The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-10
ARE WE BECOMING A. HYsTERICAA
PEOPLEs

1t has been claimed that the American
people possess steadiness and self-control
during periods which are called crises. We
are wont to extoI our poise. A blending
OF sturdy races, noted for that self-con-
troll which gave them power to dominate
northern Europe. we should. with our in
telligence, be the most seIf-coDtained peo-
pie in the world The indications of the
past ten days do not sustain such claim.
We have shown all the symptoms of emo
tsonalism and sensationalisln which we have
been wont to criticise and ridicuIe in the
Latin races. We seem to lack that cool
ness of judgment which is necessary to pre-
vent us being the victims of sensational
rulnors and hysterical reports. Congress
has not set a good example during recent
days. This is particularly true of the
House Members have been influenced by
the sensational dispatches of constituents
who in their excitement claim to speak
for all the people of a district A few
members have played to the galleries, and
those who have not have expressed senti-
ments which are not BETTING men who
should have the poise and deliberation of
statesmen.
The other day. when it was announced
that the President would not, for good rea-
sons, send his proposed message to Con-
gress, many thousands of well-meaning
me1 who are good citizens went about de-
nouncing the President for a weakness of
pu-poge which bordered on moral cow
ardice. For a time this unreasonng spirit
was a contagious hysteria- Such sensa-
tionalism did no harm, but such exhibit
tons, when reviewed, lead to inquiry where
in We are different, except in degree, from
the excited mobs in Paris which forced a
court TO convict Zola. How much better it
would have been for us to have said to the
excited and almost raving assaiants of the
President: There are some good reasons
for this; let us wait until we hear them"
If the reports from Washington are true,
this hysterical feeling invaded the Cabinet.
1t was while the Presidents advisers were
considering the message he was about to
send to Congress that the dispatch from
Consul General Lee was put into his hand.
On reading it, it is reported that he de-
clared the sending of the message would
be delayed. Members of the Cabinet pro-
tested, urging, among other things, that
such q change In the programme would
cause him to lose his influence with Con-
gress and injure him with the country. To
this the President is said to have replied
that, compared with the saving of the lives
of American citizens in Havana, his per-
sonal misfortune was not to be considered.
The message was not sent; the mass of the
American people now approves his really
courageous decision, and those who foamed
at what they demo Iaced as Mr.. McKinley's
weakness before they waited to hear his
reasons for delay now approve his action.
Further indications of unreasoning and
hysterical tendency are found in the ex-
citement caused by the spread of rumors
which, if intelligent people would but con-
slider them a moment, would appear alb
surd. BY this time people of average in
tellgence must know that startling reports
are printed in a class of sensational pa
pers which are devised in editorial rooms
to increase sales. 1t has come to be a
trick of those who count upon the UNI
reasoning gullibility of the public for large
sales because of such canards The yellow
newspaper maker seems to have come TO
the conclusion that the mass of people are
so fond of the excitement of sensation that
for the sake of the excitement they win
not stop to inquire whether the stories are
true or are even probable. The enormous
sales of such papers seem to afford ground
to suspect that, in connection with other
indications, we are becoming hysterical