davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.

1t cannot be said that the President is not
acting promptly. now that Congress has de-
clared for war. He has already caused the
ports of Cuba to be blockaded, which is a
most important move Before the military
bill had been finally passed by Congress
arrangements were made to call upon the
States for troops. Before the bill which
Congress has passed reached the President
the call had been issued to the Governors,
giving them the number of men and the
organizations they are expected to furnish
for the volunteer force. If the President
had waited until Congress had passed the
military bill week of time would have
been lost. Instead of doing so, the Presi-
dent has proceeded upon the assumption
that the bill would be passed. To-day, in
every State in the Union the National
Guard will be going into camp, and in forty
eight hours 125 900 men will be collected in
the state rendezvous. 1t will take some
days to get the troops in a condition to
move to the several general rendezvous
named by the secretary OF war. In this
connection 1t should be added that the reg
ular army is being rapidly concentrated at
the rendezvous, the larger part Of the regi-
ments having reached their destinations.
So much has been done in a week. No more
could be done; and it is fair to infer from
the energy already displayed that it will
continue to be exerted hereafter. Time will
be taken to equip, drill and accmate the
troops and prepare them to endure the
hard service which follows the invasion of
Cuba. This will take time, and it will be
time well spent, since the condition of the
Spanish troops in Cuba will become more
desperate from the scarcity of food.
The movements are in the hands of SOL
diers of experience. whose past record en-
titles them to the confidence of the country.
They will press matters as rapidly as the
conditions will permit. For that reason.
let us not be impatient if the panorama Of
war does not move as swiftly as we may
wish.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

depression which followed the panic Of 1874,
seeking it in a further imitation Of an ir-
redeemable paper currency, John Sherman
devised as a compromise measure the re-
sumption act which was passed in 1875. II
was the rare fortune of the country that
Mr.. Sherman was secretary Of the treasury
during the two years previous to specie re-
sumption. During that period he was the
ideal finance minister. With the popular
branch of Congress hostile to specie pay
ments and with wavering support in the
Senate. Mr.. Sherman, with consummate
skill and dauntless courage, fought the bat
tie of sound currency to victory There are
few more interesting periods in the history
of the country than that during which, as
secretary of the treasury John Sherman
contended for specie payments. He appeared
before Senate and House committees, where
he proved to doubters that specie resurnp-
ton was not only attainable, but that spe-
Gle payments, and that alone, would bring
the country out of depression to an ere
of prosperity; The country did not share
his faith, and elections went against re-
sumption, but Mr.. Sherman held to his
policy with the courage and tenacity Of full
faith. AS the day of specie resumption
drew near. the greenback and the specie
dollar came nearer together, so that be-
fore JAM l. 1879, they were interchangeable.
The student of our political history will
search a long time before he will discover
an instance where higher and more cour-
ageous craftsmanship has been displayed.
John Sherman has been assailed and ma.
llgned as are all men in public life who
have the capacity to render the country
valuable service, but to-day, as he retires,
a broken man, to private life, all intelligent
men will accord to him the credit of being
a public servant who has always been
faithful to his trusts and true to his con-
victions.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
HISTORIC WARNINGS.

