THE STRONGER POWER once in a while such an expression to 1 heard as that cihat it is shameful that so powerful a nation agthe as the united states should be pitted on common terms against a third class bankrupt and crippled country like spain and be so slow about making the latter feel the superiority those who honestly entertain such thoughts must have given the subject quite superficial if any Y consideration for the conclusion reached having reference as it does to visible power is wholly illogical and im improper P roper when the case is thoro thoroughly ugly analyzed it will be shown that so far from this country being the stronger r military power of the two spain was at the outbreak of hostilities in all essential respects decidedly superior it is not only numbers re sources and capacity that count even as physical factors experience readiness position and acclimatization have to be taken into the account and in all these respects the spaniards were a long way in the lead fead the spanish navy lt the beginning i ot of hostilities was dedual if not superior to ours so far as the number and of ships were concerned spain had the added advantages of a greater army numerically considered in cuba alone than we have yet been able to raise and all of these were acclimated toughened trained and able to I 1 do effective work under such circum stances as would be much more trying to americans than to them because our men are more familiar with the comforts and luxuries of life spain had and has a greater army in point ot numbers in the philippines than we perhaps will ever have there the same maxae conditions as in the foregoing case prevailing vai ling and but for the impulsive determined ter mined work of dewey which struck the spanish fleet in manila bay like a thunderbolt and electrified the whole civilized world the enemy would have been today a formidable quantity to in that part of the globe it was indeed a question as to what the commodore would do with his victory after he had won it he had drawn a prize which was beyond his physical capacity to hold and to which he haa so far added nothing awaiting assistance it is quite easy to see that in the matter of visible forces at the outbreak of hostilities spain had a long lead in the ordinary course of things the war should have gone all her way for a while but it has not gone her way at any time or at any point because her superiority as superiority Is gauged in advance by the authorities was utterly unavailing the ships the men the equipments everything but one thine was in favor of the descendants of ferdinand and isabella 4 that one thing occupies the same ame relative position to a militant power that the unseen something in man that leaves him lifeless when it departs occupies to the man he may have muscles of brass a heart of flint and eyes emitting a glowing fire but when these are palsied sied through the departure of 0 the soul the verlest child to is more powerful i it is not then the numerical showing the undoubted courage the obvious capability the matchless endurance the dogged pertinacity nor the want of a certain quality ty of patriotic purpose it is the want of a high and holy cam cause and a lofty intelligent fealty thereto that makes the spaniard fight at adis a disadvantage and makes Ms his performance of duty spirit spiritless lest therefore there foce auto automatic and ineffective look at aft the difference the amert oan can occupies a land u by hereditary sway and tree free from that dominion which rules by might alone a land in which there are no daled privileged by reason of theli their titles tb KB plunder pillage and devour he fie te Is not only permitted to have an aa edt education catton but with comparatively few a exceptions is compelled to have one cone so ao that he haa bw an intelligent comprehension of me privileges his duties and his opportune ites he wears no yoke and kneels at q t any shrine hp he chooses or none at au an it if 1 he so 90 desires he Is bo born M with an instinctive love of country and vener bayn for its institutions that grow his growth and strengthen with lift hla strength when a call Is ia made for men and means to prosecute a war in his hia count rys honor or welfare areis is involved more of either then than was asked for is ready in the twinkling afan of an eya and millions of one and of abe other are in reserve to be drawn upon when wanted if those who go to tto the front should never return they have the sustaining knowledge with them to the close that they will tenderly beJ bei gaea for their names enrolled upon the scroll of heroes who died for principles soke sake and their memories enshrined forever toi wet in the tny heiartz of a grateful people ahe spaniard is ignorant he has lived a life of oppression of steadfast bubla gation gi atlon and enforced poverty brings vath tt it enforced 1 to th the wishes of his masters he sows bows that others may reap ireae digs wealth from the earth to enrich a horde of feudal despots of petty tyrants if he goes to wax war he does it with the consciousness that if victorious it means neither honor station nor emoluments in any proportionate degree for him while if he perishes he Is buried where he falls and that is all Is that the material to make warriors of even if all the native ability were in posses possession silon history current history has abundantly answered the question in this sense only those who ore are quoted at the beginning of this article are right the americans have ever been and ever must be the stronger power so long as thedr cause is just and if it is not just now where shall welock we look for one that is or has been just