The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-04

our quest to liberate Cuba, or that the
war to be waEed by us in that behalf
would be interminable, and with a final
success scarcely less disastrous than alb
solnto defeat. The injustice and futiity
or American intervention in Spanish at
fairs was the burthen of rabid French
newspaper comment owing to the direct
interest of French bondhoders in the sol
vcncy of Spain. A succession of slight
Spanish victories in the early stages OF
the war might easily have converted the
strong sympathy for Spain exhibited on
the continent into active cooperation
with her.
English opinion played its beneilcent
role as a restraining influence In the
counsels of Europe from the earliest
threatenings of the war: but IL was the
SWIFT succession Of remarkable American
naval and military events that made
tho strong pro-Spanish feeling of Europe
innocuou3 and inspired the most warllke
of the continetal nations with whole
some respect for America as resource
ful, puisSant nation. Our navy was pa
tronizingly referred TO In some quarters
as s. small and rather inconsequentiai
affair. However excellent it might be as
an instrument of warfare the idea was
for time studiously cultivated in Europe
that In this respect Spain was at least
on an equality with us. Some OF the OK
that our ineXperience in naval warfare
would more than Offset any advantage
we might have in u modern fleet, ana
that we might be expected TO use the
weapon as recklessly as a small boy uses
revolver From the discovery of Span
ish Minister De Lomes letter, written in
contemptuous disparagement of Presi-
dent Mckinley a week before the de-
struction of the Maine in Havana harbor,
events moved rapidly. With the de-
struction of the Spanish fleet in Manila
harbor, followed so soon by the equally
signal annihilation of the Spanish feet
at Santiago and the rout of the Span
iards by land, 1t became evident to Eu-
rope that the United States could Weld
the instruments of modern warfare at
sea with the most unerring, destructive
and impressive effect; that it could and,
on occasion, would mobilize a great army
in an incredibly brief period.
For defensive purposes, the lesson of
American martial ardor and skill thus
taught to Europe within the year that is
past Is Of incalculable value and for long
years to come it must temper the aggres-
siveness of nations that might other
wise have sought to check the progress
of republic whose uneXampled pros
perity is a standing menace to mon
archical institutions. This sense of re-
served power to be found behind the
towers along the Steep" in the inteli-
gcnce, the material resources, the skill
In improvising. If need be- the imple-
ments of war. steadies the nation when it
is called upon to take a firm stand for
good causes. 1t should summon its en-
ergies for no other purpose The intelli-
gence which makes nations strong for
war should restrain them from going to
war for wars sake. Notwithstanding the
republic has Joined the ranks of the
modern militant powers In such dra-
matte way and in such a short time we
may confidently trust that the country
will remain a slumbering giant amid the
unworthy conflicts into which some Cf
the militant nations have been too prone
to enter.