The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-08
gh dhia ay eagle adlenesday 7orne garuary 1see.

crate army he said, and was in the war
from beginning 10 end. We lost more
| men in those four years than England
has lost IN all her continental and colon
ial wars combined. from the time of WIN
lam the conqueror TO the present hour
That discussion ended right there"
AS We arose I remarked 70 my friend
that I had not heard HIM express him
self so pugnaciously since one evening.
some three years before. when we sat al
the same table.
The judge turned 70 reply. when ne was
Interrupted by professional brother who
was waiting for HIM, and who carried him
OF for the evening.
The incident 10 which I referred took
place when the CHILEAN war cloud hung
upon the horizon. 4 little party OF a
half dozen travellers entered the hotel in
time for a late supper. think that The
judge and were the only members Of the
impromptu assembly who were acquaint-
ed; but with that bonhommie that OBJ
tains among men accustomed TO the road.
conversation spra1g up, and each one
frankly expressed himself with more or
less seriousness upon the topics OF the
day. All but one. As the Judge sat at
what I viii term the head Of the table.
the seat at his right was occupied by a
tall silent man Of dark complexion and
fun head OF black hair, worn ratheg
long, who listened sntenrly TO the rapid
fire Of remarks about him with the air
of one observing rare phenomena.
I do not remember who first spoke OF
the threatened trouble. No. l made light
of the probability of war. but asserted
with a cOmmendable belief in the limit
less resources of his country. that the
United States would rather relish Kttle
Chill sauce. as tending 70 give her a bet
ter appetite for breakfast. No. remark
ed that we were very much behind the
times in the matter of a navy, and that
IL was a chance that a little power of
three million people should have a navy
that could knock all our available ships
into smithereens, and sack San Francisco
before we should wake up to the fact that
We had a war on our hands.
No. said it was all nonsense TO take
any steps looking toward a war. and shat
the administration was acting in a su-
bEmely ridiculous manner To make
such a row and adopt such a lingo policy
which might after all bring on a serious
conflict. over a few drunken sailors, would
never have been dreamed of if 4 had not
been necessary to draw the attention of
the people from serious problems at home
At the words drunken Sailors" the
judge raised his head and looked at No
8 through his spectacles with a fixedness
of gaze that must have been trife dis
concerning, and which, I imagined, had
the effect of bringing No. SIS remarkes to
an end earlier than that gentleman had
intended.
81 have felt for many years" said the
judge, when No. 5 had concluded, that
our government has earned the just con-
tempt of all civilized nations by its la
mentable failure TO protect its citizens
in foreign countries. In Mexico, outside
of the larger cities, the only thing that
protects an American is the reputation
which he enjoys Of being handy with a
gun; while German or an Englishman
is everywhere treated with profound re-
spect because Of the knowledge that II
harm comes to him his government will
make careful inquiry into the matter
What is true of Mexico is true in great
or or less degree of all the Latin-Amer-
lean countries; and 1 am glad to see the
day when an American administration is
not SO busy preparing for the next cleo
ton but that it has time to devote to the
needs of American citizens who cannot
vote. And the term drunken sailors has
its origin, not in evidence, but in poKti-
caI animosity." And the judge who had
been looking about the table as he talked,
h
ting restless.
Thank God" continued the judge. sit
is not a partisan expression. No Re-
pubicans, and few Democrats, use IL
One OF the most gratifying facts in this
connection is the unanimity with which
the Democratic press, especially in the
south, upholds the acts, and applauds ahe
words, Of a Republican administration
This fact is worth all that a war would
cost; for it shows that the north and
the south are again one country. And
mark my words, gentlemen, / am a Re-
publican, and have always been Re
publican. and I say that If war is ever
declared, that portion of the United
States south Of Mason and Dixon's line
Will furnish as many men. and furnish
them as quickly, as the north, to fight for
the honor of the old flag"
The gentleman on the judges right had
listened with an intentness which 1 think
would have embarrassed an ordinary talk
er. Ut is perhaps needless TO say that
my friend is not an ordinary talker) And
as the judge drew near the close two
bright red spots shone through the
swarthy complexion, and two black eyes
glowed as have rarely seen eyes glow
As the judge concluded he was looking
straight into those glowing eyes. And
then the gentleman for the first time
opened his lips TO speak: You are puff
fectly right, sah"' ne said.
WALTER II. GRAVES.