The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-06-11
PROSPECTS OLA WAR WITH SPAIN
IS DISCUSSED.
PEOPLE BUT LITTLE CONCERNED,
According to Barlow Mans view Of the
situation-ssys Congress IL
BewilderaA.

4
very much concerned. They have
more curiosity than apprehension
The great excitement is at Washing.
ton, and even there it is based nc,
upon fear of blood or suffering.
but upon the struggle between the
two great political parties-which
enc shall get ahead and what move
Is the best one to get ahead and
stay there. Whatever Mckinley does
or proposes to do the Democrats must
fight it and vice versa. The success OF
the party is bigger thing than war.
we have never seen congress SO be-
wildered. Some are for Intervention.
some for recognition, some for annex
alton and all for revenge. Wall street
sees nothing but the money that is in
1t. Some preachers are for peace at
any price and some are bowling for
war. OF course the army and navy
want fight, for that is their profess
sional business and gives them
chance for promotion. Then there are
editors and publishers who must an.
pear to be at fever heat whether thew
feel so or not, for it is a harvest time
for news and the people want the
news and will buy the papers. The
farmers, too, are affected and are study
ing what to plant for profit, and the
spectators in grain and meat are bull
ing and bearing, according to their
faith.
But the great masses of the Ameri-
can people, the toilers and consumers.
who have nothing to gain and nothing
10 lose by war, are lookers-on with
unconcern. They have no az to grind.
nor even Ratchet, but still have a
feeble hope of more work and better
wages. Down here at the south there
is no great interest except in the cities.
for our people never get any contracts
or government jobs, and don't expect
any gain from war with Spain. If we
get custom house here and there the
material must come from over the
line, notwithstanding the marble and
the granite are at our doors. North.
ern contractors clean out our rivers
and barbors and all the profit goes
away from home.
Our mischievous people tell the Ne
groes they have got to go and do all the
fighting, for it is McKinley's war and
they all voted for him. The bows read
to them paragraphs from the northern
papers which say that northern SOL
diers would die of fever in C1ba in a
week and that only southern negroes
can stand the climate. Lots of them
around here are fixing to hide out and
have done picked out their canebrake. |
Clarence. the drayman, is leader, a
heller in elections, and he saws: ST
never vote for any war. amt gwine
TO fight. 1 amt done nothin' to no.
body an nobody amt done notbin' to
me- amt mad wild nobody an how
IAN er man fight widout he mad. Mr..
Akerman an Mr.. Crawford got me
INTO dis scrape an dey must get me
tut. wonder if dey is gwine to de
war;"
Last SundayI saw gang of negroes
landing around preacher and he
sas reading the big headlines of The
constitution to them. There is large
lctorlal recruiting poster in the post
nice and they stand off and look at it
nth serious alarm. But they are not
DING from these parts, neither are the
'hite people going right now. Old
ian Ingram was good fighter in the
lst war and seemed to like the bust
ess and he says he wouldn't mind
DING If they will let him fight under
General Lee and wear gray clothes.
y friend. Captain Dobbs, says he
III & aSa6f s %h Pr swSGhnb s ana s sss
ok and get the doctor to give him a
ischarge at the end of three months
ld then he will come home and draw
pension all the rest of his life.
Well, if it has to be q war Mr.. Me-
inley had better turn it over to
eneral Lee to fight it.
Big things are piling in on us just
ow. The state canvass for state off,
ais Is now going on and getting red
ot and it takes nearly all our time to
,ep up with that and the war too.
aybe we will need another war gov
nor, and if we do Colonel Gambler
20 Aes~ hVAO CAPCIlcuCc III that line |
an some other folks. II
Colonel Renfroe could take care of
g negro convicts and march them to
9 front just like old Joe Brown did
9 200 convicts in the penitentiary
hen Sherman came along. Governor
rown went down there with q wagon
ad of gray clothes and made them
Re off their stripes and he gave them !
guns and had them to elect their
icers and then made them speech /,
d said:
Gentlemen, Fellow Citizens. Sol
ers: 1t doesn't follow that because
"a are convicts YOU are not patriots.
," ID the great opportunity Of your
res to redeem yourselves and vine ,
the disgrace from yourselves and
ur kindred. The enemy il 1t your !
ors and You must fight him-yesl !
Fight I'LL the last armed foe expires
light for your affairs and your fires,
God and your native land :
ID they hailed their freedom with . j
out and they marched forth like new 4
n, and they did fight. just SO,
lionel Renfros could march the 1000
gro conyicts forth and undtY his lad ;