The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-21

country and compel foreign nations to
protect the lives of American citizens"
mittee on military affairs, has received a
mum Der of requests for commissions 10 raise
troops "for the war with Chilli The re-
quests come mostly from men of the high
from Capt. Richard j. Fannlng. of Colum-
bus. a lawyer well known throu ghout Ohio.
who was for years clerk of the United States
Court. Captain Tanning writes for q CON-
mission with authority to enlist and equip
a mounted battery of artillery, and adds:
81 would like to serve my country again.
though / am not as sound physic-
ally as was in 1861. when
i enlisted at the age of sixteen,
but well enough, All the same, to shell h-l
and was there at the time. i am not at
the present time in the military service of
the State of Ohio. having resigned as cap
tain in the First Artillery Dec. l2 last. so
that am free to offer my services 80 the
government through YOU"
All requests of this char acter are being
pocketed by the men in Congress to await
developments. 1t is stated that the War
and Navy Departments are fairly deluged
with letters and kilograms from all parts
of the country. asking for commissions to
raise troops Ito fight Chilli" The senti-
ment of Congress has practically been
polled. 1t shows bey ond any question that
the administration could command a large
majority, both in the Senate and in the
House. for any line of policy which may be
advised. In the Senate the administration
could, of course. command q majority, for
there is a Republican margin of six votes.
In the House the administration could CON-
mand the support of all the Republican
members. This would make it necessary
for the President to secure the approval of
only sixty nine out of the 22I Democrats
in order to command majority of the
House.
,,rxtorpsTc WIZ crppnpr rur pprcypr~r
AS q matter of fact, the authorized inter
views from Democratic members show that
there are many more than sixty-nino
ready to abide by the conclusions of the
President, and support him by their votes.
These include such men as Chapman and
Cable, who are members of the House CON-
mlttee on foreign relations. Mr.. McGann,
of Chicago, occupies such q position. He
says that he looks upon General Harrison
as the President of the United states and
not the president of the Republican party.
For that reason be would regard the rec
ommendation of the chief executive ex-
pressive of the position of the whole gov
ernmenr and not of party. Mr.. Cable. OF
Illinois, Democratic membersof the foreign
relations committee, says that his course
spondence to be submitted to Congress. but
he is free to admit that If the correspond
ence disclosed state of facts correspond
ing with those generally understood to ex-
ist, he would have no hesitation In supp0rt.
ing the President In any, decisive step
which he might desire 20 take. Mr.. Cable
does not think that politics would figure in
the issue before the House. General Post.
of Illinois. another Democrat, will vote
squarely for war, If need be-, with the
President on any proposition he recon-
mends, if it be shown 10 be necessary in or
der to bring Chill to her senses. The leading
Democrats in both houses of Congress will
stand by the President In any position he
may take.
An examination of the journals Of Con-
gress in the spring and summer of 1872,
when the question of adopting declara-
tion of war with Great Britain was de bated
at great length, reveals the fact that In
that early day, when nearly everybody
had been trained to fight for principle.
there was q diversified opinion upon the
question. The vote of the two houses of
ration was very close-probably closer
than one would be adopted against Chill,
unless public sentiment changes-but the
vote of 1872 is evidence of the fact that 1t
is q very serious thing to actually declare
war Representative Caldwell. of Cincin-
natl, believes that there Is no real excuse
for war with Chill, and says that under
any circumstances both sides of the ques-
tion should be thoroughly considered.
ONE MAN WHO WANTS PEACE.
''In the first place." said Judge Caldwell
to your correspondent. II do not think that
the action of Chill would justify declara-
ton of war on the part of this country. We
must consider the fact that Chill is peo-
pied by hot-heads and men who fly into the
face of fate upon the slightest provOcation.
The Chillans are naturally fighters. They
would attack O buzz-saw, knowing they
could make no impression upon it. They
act and speak hastily, but are as ready to
apologize. Evidently they believe that the
attacks upon our sailors In the city of VAL
paralso grew out of a carousal aud should
not be seriously considered. Be that as it
may, the United States with nearly sixty
five million people, should be too high
minded and great to go to war with q little
republic like Chill simply because there
was q street fight which grew ont Of aues-
tion or back down upon our part to have 1t
understood that the difficulty does not rise
to the height of anything more than dip
lomatic negotiations. / do not see how
Americanism would be degraded by con-
Quoting this affair to conclusion
through diplomatic correspondence and
having the world know that the United
States is too powerful and progressive TO
stop and pick quarrel with little repub-
lie not half as great as any one of our
larger States. If some great nation had
studiously insulted and outraged our sail
Ors as the Chillans are represented to have
DONE we could well afford to go to war with
it, as there would be some future promise
in such an action; but We can hope for
very little from Chilli in any event. and
there can be no object in q war with that
country. A first.class, high-minded gen.
tleman, with great deal OF business upon
his mind and hands, could not afford to
strike loafer upon the streets simply be-
cause that loafer had IN ade faces at him or
threw little mud upon his clotbin z.
Every gentleman has had q tiff with men
at,some time in his life which were beneath
his notice, which he considered below his
station, and which he felt that he could
Although il was generally believed in the
House this morning that the President
would not send his Chilian message to
| Congress to-day, the tenor OF the forth
coming document was speculated upon by
the little groups of members who, around
the fire-places at the rear of seats, indulged
in conversation while aw waiting the open
| ing hour.
A Pacific coast Senator said to-day:
spanking, but the United States cannot
afford to sacrifice her dignity and play
schOOl-marm unless it Is absolutely neces-
| sary; and it Is not. Our government has
adopted such quiet. dignified tone in its
| correspondence. and has awaited the pleas
ure OF the Chilians in the conclusion OF
their hair-splittIng. equivocating judicial
inquiry with so much patience that the
little South American nation has grown
come TO realize the fact that the dignity of
this country IS not to be trlfied with, and
when the Presidents ultimatum is sent
they Will come down from their lofty perch