Already decided disposition has been
| manifested to make political capital out of
the war. The criticism of the President was
not dropped when the war resolutions were
passed. Some of the leaders of the opposi-
| ton have already shown determination to
pursue methods relative to the raising Of
| revenues that will embarrass the admins
| tration. Before the matter has been pre-
scented to Congress, protests have been
made against the issue of bonds bearing a
low rate of interest to the end that the gov
eminent may be embarrassed. Others
have urged the issue of irredeemable fiat
money to meet the expenditures of the war.
There are indications that schemes will be
pressed which are intended to cut the coun-
| try loose from specie payments Three Pop
ulists have already expressed themselves in
favor of such a plan. This could be ex-
pected, but it is cause for surprise that
Senator Jones has announced a similar
method to procure money to pay war ex-
penses.
1t can be frankly declared that the men
who push such schemes do so to make po-
litical capital. They expect that the people
of the United States will give their support
to the party leaders who antagonize the
administration by refusing to support meas
ures which will insure to the country the
sound currency of nearly twenty of
the most prosperous years in the Ma
TONS history. These congressman are a
greater menace to the welfare of the
country than would be much greater war
than that in which the country is involved
They are doing this to make party capt.
tai.
Thirty-seven years ago the leaders Of a
great party in the North concluded that it
would be good politics. to put themselves
and as much of their party as it was pos
sible to influence in opposition to the Lin
coin administration. In Congress it assailed
every measure. and no measure more We
hemently than the issue of redeemable
paper money. In and out of Congress the
leaders of that party assailed the draft and
criticised the management of the war; Less
than year before the close of the war,
in national convention, these leaders de-
nounced the policy of Lincoln as failure
when all clear-sighted men could see the
end. Not only was that party beaten in
every general election during the war. but
so repugnant did the course of the anti-war
leaders become to the people of the North,
that ten years passed before that party had
q majority in Congress. In the North only
that party would never have had majority
so unpopular was it's hostility to the admin
istration during the war. When the war of
1872 began, the Federalists constituted a
large party in the country. AS party they
opposed the war. Such blunder the Fed
eralists did not survive
Let these examples be warnings to the
men who seek to make political capital out
of the management of foreign war. Those
leaders should understand that the patriotic
people will reject the men who embar-
raised an administration in the management
OF foreign war.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
JOHN SHERMAN.

After nearly forty-three years of con-
tinuous pubic service, John Sherman has
retired to private life. When he entered
public life Mr.. Sherman was in his thirty
third year. May 10 he viii be seventy-fiye
years of age. He was elected to the House
of Representatives in 1854 and took his seat
December 3, 1885, He went TO the front at
once, and has remained in the front rank.
He must be included among the half
dozen men who have been most useful TO
the country in the positions which they
have occupied. without being a brilliant
man in the popular acceptance of the term,
he possessed in very high degrees the
Qualities which are essential to statesman
ship Finance has been the field in which
Mr. Sherman has been most conspicuous.
In that field he has had no superior in
public life. If Alexander Hamilton was
the greatest secretary of the treasury John
Sherman easily holds the second place in
a list which includes the names of some
of the greatest men who have served the
Republic. In the Senate, during the war;
he was one of the few men who We're
called upon to shape the financial measures
OF that period. When Congress was biindly
beating about to discover a remedy for the
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

The readiness of some people to be hum
plugged and their reluctance to think was
never more clearly demonstrated than in
the credence popularity given to the grape
vine rumors regarding the capture of the
Paris. All the time the rumors of her cap
ture and the alternate denials of the same
were being banded back and forth, the ves-
sci was, in all probability, in midocean,
with no means whatever of communication
with the land on either side the water. A
moments thought would have brought to
the most obtuse mind the fact that the
ocean is not dotted with telegraph Offices
and telephone toll stations, and the ex-
element would have died natural death.
One of the most discouraging duties of the
newspaper is TO fight fallacies that should
never have had any place in the popular
mind.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
LESS THAN TWO MINUTES.
Little Time Wasted by the House in
Declaring War Against Spain.

