The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-23


now and then that in a crisis like the
present, sectional differences should be
buried too deep TO dig up. Most people,
il is pleasant to state understand this,
but there are a few who do not. There
is one South Carolina paper which is re-
ceiving indignant protests from the
press and people of nearly the whole
State on this account. There are one
or two other Southern papers in the
same unpopular position. They affect
to see in the statement of Gen Wheeler
that troops from the Gulf States would
be better fitted than any others for the
climatic conditions of Cuba an lnilma-
ton that the South is expected to do all
the fighting in this war. They seem To
want their readers to think that there
is a deep-laid plot in the North to COM
pei Southern men to go up in the front
rank and be killed, while opuient
Northerners reap the benefits OF the
war. and that expressions of friendship
for the South on the part of many
MOI thern people at this time are all ny
pocrisy But when they go so far as 10
accuse a man so honest and so devoted
to the interests Of his own State and his
own people as Gen. Wheeler OF being
mixed up in any such performance, they
make themselves a ludicrous spectacle
in the eyes Of gods and men.
1t is undoubtedly true that there is
more friendly feeling in the North to-
ward the Southern States at this mo-
ment than there has ever been before.
This is partly the natural result of
time and partly called forth by the pa
triotism and purity OF purpose which
the South has displayed in this national
crisis. The heroism OF Fitzhugh Lee is
a thing which might naturally be eX-
pected to call forth admiration from
any decent American, and if any South
ern paper thinks that the admiration
expressed for him throughout the
North must be an imitation. ii either
undertakes Lee or greatly misjudges the
majority OF the people of the North.
There is such thing as being too sus-
picious 10 be wise. and hyp0crites are
not quite SO plenty in this country as
these journals appear TO think. whole
audience which bursts out into uncon-
ttolled enthusiastic applause on hear
ing Dixie" played by an orchestra may
reasona bly, be suspected of sincerity. As
for the charge that the South is eN-
pected 10 do the fighting in this Gu
ban affair. il would not be a good thing
to make that charge in the presence Of
any Northern regiment There is quite
IS much anxiety.to get at the Dons on
the part OF the men Of New England
ard New York and the Middle West ana
the Northwest as can be found any
where in the South. and the statesmen
from these sections would have had
bad time with their constituents If.
these constituents not being in favor Of
war. they had made such speeches as
GaHinger. Chandler and Proctor. Thurs
ton and Allen and Mason and a dozen
others have been making in the last
few weeks. 1t is undoubtedly true that
a man from northern New England. or
Michigan, or Dakota suffers good deal
merely from heat when suddenly trans
ferred TO a semi-tTopical climate, such
as that of Louisiana or Florida 1t
takes a little while for him to become
dftlillditu 50 Aildl ne II NOT HdDl+ 10
some form of malaria, and the troops
from the Gulf States will not have this
sort Of thing TO contend with. and viii
thus have a somewhat easier time in
cuba But il viii not be found that tn
boys from the North and West will
shirls duty on that account 1t is less
romantic, Of course. TO be bowled over
by malarial fever than to be disabled by
q cannon shot: ii is someth ng like hav-
ing an argument with a cable car
such an ignominious way to die. But
the object Of soldier in the United |
States Army is not romance, but bust |
ness. The North and South are both |
ready for business at this juncture, and |
journals in both sections which are try |
ing to stir up trouble with little grumb- |
lings are, like bad boys putting pebbles |
on the track Of railway in front of |
loaded train. quite liable to be picked up |
by the cowcatcher and dropped by the |
roadside.