Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-01-18

An oppressive gloom peryaced Tn
atmosphere Of the Capital club, AM
n the Red room a slow departing
twilight. penetrating with difficult.
| heavy black masses of tobacco smoke
| vas the only illumination. No one hat
cared to press the electric button
| Occasionally one OF a dozen or more
glowing cigar ends seemed to awaken
from reverie to beam brightly for
moment--then relapse again like the
eye OF drowsy tiger There was nc
sound In the room and scarcely per
ceptible movement. save now and
then a finger fecked the ashes away
or hand removed weed from close
shut lips.
For several minutes thus-then the
deep-voiced cabinet secretary, with
dignified deliberation, resumed, "And
gentlemen. when all Is said and done,
the entire situation may be briefly
summarized AS the general has ex-
planned, they have encroached upon
our northern boundary until barrier
OF armed men extends from the Paci-
fic to the Atlantic. Our southern
boundary is glittering line of bayo-
nets from gulf to gulf. II we drive
back regiment we retreat to our
lines before brigade"
"A corps, Mr.. Secretary. an entire
army corps" interposed the general.
And" continued the secretary.
their fleets protect their commerce
In every harbor of the world. For
every torpedo boat we possess they
have a cruiser, and for every destroy
er over whose decks our flag floats
battleship fiaunts their colors to the
breeze. They have naval stations
within so hours of our most seques-
tered sea ports. They have invested
our Great Lakes. Our insuIar posses
sions we have ceded to them, with
honor, indeed, but | cannot say, gen.
tlemen, without coercion-subtle, per-
haps, but still coercion.
Lo Toon. their prime minister. is
frank. 1t is not, he says,
"a matNr of conquest, but struggle
for existence. My people must have
are suffocating. We
have our fisheries at the very south
pole. and every foot of the bleak ST.
berian steppes yields its quota of rice
Or millet-nay. even though it needs
be rooted with glass to keep the earth
rom strangllng in its frozen clutch
he sprouting seeds There is no area
n all the western hemisphere, from
ce-bound valleys of northmost bays
md rivers to lofty snow-capped Cor
lillera In the south, save what is oc-
upied by these United States of |
ours, but responds to the industry of |
ny people. And you have room,
Dom. room. You are encompassed. |
'ou must see the inevitable This,
is the situation. We are
ncompassed. Our navy is helpless.
ur army but barely holds at bay the
ordes upon our borders Our lines
I Notifications are problems which
annot long remain unsolved. The
me when craftsmanship availed us
as long. long since gone by.
Gentlemen" and the secretary's
Dice was scarcely audible, Il fear,
realty fear we are undone."
There was silence again and the
gar ends glowed more iminously in
le deepening gloom. An onyx clock
! the mantel over a closed fireplace
cked aggressively and the match
it'll which the secretary relighted his
gar sputtered noisily.
Mr.. Secretary" The professors ,
voice sounded afar of, ,
II every eye, startled and new
,hted. turned toward him. The Sec 8
tary responded:
Professor" ;
"Snce it appears. Mr.. Secretary" /,
calmly continued. that this disas-
+ which has been impending for so
az is about to fall upon and crush
Since it is evident from what you !
y that the defense of our beloved | !,
untry has passed beyond the pow :
J of its natural agencies. Since dip
macy and force of arms are alike
peless, may | not submit the propo-
ion that the defense of our nation
S entered the realms OF science and d
a humble disciple of truth volun- n
n my services in its behalf. II a
list still be war-most horrible, II,
'st hellish war-and God alone n
ows how hate 1t and shrink from s
but make the sacrifice gladly" h
4 had forborn hoping, professor, "
| must still forbear." The secre- s.
y breathed deeply. b.
The professor had arisen and
ssed silently from the room and the
ar ends cleaned brightly in the
ection of the half open door. S,
20 Toon. the prime minister. sat in
tie. Courtiers in silksn flowing al