The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-01-12
VISIONARY,

0Vuo DoIWSon tnS0Iy anu pruCbACe' DuJ
the evidence seems to be that our pre-.
sident is visionary, or given to imprac-
ticable schemes. The conduct of the
war with Spain proves this, and the
successful ending Of that war does not
disprove il. Such was the superiority
of our navy in vessels, armament, dis
cipline and gunnery; such the unheard
OF Surrender Of the army at Santiago
not only Of troops nnder immediate
command, bat of q whole province; and
such the unseemly haste of Spain to
sign = protocol yield every thing in
dispute, that our misfortune in having
the war conducted on our part by a
visionary administration had not an
earthly chance to develop itself. That
we succeeded so we'll we may thank
Spanish ieebleness rather than the ad-
| ministration's ability. If the Spanish
navy had equaled ours, if Spanish SOL
disrs in Cuba and the Philippines had
made the resistance they could and
that was reasonably expected of them,
and II the SE aAiard when his "Armada"
was gone had not felt that he was alto
gether done for, and quit, it is impos-
| sible to see just where our visionary
administration would have landed us
despite the magnificent fighting quail
ties Of our Soldiery and marines.
practical administration would
have got out Of the insurgents, both
Philippine and Cuba, all the aid there
was in them; would have said to them
this is yonr fight, go ahead and We
will help you over the high places.
Thus the administration would have
shown a real and practical sOlicitude
for the lives and health OF our soldiery
| and marines and for the United States
treasury. But having some visionary
scheme about the government OF Cuba
and the Philippines after the war the
administration refused to recognize
the insurgents and in every other pos
sible way discourage them especially
in Cuba. Admiral Dewey did some
better by the Philippine insurgents
he was not on speaking terms with the
administration and the strategy board
was not long enough to reach him
I with the result that the insurgents did
| all the land fighting there except in the
sham battle fought at Manila in the in
terests of Spanish ''honor." OF course
as the Spaniard fell fat when his Gar
mada" went down, this treatment OF
the insurgents had not any chance to
get in it's perfect work. But if Spain
had made stubborn resistance in Gu
bs, as Blanco advised, and in the Phil
ippines, where would we have been
without the aid Of the insurgents9 Let
the short campaign of Santiago answer.
Although the Spaniard made such haste
to get Cervera's fleet out of the way
and to surrender the land forces of the
whole province, Shafter and his army
did we'll to get back out Of that alive
even under the superb managemnt ol
the strategy board.
| But it has been said, all is we'll that
ends we'll. After all, as the Spaniard
made only visionary" resistance, in
the eternal order and fitness OF things
it was two hale fellows we'll met. And
if that were all it were poorly worth
while to remark on the matter.
| But unfortunately the administra
tion, riled perhaps because the Spaniard
out-generaled it, seems determined that
the Cuban and Philippines shall moi
get off without giving it chance tt
show just how visionary it is and what
Igreat damage its impractical schemes
can do the country. We do not argue
here that the ideal government which
the administration would force on the
Cuban and Philippine is not best fol
them. We content ourselves with the
remark that this republican ideal is
precisely the thing against which tht
whole opposition is now fighting in
this country and which the great ma
iOrity opposed at the formation of oul
government, and for three quarters O
a century after. But that is not thC
Iquestion. Is it practicable to impose
any sort of government on the Cubar
and Philippines, the Philippines par
ticularly? The love OF liberty and in
dependence is inherent in human ma
ture; every people place high esti
mate on their own ability. The pre-
sumption therefore is that the Cubal
aud Philippines are determined on Som
plete independence. The evidence cor
, roborates. The Philippine Press ant
government, Aguinaldo as commando
of its army and their agent in thi
. country say unmistakably, Philippine
are determined ON independence. Th
Spanish prisoners will not be Civ
! en- up at the command of any body
= Aguinaldo asks for dictatorship in th
r matter Of declaring war-war agains
this country Of course. for already the
are at war with Spain and there is nc
E any present prospect OF war with an
ether nationality. What the war wit
r Philippines means is shown by receI
, Beaaty Il Blood Deep.
Y Clean blood means = clean skin. n
beauty without i. Cascarets, Candy Catha