WASHINGTON, April 25-The House of
Representatives to-day passed the bill de-
claring the existence of a state of war be-
tween the United States and the kingdom
Of Spain in a manner which cannot fail to
impress the world. The representatives of
10000 600 people voted for it without word
of debate, without a dissenting vote and
without roll call, but with a solemn ap-
probation of the gravity of their momen-
tous action. 1t required but one minute and
forty-one seconds to accomplish this. The
House was considering an election case and
simply paused to declare war. There was
no excitement no cavil. no word or ques-
ton. 1t was only in the great cheer that
went up from floor and galleries. when
Speaker Reed announced it's passage. that
the tremendous import of the act and the
suppressed enthusiasm behind it was
shown. After the Presidents message was
read the committee on foreign affairs
framed the resolution, acting Chairman
Adams wrote the report and it was passed
and on it's way to the Senate in an, hour and
six minutes. The Speaker signed IL at 4:49.
The remainder of the day was devoted TO
The election case of Wise VS. Young, from
the Second Virginia district The House de-
clined 20 agree to the Senate amendments
to the army reorganization bill and II was
sent to conference.
The galleries. of the House were thronged
this morning In anticipation of the Presi-
dents message asking CONGRESS to make Il
formal declaration OF war 1t was read Inn
mediately after prayer and was listened to
Win pro1ound attention. There was no DEM
onstration at the conclusion OF the reading
and no demand for the reading OF the dipio-
matte correspondence that accompanied the
messaBe. ne speaker simply ordered II re-
ferred under the rules 10 the committee
on lorel@h aHalts and Printed for the IN
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
OPEN SESSION OF SENATE.
Army Reorganization and Naval APP
proprintiOn Bills Passed.


WASHINGTON, April 25.-War and war
measures were the only topics discussed by
the Senate to-day during more than four
hours of its session. The body had scarcely
convened when the message of the Presi-
dent urging Congress to declare the exist
ence Of war between the United States and
Spain was laid before 1t. Without comment
the message was referred to the foreign
relations committee.
Mr.. Allen introduced the following joint
resolution, which he asked to have referred
to the committee on foreign relations;
THAT a state of war now exists and has
since the 18th day Of February, 1898, existed
between the United States of America and
the kingdom of Spain"
Consideration Of the naval appropriation
bill was then resumed, the pending question
being on the amendment offered by Mr..
Butler to regulate the price of armor. The
amendment provides that, for the armor for
the three battle ships now In course OF
construction the government shall not pay
TO exceed $500 a ton, including the nickel;
and that subsequent contracts for arnor
shall not call for a greater price than $500
per ton. In case the price cannot be OBJ
tanned the secretary of the navy is author
lied at once to purchase or establish a gov
eminent aTIIlOI 1dClOty luA WthSh PAt'S~sSSS
is appropriated and in addition. 100000 IL
appropriated for the manufacture OF tho
arnor Mr. Butler strongly advocated the
adoption of the amendment and charged
tina. the ships of this country were covered
with defective armor.
MIR. Hawley challenged this statement. I
emphatically deny" said he. that there IL
any such amount of defective arnor on our
war ships as the senator from North caro-
lima declares there is. And even II the
statement were true I leave 70 the country
10 judge of the propriety OF nauntlnS tne
defects before Spain"
while l am IN entire agreement win the
senator from Connecticut, interJecteG Ar.
Chandler, II am satisfied that the senator
(Mr Butler) Is mistaken. Investigation mas
shown that the ballistic tests OF the arInor
We're satisfactory.
Mr.. Chandler appealed to Mr.. Hale, chair
man OF the naval affairs committee, and the
latter said: THE armor upon ouI ships Is
the best In the world. No Furopeat govern
ment has armor on its ships so good as
ours
TREAsONABLE DISCLOSURES.
Mr.. Butler was proceeding TO read some
testimony taken before q committee OF the
House OF Representatives relating to de-
fective plates on various United States war
vessels and 10 make sharp comment on It.
when Mr.. Hawiey said sharply: y must
protest against this. / believe the senator
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

The music lovers of the State and city
should not permit their interest in exciting
current events to so absorb their attention
as to cause forgetfulness of the May music
festival, which takes place here next week
Every effort has been made to offer an en-
tertainment equal, If not superior, to any
that has been given before, and it is the
opinion Of well-qualified judges that not
withstanding the merit of former concerts
a programme of such uniform excellence
has never before been presented. Special
attractions are not crowded into one or two
performances, as has sometimes been the
case. but are divided among all, making
q choice difficult where each offers so much
The festival is an institution that deserves
well Of the community. 1t not only supplies
an entertainment OF a high order, but by
its success adds a distinction to the town
that should not be allowed to pass. In
dianapolis is, in fact, a music center as the
number of clubs and musical organizations
of various kinds and its many fine singers
and players prove, and it's position should
be demonstrated by rallying of the forces
at this annual jubilee.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

