register. Composed
of experts, it is presumably better equip
ped for the conduct of war and to advise
the Executive than the war editor of the
Register, or any other chronic critic, who
is repeating history by INDUCING in a
second ION to Richmond cry, such as
the one which led to the disaster at Bull
Run.
Speaking of Bull Run reminds one Of
another disaster, one that has just
happened and which was due not to
the critics, of whom the old lady com
plains so loudly, who have been urging