The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-02-26

grievances, Of the destruction OF property
In the hands of Americans, and of the dis
turbauce of trade. for pulpit that can't
lift itself into something higher than money
| cons derati0ns, when talking to the question
OF freedom for some million and six hun
dred thousand people, has certainly lost its
~,ngs. But in passing, let it be simply
noted that everything in the line OF future
advantage in trade is on the side of the
freedom of the Cubans. l shall say moth
ing about the brutality with which many
of the citizens of this country have been
treated by Weyler, for that is not so great
count in the situation; and | suppose, after
having to submit to the indignities and in
suits of American citizens, put upon them
by the Sultan of Turkey, we have all gotten
more or less hardened to that sort of thing,
and by and by it won't mean much to be an
American citizen if every bully or tyrant
can give you kick ad libitum, and destroy
your property without ever making 80
much as an apology for 1t. l shall not say
anything about the possibility OF a war with
Spain in the event the United States ac-
knOwledges the belligerency, or even the
silly question as to whether Spain could de-
feat us In a passage at arms. After a
couple rather heavy tusses with John Bull,
really superior power in Europe, and
| ain,t fha ri1 fda ;a
side) both times, suppose we need not be
worried so much about the outcome with
Spain. l shall not say much about the
good results that would come if the United
Spain to grant freedom to Cuba. But this
much is apparent If the war could be
stopped now, it would save thousands of
lives; it would prevent the utter destruction
Of the means of production in Cuba, and
spare the people the worse decentralization,
which long continued war and enforced
idleness always breeds. And If the inter
ference of the United States transferred the
sideratons go, it would not be much worse;
there is war now, in its cruelest, most bar
barous form, and which as Richard Hard
ing Davis says, would have disgraced the
middle ages. Perhaps 1t might be a
good thing for us to have little war, If for
no other reason than to give chance to train
some of our seamen so that they may know
how to maneuver these heavy iron
| olad1 vuhioh haua haan huildtnu Of tho
expense of millions of dollars, and with
which they try TO clear out all the rocks
along the coast, because of their awkward
ness or lack of seamanship. No. no, none
of these things shall be heard here, tonight.
There is higher voice that should speak.
This Is Washington's birthday. We are
going to close our banks and our schools
tomorrow, out of honor to the father of this
country. But would that we do better than
that; that we even drink afresh vf his
spirit; that we catch again that glow of en-
thusiasm, which rang out from those patriot
guns of Lexington; that we feel once more
the touch of discouragement for the cause
of human liberty, which floats across the
years from the winter at Valley Forge and
then stand once again with happy hearts at
Yorktown, while Cornwallis lays down his
arms and acknowledges the inevitable free
dom for which these Americas were des-
tined of Almighty God. Yes. would that
we catch the spirit of Washington. And
then would that we look down yonder at
Cuba, and to reach which you need only
go to the end of Florida and jump across to
her shores. See her struggling against a
tyrannic power, which has exploited her for
the last dollar that can be wrung from her
wretched pockets. Look at Cuba as she
pleads with us for what we enjOy-liberty.
See Cuba, bleeding and torn, but determin-
ed and ready to die for her freedom. And
while all Cubans are not saints, by any
MEANS they know when they are trod up
on. They have proven thus far i'm their
noble struggle that they know how to stand
together. And after these years of bitter
struggle with Spain, and the longer years of
wrong endured, they can never, no never,
yield to Spain again. In the illustrated
American there is picture of noble war
rier, with sword in hand, mounted upon
his charger and galloping over the plains,
and over the whole picture the white spirit
like covering is cast, and below 1t the
words, "Maceo's soul is marching on" Yes,
the soul of Maceo, like that of John Brown,
will 90 marching on to victory. And this
great free country ought to be brave enough
IL bravery is needed, or brotherly enough,
If sympathy is called for, and display faith
enough i'm both God and man, for these are
certainly wanted, to step into the breech
and prevent the further struggle and earn
age of war.