The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-21
The First Anniversary.


Spain really dates from April
q, 1898. although the official announce
ments as to the beginning were of a lit
tie later date. One year ago this morn
ing the news which millions of Ameri-
cans eagerly read was to the effect that
Spain had broken off all diplomatic
relations with the United States, that
Minister Woodford had left Madrid,
that, at Havana, Blanco had issued
call to arms and that the government
at Washington had arranged for the
blockade of all Cuban ports.
In the light Of the years experience,
some parts Of the news printed a year
ago this morning are curious reading.
A long dispatch from Havana described
how Blanco standing on the balcony of
the Spaniards when he asserted that the
Americans would soon be within sight
of MORO castle and that I'VE will
throw these Americans into the middle
of the sea-" There was also printed,
that morning, the story of the rather
ford found himself at the railway sta
ton in Madrid. There was no disturb
ance when he took his seat in the train,
but spark could have kndled a fire
there, and there was intense excite
ment when. at the station, just as the
train was ready to start, Anguello, the
civil governor of Madrid, raised cheers
for Spain. In our own country there
was not much of loud talking in official
circles. but the hum Of busy prepara-
ton was heard. The public was anti
cipating the presidents call for troops:
the navy department was buying boats;
the camp at Chickamauga was in prep
aration; the flying squadron was await
ing orders; everywhere men We're talk
ing about going to the war.
What was anticipation a year ago
to-day is reality this morning. The
world well knew that we could whip
Spain. 1t was bound to be an uneven
tight--the only question for speculation
was as to the length of time that would
be required for the United States, not
a ranking military power, to punish
one of the decayed dynasties of the old
world. We We're not longer at this
work than had been anticipated AL
most before the combatants We're ready
to begin fighting, Deweys magnificent
achievement gave to the war a preface
which is and which always will be the
most brilliant page in it's history-it
was a shock from which Spain could
not recover.
OF course, in this war we won, and we
were not unduly long about it, We
have to-day the lessons of that war to
deal with. If we learn those lessons
Alright, they will teach US that our
true policy Is to keep out of foreign
ENHANCEMENT and stick to our time
honored traditions. If we are candid
with one another we will admit that,
all in all, the war had few incidents
that can serve to encourage us in the
cultivation of the spirit of militarism or
Of conquest. The war we ventured into
was we'll enough. Doubtless we could
have avoided it had we chosen to do so.
1t was a costly diversion-the tax
payers in the nation will feel it for
years to come. 1t was a splendid trib-
ute to the American navy; it left the
American people little to be proud of
respecting the organization and man
agement Of their land force. Its herit-
age we have, first, in scandals involving
the war department and, secondly, in
the task-costly and highly unsatisfac-
tory-which is imposed upon us by our
obligation to restore the semblance at
least of order among the millions who
are natives Of the Philippine islands
and who, for all that concerns pro-
gressive, enlightened American citi-
zenship. are as far removed from us as
SO many million savages are and should
always be.