The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-29

were not organized as a military state,
as was their enemy. They rushed INTO
the conflict, though they had only n
little army almost wholly scattered at
many frontier posts far from each
other and from the seacoast and the
seat of hostilities. When the war be-
gan foreign and domestic critics
| looked on their navy as inferior, yet
in three months they had swept the
| enemy's navy from the sea, without
losing a ship and almost without toss
of life. Their army was increased
| suddenly more than tenfold, yet in one
hundred days. before IL could be
moulded into the shape deemed requi-
site for anything like military Ell
cheney, as It is estimated abroad, it
had conquered the enemy completely
in tropical regions, to which three
! military expeditions had to be sent over
! distances varying from one thousand
| to seven thousand miles Every one
of those expeditions landed successful
! ly and speedily accomplished its pur-
| pose. Simply as a matter of admins
tration the war; therefore. was a con-
! elusive demonstration of the ability
4
| government.
The experience of the Americans in
| the new responsibilities of government
! imposed on them by the conQuests Of
the war has demonstrated not less
! strikingly that they can be trusted
! ito govern we'll" In Cuba, in Porto
! Rico, and in the Philippines men Of
! distinguished fitness for the duties
have been found and selected, with
! out a single instance of failure or
| shoTtcOming. Neither partisan caVil
| at home nor friendly or unfriendly
| criticism abroad can finu excuse for
| Censure. 1t was a new experience for
Americans, but what other nation
would have done better? England has
resounded with the well-earned praises
of General Kitchener for his Omdur-
man campaign; he has been elevated
to the peerage as a reward for his
generalship, and has received a hand
some bounty, but General Otis, at Ma
Mia. with troops largely unframed to
war and sent thither on the spur of
| the moment, has conducted a cam
! paign not less successful and against
a better armed enemy. 1t is true,
| however, that Kitchener is a novice
in war as compared with the veteran
| Otis, who has seen more of actual
and fierce fighting than any general
officer in all Europe.
d
The greatest naval achievement OF
this generation, one of the greatest
in the history of naves was Admiral
! TOnuroN'c ,+t nP
destruction of the fleet of Admiral
MontOjo. That great event occurred
only about ten months ago, or on May
|, 1898, and by the time it's first an
| niversary comes round the peaceful
establishment of American govern
ment throughout the Philippines is
likely to have been completed. That
it will be in the hands of men who can
be trusted to govern well' is doubt
ed nowhere in the world At any rate,
it is not doubted by any Americans.
| a few Americans may profess to feel
| distruStful but it is a mere pretence.
The trouble with them is not that they
are afraid that we shall do i'll, but
that they foresee that we are sure
to do so we'll that they will have moth
ing to justify the captious criticism
upon which they depend for political
profit. If there is any undertaking
of their own capacity" on the part of
the Americans, it must be among those
professional critics. They have not
been able to keep up their stock in
trade Certainly nowhere else is there
any distrust as to the matter among
Americans. They have had long train
| ing in the business of government and
they are not appalled, by it's diff.
culties. Without being bOastful OF
themselves, they are calmly confident
OF their ability to handle the job ir
workmanlike fashion.