The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1907-01-12

An oppressive gloom pervaded thu
atmosphere of the Capital club, ant
I'm the Red room a slow departing
twilight, penetrating with difficulty
heavy black masses Of tobacco smoke
was the only illumination. No one nae
cared to press the electric button
Occasionally one of a dozen or more
glowing cigar ends seemed to awaken
from a reverie to beam brightly FOR
moment-then relapse again ike the
eye OF a drowsy tiger. There was nc
sound in the room and scarcely per
Ceptible movement, save now and
then finger necked the ashes away
or a hand removed a weed from close
shut lips.
For several minutes thus-then the
deepyoiced cabinet secretary, with
dignihcd dcliberation, 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 a barrier
OF armed men extends from the Paci
hc to the Atlantic. Our southern
boundary is glittering line OF bayo
nets from gulf to gulf If we drive
back a 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 cruiser, and for every destroy
er over whose decks our flag floats a
battleship iaunts 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 insular posses
slons we have ccded to them, with
honor, ind Iced but | cannot say, gen
tlemen, without coercion subtle, per
baps, but still coercion.
10 Toon, their prime minister, Is
exceedingly frank. 1t is not. he says
a matter of conquest, but IA struggle
for existence. My people must have
breath-thcy are sulfocating, We
have our fisheries at the very south
pole and every foot of the bleak 81
berian steppes yields its quota of rice
or millct-nay, even though 1t needs
be rooted with glass to keep the earth
from straugling in it's frozen clutch
the spruuting seeds There is no area
In all the western hemisphere, from
lCc-bouud valleys of northmOst bays
and rivers to lofty snowcapped Cor
dillcra In the south save what is oc
cupied by these United States OF
my people. Ana YOU have room
room, room You are encompassed
You must see the inevitable This
gentlemen, is the situation. We are
encompassed Our navy is helpless
our army but barely holds at bay the
hordes upon our borders. Our lines
of Notifications are problems which
cannot long remain unsolved The
time when Craftsmanship availcd us
has long. long since gone by
Gentlemen" and the secretary 8
voice was scarcely audible. Il fear,
greatly fear we are undone."
There was silence again and the
cigar ends glowed more iminously In
the deepening gloom. An onyx clock
on the mantel over closed fireplace
licked aggresslvely and the match
with which the secretary relightcd his
cigar sputtcred noisily.
Mr. Secretary" The professor
passIonloss voice sounded afar Off
but every eye, startled and new
lighted, turned toward him The sec
Rotary responded:
Professor"
Since 1t appears, Mr., Secretary,
ne calmly continued. that this disas
ter which has been Impending for 8,
long is about to fall upon and crust
us. Since II is evident from what yo,
say that the defense OF our beloved
country has passed beyond the pow
ers OF It's natural agencies. Since dip
lomaCy and force OF arms are alik,
hopeless, may | not submit the propo
sitton that the defense OF our nation
has entered the realms Of science an,
as humble disciple of truth yomn
teer my services in its behalf. 1
must sull be war--most horrible
most hcllish War-and God alon,