Our Army and Navy in 1999.
Justice done to both Schley and Sampson. The American victory off
Santiago opens the eyes of the world. Emperor Wilhelm congratulates
himself. America maintains a vigorous Monroe Doctrine.
Long before the advent of 1910 every trace of the bitter
controversy that had so long disturbed American naval circles over
the Sampson-Schley quarrel, had fortunately been effaced. The hatchet
had been buried, or figuratively speaking, had been thrown overboard,
and in 1999 this unhappy feud, which tarnished the prestige of the
world's foremost navy, had been obliterated. In 1999, when all heat
or vestige of passion had passed away, this unfortunate episode was
regarded as being the one and only blot that associated itself with
the memory of a wonderful naval exploit, the brilliant engagement on
that ever memorable Sunday morning of July 3, 1898, when the Spanish
squadron steamed into the jaws of death.
Time accomplishes wonders. It tones [The Brave American Officers.]
down the angles; it dulls the keenest edge and can even render mild,
bitter animosities, which, alas, often sting sharper than serpent
fangs. Long before 1900 it was universally acknowledged that gallant
Admiral Schley had been persecuted. His tormentors, men of high
station, became heartily ashamed of persecuting a brave officer who
had committed what apparently, in their judgment, appeared to be the
crime of annihilating the Spanish squadron off Santiago.
Students of history in 1910 very naturally asked themselves: "If
Admiral Schley was so bitterly assailed at the close of a sweeping
victory, in what manner would he have been treated by these carping
critics had a portion of Cervera's fleet made good its escape?"
Admiral Sampson appeared to be willing [Sampson's Unlucky Absence.]
and anxious to secure credit for a victory that had been fought
and won during his absence. But the question arises, would Admiral
Sampson have been willing to shoulder the blame if Cervera's vessels
had escaped destruction or would he have saddled Admiral Schley
with the responsibility? The reader must form his own conclusions
in this matter. On the other hand, all impartial students of history
in the twentieth century cheerfully accorded to Admiral Sampson full
credit for his gallant services on blockade duty during that war. His
responsibilities were great and pressing, and he discharged his duties
with utmost fidelity.
A pathetic story indeed is that of the [The Ever Watchful Eye.]
"Man in the Iron Mask." None can read that page of French history
without being touched by the sad fate of this mysterious prisoner of
state, who was generally supposed to be a twin brother of the King of
France. He was treated by his attendants with the utmost deference and
courtesy. His raiments were of the costliest fabrics. The governor of
the citadel in which the "Man in the Iron Mask" was imprisoned, was
obsequious in his attentions to the distinguished prisoner. His wishes
were observed with the most scrupulous care and the Great Unknown
ever ruled his guardians with the sceptre of a king. The prisoner,
however, was obliged to wear his iron mask night and day. Any attempt
on his part to remove it, meant swift and certain death.
The feature of his confinement which, perhaps, directly appeals
to the world's sympathy, was the human eye that watched his every
movement. Through a hole in the door of his apartment, (which was
sumptuously furnished,) that eye never relaxed its vigilance. Night and
day its ceaseless vigil continued until death's kindly hand relieved
the distinguished sufferer from the terror of its unceasing gaze.
And so it was with Cervera and his squadron. The Spanish admiral
became the modern "Man in the Iron Mask." A prisoner behind the
lofty hills of Santiago, [Watched by Night and Day.] the eyes of
Sampson's fleet watched the narrow opening of that harbor night and
day, nor did their vigilance relax for one second of time. By night the
piercing eye of the electric search-light closely watched the harbor
entrance. The thoughts, the hopes and prayers of our noble America
were all centered upon Sampson and his brave men. He proved himself
to be an excellent fleet commander and in the twentieth century his
services were appreciated at their just value.
