Evening journal., 1896-12-24
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
sorEIcU THE WAR IDIOT.

To the Editor Of the Evening Journal.
Sir: In discussing, orally OF on paper,
the current Spansh-Cuban affair,
only a calm and incisive line of rea-
soning should be brought TO bear upon
the subject H. when discussing this
or any other matter, the principles of
logic are lacking or are ruthlessly cast
to the winds. then the minds OF the de-
baters are only capable Of projecting SO
much unmitigated rot. That man Is a
fool, motley fool, who would, az any /
crisis. utter that which is inhamma-
tory or which panders 10 the belliger-
ent element-an element TO be found /
more or less In every country, ana |
which is mainly composed of individ- /
uals whose pugilistlc proclivities in
duce them to ever throw up their hats |
and shout anything for a fight. But
when any real lighting is TO be done, /
these fellows are generally found with
their hearts in their boots -hugging the
rear
The only argument advanced as yet, /
In favor OF the disintegration OF Cuba
is that Cuba wishes TO be free Such /
an argument is tantamount 20 no argu-
ment az all Grounds more relative
and arguments more logical and pOten /
tial must be advanced before Spain |
would be justified IN relaxing her hold /
upon Cuba or placidly surrendering a /
possession TO which she has every legal
and valid claim. A fractious child
might wish to rebel against what
seems to the child the arbitrary rule
Of It's parent. but were we TO endorse
any such exhibition of righteousness.
then we should be guilty of indulging
In a glaring and dangerous sophism.
Lot. ll
Spanish-Cuhan quarrel Is the wisest
and most polite course for this or any
other hitherto distinctly neutral power
to pursue The mistaken zeal of a GER
tain class of active Cuban sympathiz-
ers IN this country that zeal having
fOOlishly led It's members to aid the in
surgents. may yet prove costly TO the
United States government For let 1t
be said Spain Is. at this moment. in
possession of the exact number of iiii-
clustering expeditions which have left
the United states. having for their des-
tination the Island OF Cuba. That being
the case, could we dcmur were iinan-
cial indemnincation demanded of the
United States by Spain?
IL needs no ghost come from the
grave to prophesy neither is IL neces-
sary for any ono 90 indulge IN crcum-
locutory words, IN order TO foretell
what the end VIII be OF this Cuban in
surrection Spain with her superior
army and her MOTTO -bc-dcspised naval
force TO say nothing OF possible Eu-
ropean aid-will, unless reason speed
ily rcasserts Itself in the Cuban mind.
sweep these scattering and guerrilla
like rebels like char before the wind.
when that is accomplished hut not
until fh4m ufful
large and comprehensive scheme of
amelioration. will be granted by Spain
to Cuba. and the advent of a brighter
and more rCsc2tc dawn for Cuba will
be hailed with delight by all those in
whose breasts there reposes the grand
and cardinal spirit OF liberality. Twelve
months ago rioting was the order of
the day in Philadelphia. Law and
order were first enforced before terms
we're negotiated between employer and
employe. To-day. Spain must enforce
either by moral suasion or the force
of arms-law and order in her legal
Cuban possession That she will. sooner
or later, do SO, Is an assured tact
What this country wants is not war,
hut the rehabiliment of It's various in
dustries. The hum OF the loom and
the whir of the spindle discourse more
excellent music than can be extracted
from the metallic ring of the hoof Of
the war-horse or from the shrill blast
of the bugle-call 20 arms. The people
of this country do not desire war, not
withstandng the formation of ques-
tionable, windy and verbose senatorial
resolutions The good and sensible
people of this country-and. thank
God their name is legion--do not de-
sire war, with its attendant eNpendi-
ture of life and it's useless piling up
OF the national debt OF this country.
II is only the war-idiot VINO desires all
this. lt is related of the Duke of Wei
lington that when night had fallen
upon the battlefield OF Waterloo. and
when sleep had gently touched the
weary eyellds of his guards, he stole
quietly forth to view the results OF
that bloody and sanguinary conflict.
Winding his way through the dead and
dying, the Iron Duke" witnessed such
awful and CHASTITY scenes that he vowed
he would never again draw his sword
in behalf Of his or any other sover-
eign Wellington Kept his word. Anj
when your great countryman, General
Grant man whose experience OF wal
was an actuality and not an experience
on paper. wearily exclaimed, Let us
hdNt ptdNt- Ht NOT Only NOlNtu a HtH-
timent which belts the world but he
gave utterance 10 a phrase. the mean
ing OF which is az this moment. ac.
tuating the motives and calmer rca-
sons of his eXcellency the president OF
the United States. and all those tC
whom is entrusted for the time being
the safe-keeping of what should b'
the understandable peace of this cOun.
try
Let the war-idiot be sQuelched
ERNEST lSITT.
Philadelphia, Dec % 1896