The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-05-12
A GRAND TRIBUTE.

One of the most eloquent and re-
markable speeches or articles writ
ten in this great history-making
time, that has fallen under the OBJ
servation OF this writer, comes from
the Rev. ID. B. Scott, congregational
minister at Sioux Falls, delivered in
his pulpit Sunday April 10th. He Is
veteran, and talked patriotism in
way that reaches in the heart OF
every loyal American broad enough,
intelligent enough to rise aboye
mere party feeling. His discourse is
published in the Argus-Leader, here
is clipped that portion referring to
the president: lis President Nc
kinley weak because he does not
make loud speeches about his plans
to be published in Spanish newspa-
pers? Is he wanting in backbone be-
cause he refuses to put his foot into
a Spanish trap and recognize a Gu
ban government when there is no
Cuban government to recognize? Is
he an insignificant statesman be-
cause he delays jumping onto a ma
ton only one-fourth the size OF his
own-that. too, when he knows that
the queen regent OF the nation is the
unhappy representative OF a foreign
home and the widowed mother OF q
child king? Is he a coward because
he does not rush at once to the
slaughter OF Spaniards to avenge the
heroes of the Maine?
1t is unfortunate that some men
seem to have cowardly fear OF be-
ing called coward; that they are
lynx-eyed to pending chances for re-
election and wall-eyed to the inter-
ests of humanity in the world. 1t is
unfortunate that some men locate
patriotism in the mouth and forget
to demonstrate the genuineness of
their love OF country by paying their
honest debts to their countrymen
1t is cheap patriotism to clamor for
the barbarous glory of commencing
war in the interest of national dig
nifty. 1t is unmanly to make mad
rush to redden the Atlantic waters
with human blood because the ma
ton has been insulted.
In nothing has President Mckin
ley's statesmanlike courage and far
reaching sagaclty been more appar-
ent than his exposure of himself to
the charge of cowardice. This he
did by seeking to accomplish by di-
plonacy what his accusers demand
ed that he should accomplish by the
sword. Only soolhardy bravado
will regard interference with the az
fairs OF another nation as holiday
undertaking. A sword that leaps
from it's scSbbard too quickly is likely
to return in ignominy and shame.
In all the wars on this continent
those who haye been the first to
take the sword have been the first to
perish by the sword.
President Mckinley has been too
manly to commence a fight, in the
spirit OF revenge, for the loss of the
Maine and it's heroic patriots. Spunk
is not manly. Spain hoped to di.
vert his attention from her suffering
subjects by trying to force him to
think of his own sailors. He was
too far sighted to be caught in a
trap. He knew rush to arms on
such a pretext would not restore
those heroes to their homes. They
were beyond the reach and beyond
the need OF help.
Concerning the Maine disaster he
could afford to wait and to ask
Americans to wait until all the evil
dence was in.
Speakers have made audiences clap
their hands by sneering at McKin
ley's waiting policy, as the Centur'
ians made the rabble wag their heads
by saying, III he be the Christ, lei
him come down from the cross.