The glorious victory at Santiago bay, occurring only sixty days after
Dewey's target practice in Manila bay, amazed and electrified the
world. England felt a genuine [American Plymouth Rocks.] pride in
both of these achievements and pointing to America observed: "These
American roosters are from our own setting and their name is Plymouth
Rock." When the German Emperor heard the great news from Santiago
very few men in Europe were more pleased over it. His joy, however,
was prompted by feelings of self-preservation rather than from
exultation over the American victory. Wilhelm patted himself on the
back and shook hands with himself for at least five consecutive hours
when he reflected how narrowly he had escaped getting involved in a
war with America and the fortunate escape of his German fleet from
the fate that overtook Cervera's vessels. This is the reason why the
German squadron cleared out of Manila immediately after Dewey sent
his famous request to Washington to dispatch the Oregon to Manila,
"for political reasons." The "bulldog of the American navy" reached
Manila in due season but Admiral Von Deiderichs withdrew long before
the "crack of doom" had ploughed her way into that harbor. As for
France in 1910 she had not yet recovered from her surprise, while
to Spain these disasters proved a paralytic shock of a most severe
character. From 1898 to 1930 Spain was merely walking around to stave
off funeral expenses.
With a relatively strong navy of five hundred and ten (510) war ships
to patrol her coasts in 1999, the United States of the [Large Army
not Wanted.] Americas were not under any necessity of maintaining a
large standing army. It was fully realized that an efficient sea-power
must be maintained. With that arm of defence in her possession the
maintenance of a large standing American army can never seriously be
entertained. It has always been a popular belief in America that if
a foreign army of invasion were to land upon our shores, Americans
would give it a very warm reception, so spontaneous and effusive in
its character that a majority of the invaders would never find their
way back home again. Many of them might become permanent residents in
American soil, so deeply rooted that none but Gabriel's trump could
marshal them into line again.
Germany in 1899 held the world's medal [Germany's Splendid Army.]
for the finest and best equipped army, a magnificent engine of war,
ready to move within an hour's notice, and woe to the enemy that
obstructs its path. Without any doubt in the closing period of the
nineteenth century the General staff of the German army was justly
regarded as the highest authority in military science. Such a vast and
smooth working engine for the destruction of human beings was never
before known. If the sun had been good enough to stop twelve hours in
its course to accommodate Joshua's beggarly army, that luminary would
no doubt gladly stand still a whole week on request of the chief of
staff of the German hosts.
In 1899, with a population of barely 50,000,000, Germany possessed
an army of 2,500,000. France with much less population had fully as
many men under arms. Russia with a population of over 90,000,000 had
an army on a peace footing of 3,000,000 men. The burden upon Europe
was a most crushing one. In 1899 this drain was fast sapping the life
of those nations, robbing their industries and peaceful avocations
of the flower of their youth. This armed state in the time of peace
was fully as ruinous as war itself. No wonder that the Czar of Russia
urged a congress of the nations to convene and, if possible, devise
some system to reduce these huge armaments. For this well-meaning
attempt to relieve the military burdens of Europe the Russian Czar
deserves much credit but, unfortunately, the proposition proved to
be impracticable. The international conference at the Hague in the
summer of 1899 secured no definite results.
In 1999 America did not propose to fall [No Standing Army in
1999.] into the European snare of maintaining a huge standing
army. When America in 1899 was merely a small Republic, consisting
of only forty-five states and a few odd territories, the idea of
maintaining a large standing army, on the European plan, was scouted
with derision. In 1899 Americans scoffed at Europe's military
establishments as a symbol of Barbarism. In 1999 when the great
American Republic included the entire Western Hemisphere, military
rule became more unpopular than ever. In the twentieth, as in the
nineteenth century, America remained firm in her adherence to the
Monroe Doctrine. This wise policy will always prove one of the best
safeguards of our American Republic. Europe must be kept out of the
Western Hemisphere. America will always belong to Americans only. In
the twentieth century the Monroe Doctrine lost none of its force,
and for many centuries its principles will still remain a living issue.
With a Monroe Doctrine to maintain and defend, it is not surprising to
learn that in 1999 the United States of the Americas, with a population
of 531,000,000, maintained a small army of 150,000 men. The absolute
freedom of America from military burdens in 1899 and 1999 was the
glory of the Republic and the envy of a whole world.
The object of government is to guarantee the utmost allowance of
freedom to the citizen, and blessed indeed is the nation that can
govern itself without having to maintain a huge standing army to hurl
at any moment's notice at its neighbors. Such barbarism may answer well
enough for Europe, whose governments are founded upon wrong principles,
but in great, free America, we want none of it, nor never shall.
America always will be the land of the free. Her principles of
government are founded upon justice and equity. The voice of the people
is heard in the land and it is supreme. The government of the people,
by and for the people, is the gift of God to Man and the Almighty
has made America the custodian of that priceless jewel.