The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-10-21
GENERAL MILES
ON THE WAR SPIRIT
SAYS A CONSTANT APPEAL TO IT
Is NOT NECESSARY TO STlMU.
LATE PATRIOTISM.

the dangers of a tendency toward an /
unduly centralized military govern .
ment, other men are likely to listen to
him; and when that man is Nelson A. |
Miles, who has just retired from the
command of the United states army |
with the applause of the nation ringing
in his ears, his words have a national
significance. The General has just
reached New York after a journey
twice across the continent, and an eX-
perience that brought him into personal
contact with thousands OF his fellow
citizens of all parties and all classes
not to speak of the assembled multi
tude of soldiers of the great war, in
San Francisco, which by unanimous
resolution declared his life to be "a
matchess record and above just cri-
ticism. In spite of lis GA years, GER
Miles is the picture of vigorous health
and alert energy. His figure is straight
his gray eyes bright, and his step elias.
tic. He has the straightout masculine
qualities of Andrew jackson, William
Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor,
all fire-tried soldiers-men of sterling
integrity, high character and earnest
patriotism-and all presidents by the
devotion and voice of the people.
"Oi course, l am aware that my
name has been mentioned by the news
papers in connection with the demo-
cratic nomination for the presidency"
he said in reply to a question by the
representative of the World. How
could it be otherwise, when l have re-
ceived hundreds of letters, many of
them from strong men in different parts
of the country, calling my attention
thereto? Many of them were from life
long democrats, while a goodly number
were from lifelong republicans, who
avowedly place their country above any
party utilization, and hold their patrio-
tism paramount to partisan considera.
| lions. OF course, the good opinion of
ones countrymen should be most high
| ly appreciated. No American citizen
should lightly esteem, or fail to hold in
sacred regard, the goodwill of ALL or
| OF any portion, of the sovereign people
of this great republic. But, to my
mind, above all personal considerations
| is the preservation of our system Of
government, not only in the form but
also in the spirit in which it was es-
tablished and so long maintained.
There are times in the affairs of ma
| lions, as we'll as of men, when every
energy should be bent to the accom-
plishment of one supreme, all-control-
ing purpose-even though for the time
| DelnS important subordinate interests
have to be postponed. At such times
the exercise of charity toward diver
gent opinions tends to inspire harmony
and concord promotes unison of action
which, with earnest patriotism, insures
the welfare of our common country
Differences upon minor questions will
be easily adjusted when there is a posi-.
tive and united purpose concerning the
great questions that are vital to the
perpetuity of our institutions. We neeC
not constantly appeal to the war spirit
to keep the American people braVely
patriotic. 1 have had experience in
wars, and 1 have never found Ameri-
cans lacking in prompt patriotism oil
in fighting qualities in any worthy
cause.
1T was my good fortune to witness
the transformation of the mighty West
l have viewed much of it on horseback
and have traversed the zones now oc-
cupied by the Canadian, the Great
Northern, the Northern Pacific, the Rio
Grande and Oregon Short Line, the
Union and Central Pacific, the Santa
Fe route and the Southern Pacific.
have seen the pioneer and the home.
builder supplant the savage and the
lawless. Great states, settled commu.
mites and happy homes are now found
where were formerly wild prairies anC
mountain wastes. In my recent Jour
neys across the continent 1 was NOR,
than ever impressed with the underly
ing wisdom and tranquil virility of tn,
people. They do not want war. They
want peace. have Travelled far i'm for
elgn lands, and observed the people oil
many countries; L have had excellen
opportunities to know the people of my
nfrNr nd
that a more intelligent, thoughtful
patriotic people cannot be found on tn
face of the globe than the people of gu
western states and territories. Man,
of the happiest years of my life hav,
been spent there, and l love the coun
try and its people. There you find tn,
true American independence and enter
prise. An American citizen viii
so or l6O acres of land is loyal to demo
cratic government, and he is a very in
dependent sovereign. The rough, wild
tough element has been replaced by tn
mine and mill owner, the herdsmai
and the agriculturist
while in 80 years the TRANSFORMATION
of the great West has been marvellous
there is yet ample room for million
who may be seeking homes. Strang
as 1t may seem, there are nearly a
many people crowded INTO the Philip
pine Islands, an area not as large a
one of our western territories, as tn
number that are now living in nearl,
one-half of the western portion of tn
United States; while the state of Texa
alone, richly stored with the product
that have made this country great an
prosperous, could accommodate all tn
people of the United States, and 10000,
600 more, without being so mucI
crowded as some of the eastern state
are now.
THE spirit of peace should be cult
waited. We are now a meddlesome
warning nation. When war comes, tn
war spirit will respond, and the brave
patriotic American soldiers will max
it effective. But the spirit of peac
should be cultivated rather than tn
demon of carnage. There is no neces
sity to stir the passions of American
| in order IN no GIIra tbaf tbavr NTH I,