Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-22
4 COMMEMORATE war POLICY.

History will accredit the administra-
ton with a most commendable war policy
Spain to the present hour. The condi-
tions under which a foreign war was I'M
dertaken necessitated the exercise OF ex-
traordinary care and good judgment.
The United States were wholly unpre-
pared to undertake the invasion of Cuba
when war was declared against Spain.
Public sentiment forced our country into
a belligerent attitude long before its
military facilities We're equal to the de-
mands made Upon them. With only
2 5000 regular troops, and about 100, 600
state m~ilitiamen, who We're little better
than raw recruits so far as field service
was concerned. and with inadequate and
incomplete arrangements for necessary
supplies, our government entered into the
war with Spain.
Marvellous energy was displayed by the
government in pushing the preparatory
$3.50 ~ SoiIt'!tl4ol. tldl LIE COUNTY,
might be put on a safe war footing.
There was a woeful lack of arms and am
munition, and the officers appointed by
the governors Of the several states were
in many cases men who had never played
a part in the tragedy Of war. The lati-
tude given the governors was too often
n,l- re oanI,Sly- et,,caS ~ -ll -
men wholly incompetent to shoulder the
responsibilities which active service
placed upon them. This deadly work of
the political pull disgraced more states
than one. But Notwithstanding such
d drawbacks TO the efficiency of the service,
careful management on the part of the
chinery Of success. and the history Of the
war became a record Of heroic achieve
ment that will reflect perpetual glory on
American arms.
True, there were long weary days of
restless camp life under a pitiless south
ern sun. The natural hardships of the
situation We're aggravated by the mex
perience of the soldiery and their ina
bility to readily adapt themselves to new
conditions, by incompetent officers who
We're mentally unequal to the work Of
managing great bodies of men in camp,
by a lack of trained nurses who could
not be secured for hospital service, and
by cooks who We're ignorant of the proper
methods Of handling foods in a hot
climate. Under sucn conditions men sick
ened and died.
Had the president been permitted to
postpone the declaration of war until
the country was prepared to shoulder the
burdens which it implied, all these un.
pleasant features Of camp life would
have been avoided. But the men who
now c%riticise the administration because
the war with Spain was not one con.
tinued round of pleasure, and who up.
braid Alger because death stalked in the
highway Of war, were the same men whC
clamored for a conflict with Spain before
a step could be taken in preparation fol
the clash of arms.
The successful prosecution of the wal
was followed by new problems for the
American people to meet. Among the
newborn responsibilities of his nation
came the ownership of the Philippines
And with their ownership came the re
volt of a portion of the natives of on,
of the islands, under the leadership O
a man who had been befriended by GU,
republic and entrusted with the homo
OF bearing it arms. To the everlastin,
shame and disgrace of the American peo
pie it may be said that this treacherou
brlgand was led to institute a rebellion
against our flag chiefly through the per
yersity Of politicians who endeavored t.
embarrass the national. administrator
in the settlement of questions CROWN,
out Of the war. Opposition to the ratifi
cation of the treaty with Spain, involv
country. led Aguinaldo to believe tina
the sentiment of the people of the Unite
States was against American occupancy
and that a show Of authority on his par
was alone needed to place him in tn
position of supreme dictator of thos
islands. The treacherous blow was &C
cordingly struck right on the eve of tn