The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-09
A SPANISH OPINION OF THE AMER
ICAN PEOPLE.

A famous poet once expressed the opin-
ion that if some power would enable men
and women to see themselves as others
see them it would save them from many
mistakes and foolish notions. Perhaps it
may be equally desirable and advan-
tageous for nations to see themselves as
others see them. Perhaps such an ex-
perience. by humbling national pride and
exposing national weaknesses, tends to
the promotion of national happiness. In
this view of the case readers of the Jour
wardly digest the following from a Span
ish newspaper. FL Mercantile valenci-
ano, the leading journal of the Spanish
seaport Valencia, says:
Scratch the crust Of a Yankee and you
will find a man without antecedents, with
out inheritance and without a sense of the
weight of the crimes of other days, yet also
without their virtues and glories. which are
only acquired through a prolonged and ardu-
Gus existence. He Will seek, as now, for some
blind ard brutal means to carry out his
ends. like the negro. the savage and the
criminal, who are chosen by fate to fulfill
the law OF Monroe. When would Ii have
been possible for any nation with a history.
for any European nation, degraded though
IL might be, TO take advantage of war In
OIucT 10 fIldf al iIutIlIill III a llllllOn
and a half of dollars? The dignity and chiv-
airy of every nation In old Europe would
have recoiled at this. but no one Is aston
ished at this in new America, In a race of
people without morality and without JUS
tice.
AS this applies Unfortunately to all
Americans, citizens of Indiana can APP
propriate their share Of 1t. 1t may sur
prise and humble them to learn that.
froc, q cDopfcb poipf of x;ou- <baxy ora q
people withou honorable ancestry, of
semi-savage instincts. addicted to bru-
tai methods and devoid of morality or
justice. This is bitter medicine, but per-
haps we should be thankful IL is not
more so. Perhaps. il we were disposed to
retort. we might say 1T was no more de-
grading on the part of the United States
ito take advantage of war in order to
demand an indemnity OF a million n a
half of dollars" than it vas for Spain to
take advantage of twenty years of peace
to postpone and refuse payment of a
claim the justice of which was admitted.
But 1T is more -magnanimous not t. re-
tort, and it is our duty to be humble.
But this is not the worst. In addition
to this dark picture of American man.
ners and morals. Ell Mercantile yalen-
ciano decries our military
makes fun of our new navy and virtually
threatens that If We do not behave. our
selves Spain will exterminate US. Here is
h IL says:
With regard to the possibility that the
Yankees, fond of boastino and threats as
they are, will make war on Spain on ac-
count of the blockade. or of the breaking of
of commercial or even diplomatic relations,
We need not worry ourselves. The North
American republic Is absolutely powerless
for carrying out an offensive war with a
naticn even moderately military, as ours is.
Let US defend ourselves in Cuba, by sink
Ing the American vessels that carry contra
band OF war. ana by showing the world
that we know how TO make effective a
blockade az extensive as that of Cuba, and
let US laugh at the United States and at the
oelligerency OF the insurgents.
That Is the kind Of an inferior, "no-ac-
count power we are as viewed through
Spanish spectacles. We are so ,absolutely
powerless to prosecute an offensive war
or to avenge an insult to the American
fax that Spain need not be efraid TO sink
our ships wherever she finds them. and II