The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-12-15

may be explained by lack Of time and
the expensive tolls. When we find the
same serious treatment of the Man
churian campaign in the magazine mr.
ticles, and the same lack of poetic I'M
agination that used to make the war
correspondents tories glitter so, the
cause must be found elsewhere.
Before individual fighting came,
with the South African war, to upset
the old shock tactics, and when noise
and gorgeous uniforms were felt to
be as indispensable to a successful
battle as artillery, there was room for
the play of an imaginative description.
Now many Of the old dramatic prop
critics of battle are gone.
I The time was that the regimental
colors furnished frequent ipcident on
which to dilate. Nowadays, as we
learn from the correspondent, 1.-THE
flag is useful only to fling to the
breeze as a signal of an enemy's oc-
/ cupation Of position-a signal to the
general and the gunners." At other
times it is not unfurled to draw fire
on yourself. 1t is carefully rolled up.
No succession of standard bearers is
shot down under it. The correspond
ent Of the present can write no longer
of "shot torn battle Tags" and the
public museum Of the future that ex-
hibits the colors Of conquering army
will have to explain that these unin-
jured, untarnished silks marked the
event Of the new style Of fighting
which came with the Russo-Japanese
war.
It Is thus that iconoclastic science
treats all our cherished material ira
ditions. Shimose powder and wire
less telegraphy have brought with
them their disadvantages. Dirt col
ored uniforms have forced out the
brilliant sartorial trappings with
which the fathers were wont to go TO
battle. Shining swords are left at
home for dress parade purposes. Sill
vered and nickeled pistols give way to
dull barrels. War ever loses its CLAM
or and becomes more and more a
| trade.
And the fife and drum? Gone, too.
Your modern army marches without
music. 1t is written that the Ameri-
can soldier in the next war must go
to the firing line without hearing the
quickening air of 1.-The Star Spanglei
| Banner" "Dixie," or that other ma
tional hymn, 'There'll Be Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight" Even the
French must front the foe uncheered
| by the stirring tune with which Gen.
Dumouriez hurled back the Duke o.
Brunswick in the Argonne pass. ia
Marseillaise" will be reserved FOR
peaceful celebrations of the fall of the
Bastile and concerts. The japanese
army goes to the firing line withou;
drums A few of them were found
Of all places.-in the advance line OF
the Russians morning attack at Mo
tienling! But this only goes to prove
her military awakening comes she
too, must consign the drummer boy to
the discarded pile where the bow and
arrow and the black powder rife were
flung, and where rusts the coat OF
mail and the lance and the fintlocE
musket rots.
The day foretold by the prophetic
Tennyson Is literally here
when the war drums throb no long
er and the battle flags are furledv
but the parliament of man, the fed
GRAFTON of the world" Is not yet come
| It Is only that the march of military
progress, though it is ahead Of peace
agreement Of The Hague, commands
belligerents to tap no drums and I'm
furl no flags as matter Of purely
military safety.-New York Press.