formation Of the House. The House then
proceeded with consideration Of District Of
Columbia matters.
I No Interest was manifested in the proceed
ings until shortly after / O'Clock. Acting
Chairman Adams entered the hall and the
news that the committee had unanimously
agreed on a bill declaring the existence or
a state of war was known all over the
House Mr.. Adams held hurried consulta-
tons with the speaker and Messrs- Dins-
more and Berry, Of the minority of the
committee. AT 1:20 p. m. lie asked unani-
nous consent for consideration of the bill
declaring the existence of state Of war
between this country and the Kingdom OF
Spain. The bill was read
Mr.. Mcguire Dem. CALI arose to ask q
question, but RETAINED. The question was
put on the third reading and Passage OF the
bill and in magnificent chorus the whole
House responded Aye" The announce
ment of It's passage was greeted with a
round of APPLAUSE and a cheer or two from
the floor and galleries and then the House
resumed consideration of the election case.
pressive action can be. recorded in the legis-
latve annals OF any scountry. The House
of Representatives had simply paused In
the consideration OF Its routine business 10
pass declaration OF war.
Mr.. Mcguire explained subsequently that
his purpose ius rising to ask whether the
isted since April II was attended to iesaiize
the seizure Of the Buena Ventura. Il con-
slider that act and the ether seizures up to
this time" said he, elnphaticaily, nothing
more than piracy"
The Wise-Young election contest from
Virginia was next taken up. Mr.. Messicl<
made the opening argument in the cleo
ton case in favor OF the claim OF the con-
testant. Mr.. Wise, Messrs. Burke Dem..
Tex. Yost CRep,, Va.) and De Almond
(Dem., MOI spoke on the election case.
Just prior TO adjournment Speaker Reed
signed the bill declaring the existence of
state of war. tt
When the army reorganization bill. with
Senate amendments. came back to the
House, on motion of Mr.. Hull the amend
ments were nonconcurred in and the bill
was sent to conference. Messrs Hull. Cox
(Dem.. Tepn.) and Marsh (Rep., Ill.) were
appointed conferees At 5:10 D. m. the
House adjourned
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

1t is not worth while to be deluded by such
fakes as the announcement of the immed-
ate bombardment of MORO Castle or Ha-
vana, since frugal expenditure OF con-
sideration will enable one to see that the
thing is preposterous. The war ships are
not there to shell Havana, but to cut it off
from communication with the outside world.
II the United States had a large army to
land in the vicinity it would be important to
keep the troops in the forts occupied while
a landing at some distant point should be
effected. Without such troops to land the
bombardment would not be worth the risk
which it would involve to the ships If it
should endanger the lives of women and
children in Havana it would be inexcusable
as well as useless. 1t is not the destruc-
ton of MORO Castle or Havana that will
be Of advantage but military operations
which will compel the Spanish troops to
surrender. This can be done by driving
them into the neighborhood of Havana and
keeping them there uLil starvation forces
capitulation. Under present conditions the
Smelling of Havana would not be war.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

icable human fondness for scrap is a
leading motive The peace-lovers make the
mistake of assuming that human nature is
permanently changed by long reign Of
tranquility. When Job remarked that man
was born into trouble as sparks to fly up
ward he no doubt had in mind his propen-
sity to fight Though he is, perhaps, more
civilized now than in Jobs day, he is none
the less fighter. Nor should he be blamed
for disposition which was bestowed upon
him by providence, and whose various mani
festations have-perhaps in5il ectly-made
the world to blossom and peace and pros
perity to reign
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
ROOSEVELT ALSO RESIGNS.
Teddy the Terror VIII Lead Cowboys
against the Spaniards.

