The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18
ANSWER TO JUDGE KITTRELL'S
REPLY.

ciSm until il appeared III Inc Statesman
Yesterday. 1t seems that Judge Kit
trclrs disregard for international law
land treaties that we attributed 10 the
feryor of his oratOry is a settled and
fixed principle Of that eminent jurist.
While Judge Kittrell asserts that he un-
derstands the principles of international
law referred TO by Us and says "assum-
ling this to be correct" he regards the
rule as applicable TO Cuba as 'soulless
and brutal and he declares these laws
were promulgated ''in an age when ex-
listing conditions were wholly different
from those now prevailing" as 'the spirit
of human progress has learned TO keep
step to the music Of enlightenment and
liberty" Does the learned judge pre-
tend TO say that George Washington
had not learned to keep step with that
enlightenment and liberty 100 years ago?
And is il only recently that such an idea
has superseded international law and the
courtesy of nations, one to another! The
misty maxim fetid with the odor of bar
barrie ages" animated our forefathers to
warn us Of entangling alliances.
But that is not all. Judge Kittrell
is permitting his Cuban sympathy TO
override all law, even the laws that bind
us in social cOnfederacy that obligates
us 10 maintain national authority. He
says "FrOm these soulless and servile
minions Of the money power" (meaning
| .I.,, a H. e
tional administration and its foreign pol
icy) Il appeal to the unpurchasable mil
lions Of the friends of freedom in Amer
ica' If this appeal had been made dur
ing presidential canvass it would have
| been relieved of its socialistic and revo-
| lutiOnary features. Judge Kittrell more
significantly says "and they who mock
at the popular will and wish will learn,
as did Louis XIV, that the people are
like the air--they are never heard until
they speak in thunder. The people will
speak, ere long" How? Like the
French people spoke to Louis XIV?
We fear Judge kittrcll has thrown
away his legal acumen to some extent in
his enthusiastic devotion to the Cuban
cause. We know of no way by which
| the voice of the people of this country
can be potential in the next four years
except by revolution, which Judge Kit
| trelTs language warrants us TO think he
advocates. He says ut may be the
| language of jingo." II is worse than
! that; it is the language of a revolutionist
and surprises us more and more as we
read it, Judge Kittrell certainly does
not mean what he says, for his whole
life has illustrated his devotion TO law
and the maintenance of constituted au
| thority. Had Judge Kittrel been
mere political jingo we would not have
| noticed that part of his speech in a crit
zeal spirit, but he is a man of the kind
| to whom the whole of Texas looks to
formulate public opinion and restrain
public excuses. We will not notice that
part of his reply which might infcrential-
ly class us as 'thc jabbercock," whatever
that may be, that believes that the
| wishes of the sugar trust, the interest
of trade and the demands of the stock
exchange should be consulted and the
| United States should withhold her hand,
| though her flag be insulted and women
and children be butchcred to make
Spanish holiday" for we believe that
the man who insults the flag should be
shot down on the spot, and we condemn
and abhor Spanish cruclties.
There is another thing, however, that
we will call attention to, notable by its
absence in Judge Kittrclfs reply. Al
though the judge advocates throwing all
law to the winds, he does not say one
word about our treaty with Spain. Is
that so antiQuated that its terms are
"fctid with barbarism," or are we still
bound by treaties as long as they exist?
We repeat that if Judge Kittrcll had
been an ordinary windjammer we would
not have thought it necessary to animad-
vert upon his utterances, but he is
worthy leader of public opinion. Here
tufOre he has always been con-
sentative and the people of Texas
are wont to look to him for ad
vice, for leadership on all great
questions, and it becomes the duty of
conservative and law and treaty-sustain-
ing journals to demonstrate when such
man as he exploits such revolutionary
opinions. He refers to the applause that
his expressions elected on the occasion of
their dcliverance. He may have mstak
on the applause quite as much IA he
has mistaken his attitude. When he got
on that subject our neighbor whispered
to us, Now he is giving Cleveland hell,
and applauded vigorously and vocifcr-
! ously.
We believe Judge Kittrell has gone too
far in this natter and in the spirit of
courtesy that his high character demands
we have said So. not with any idea of
weakening or impairing sympathy for
Cuba, but to impress the Importance of Il
strict obedience to law as it exists, and
not rs this one or that one thinks it ought
to exist. If international law is so anti
Quated that it should he obsolete, let il
be corrected. If our treaty with Spain
encourages barbaric usages, let us. for
heavens sake, give notice to Spain and
abiogate it; but in the meantime let us