“But when America spoke there was no one in the land who was not an American; the laborer dropped his hammer; the farmer turned from his plow; the merchant forgot his counting-room; the millionaire closed the door of his mansion; and side by side, equal in love of country; their resolve to serve her, they marched to danger and to death.  America can never doubt the united loyalty of her whole population, nor the power which such united loyalty puts into her hand.

“And what may I not say in eulogy of the sentiment of humanity, that in union with their patriotism swayed the hearts of the American people, and in their vision invested the war with the halo of highest and most sacred duty to fellow-men?  I speak of the great multitude, whom we name the American people.  They had been told of dire suffering by neighboring people—­struggling for peace and liberty; they believed that only through war could they acquit themselves of the sacred duty of rescuing that people from their sufferings.  I state a broad, undeniable fact.  The dominating, impelling motive of the war in the depths of the national heart of America was the sentiment of humanity.  The people of America offered their lives through no sordid ambition of pecuniary gain, of conquest of territory, of national aggrandizement.  Theirs was the high-born ambition to succor fellowmen.

“What strength and power America was found to possess.  When war was declared, so small was her army, so small her navy that the thought of war coming upon the country affrighted for the moment her own citizens and excited the derisive smiles of foreigners.  Of her latent resources no doubt was possible; but how much time was needed to utilize them, and, meanwhile, how much humiliation was possible.  The President waved his wand; instantly armies and navies were created as by magic.  Within a few weeks a quarter of a million of men were formed into regiments and army corps; vessels of war and transport ships were covering the seas; upon water and land battles were fought and great victories won, from one side of the globe to the other.  I know not of similar feats in history.  What if in this bewildering rush of a nation to arms one department or another of the national administration was unable to put in a moment its hand upon all the details which a thoroughly rounded equipment required?  The wonder is that the things that were done could at all have been done, and that what was done so quickly could have been done so well.  The wonder is that this sudden creation of such vast military forces was possible, even in America.

“What prowess in action, what intellect in planning, what skill in execution, were displayed by soldiers and seamen, by men and officers.  Magnificent the sweep of Dewey’s squadron in Manila harbor.  Magnificent the broadsides from Sampson’s fleet upon Cervera’s fleeing ships.  Magnificent the charge of regiments of regular infantry, and of Roosevelt’s riders up the hills of El Caney.