against the Spaniards.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-It has been I'M
derstood for some time past that Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt, of the Navy Depart
ment, world soon retire in order to enter the
military service In the Cuban campaign.
This story can now be confirmed positively
although the time set for Mr. Roosevelt S
departure from the department is not def
niteIy fixed. The President to-day named
MIR. Roosevelt as lieutenant colonel OF one
of the regiments of mounted riflemen to be
raised in the Rocky mountains under Col
Wood, whom Mr.. Roosevelt has urged for
the place. Colonel Wood is now DR.. Wood
of the army He won a medal or honor Tor
distinguished gallantry while commanding
a detachment of regular troops during the
exceedingly hard Apache campaigns against
Geronimo. Secretary Alger selected Colonel
Wood and Mr.. Roosevelt for these positions
because he felt that their training and ex-
per1ence in the past peculiarly lifted them
to do good service with a cowboy regiment.
Colonel Wood starts west tomorrow TO SUI
perintend the recruiting, many oIrers nav
ing already come to Mr.. Roosevelt from IN
dividuals and organizations among the cow
boys Secretary Long wishes Mr.. Roosevelt
to remain In his present position as long
as possible, so It may be two or three weeks
before he will Join his command.
The President and both secretaries have
regretted TO see Mr.. Roosevelt leave his
present position. but thy feel that in regi-
ment of thus character he can do good
service in the field and should be allowed
to go, though II possible they wish him to
remain here until the regiment is organized
ard ready to take part in the invasion of
Cuba. Before that, however, he may have
TO leave for short periods to superintend the
enlistments.
So lar the talk OF a successor to Mr..
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
Judge Day ut Canton.

CANTON, o., April 25.-Judge William r.
Day, accompanied by his son Luther,
reached Canton this morning. AS he stepped
from the train a reporter informed him OF
the resignation of Secretary Sherman. When
asked If he would accept the vacancy, he
replied simply: II will take the matter UNI
der consideration"
While Judge Day declined to talk for pub
LEGATION, It is believed it can be announced
as a fact that under existing circum-
stances, Judge Day will accept the secre-
taryship IL the President dominates him and
known here that Judge Day made a great
business sacrifice when he accepted the
place of assistant secretary of state. He
has not felt that he could afford to take a
Cabinet portfolio. but under present cir
cumstances, however, it is not believed that
he feels he ought to decline.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

Roosevelt as assistant secretary has been
mere speculation, and it can be stated pos
itvely that up to this time the President
has not made choice as his successor. It
may be noted, in view of recent mention
of the name of Admiral Walker IN that con-
nection, that, as 1t stands, the law requires
the office of assistant secretary to be flied
by civilian. so that if the admiral desires
TO accept that office he would be under the
unpleasant necessity of resigning from the
navy and lose his place as a retired officer,
which he is not likely to do.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

The rumor was afioat last evening that
the New York. the flagship of Captain
Sampson had been sunk near Havana. Dur
ing the evening citizens came down town
TO learn about it. The report had It's origin
IN a bulletin. which stated that such ru-
NOR was in circulation in New York, prob
ably for the purpose of affecting the stock
market. 1t was an absurd canard. The New
York could not be struck by a torpedo ftom
boat or from the shore, as there are no
torpedo boats of any consequence in Ha-
vana, and no gun can send a torpedo five
miles. Such rumors need no refutation.
and people should not permit themselves to
be disturbed by them.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

Before the good people who believed chat
the United States would never engage in
another war have had time TO set over their
painful surprise at the sudden beginning
Of hostilities they have been shocked again
by the beliicose spirit so generally displayed
by citizens Of all ages and conditions. SO
sired number Of volunteers, the government
VIII experience difficulty in choosing its
troops from the far greater number that
offer their services. There is the suspicion
attendant upon the offer. too. that It is NOT
alone patriotism that inspires the would-be
soldiers. but that the inherent and inerad-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

The blockade of the Cuban ports so that
no supplies or reinforcements can reach the
island is very important part of the war
against Spain. The impatient should re-
member this fact.