Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-21
They Kin the Rribe Bearer.

''Ez fer war. call it murder,
There you have it plain and fiat:''
And when Lowell put these words in
Hosea Bigelow's mouth he probably
was not thinking of war according to
the uncivilized methods of Spain.
Moreover we all know what General
Sherman thought of war at it's best.
Really when all things are consider ed
what occasion for surprise is there
over the report that the bearer to the
insurgent camp of proposals for
autonomy was literally hacked to
pieces?
According to the rules of war spies
are killed. This man was more feared
than spy. Those to whose hearts
the insurgent cause is very dear fear
the bride more than any armed foe
Spain can send against them, and I'M
doubleday this man came prepared to
offer other inducements along with
autonomy.
The ragged insIirgent is not so cor
rupt as the Spanish high official but he
has not in the past always been proof
against Spanish gold. Hence, presunl-
ably, it was decreed that anyone bear
ing such proposals to the insurgent
camp should be put to death.
1t was a fair warning, which the
Spanish didn't choose to heed. Now
if the threat has been carried out shall
we say the insurgent is barbarian?
We need waste no sympathy over
this incident. The man who met this
fate took the risk voluntarily, he ac-
cepted the chances of war; and being Il
errand Of note much will be said of his
fate. AS a matter of fact the cruelties
and barbarities of warfare. especially
Spanish warfare. are confined chiefly
to the poor fellows, their wives and
children and we learn little of their
fate Only the other day according 10
later advices the Spanish came upon
an insurgent hospital and murdered all
the inmates including the women act
ing as nurses.
No. we have no sympathy to waste
on those who try to undermine the in
surgent cause by corruption and
treachery. The insurgents. if they
are sincere in their determination TO
have independence or death GOULD
really do no less, than from his report We
understand they. have done If they
this Colonel Ruiz Spanish emissarie
would swarm among them.
1t may be said that civilized peoples
do not find it necessary to kill those
who come to sue for settlement Prob
ably there was not enough British gold
to have bought off Marion's men wha
harassed the 'redcoats" throughout
the Carolinas. Much as we admire tbs
patriotism of the Cuban insurgents il
would be a marvel if they were The
equal of the American colonist in abil-
ity to resist a bride. The insurgen t.
have Spanish blood in their veins
Spanish examples, and, to a certain
extent, Spanish ideals before them
And Spain for generations has beer
crumbling because honeycombed bJ
corruption.
And here word relative to thi:
feature of Spanish character seem;
pertinent. Spain is going down t.
death because she is lacking in the in
corruptible ideal. Her great men hav'
been thieves, or have winked :?
dishonesty. Her colonial governor
have been robbers. Tammanyism i
nothing new only in respect to some
methods of application. 1t has existed
in Spanish official life for centuries
1t is the national blight. as it is il
China. The Crokers Of Spain have TO
generations DEMONSTRATING the life bloo'
Oh tneW nationality. IL - Iilole VI
marvel that the ragged followers o
Gomez and Garcia have been able l
Withstand the temptations which SpaiI
has undoubtedly thrown in their way
than it is that they have withstood tn
greatest army and generals Spain ha
been able to send against them.
will be still more of marvel, If wit
the excuse the autonomy offer afford
they shall remain incorruptible.
Judging from the numbers and en-
thusiasm last evening the Stat
Grange meetings this week are to b
red letter events. Just the taste al
fOrded last night makes all outsider