Middletown transcript., 1898-04-09
Washington
Letter

Letter
1 HarkI Hear the mighty refrain
Ofa nation, shouted again and again;
Remember the Maine;
Down with Spainp
RESIDEN 7 Nc
q Kinley having
W shown the worll
Mr. that the u. s
MY was not seeking
SW quarrel with
d aEN%VdlES Spain, and SpaiI
IEAM1l[M having declined
II IAH4llW its last opportu'
/ nifty to give W
Cuba peacefully, and having added in
suit to injury by treating the loss of the
Maine asa trivial matter and suggest
ing that it might be referred to inter
national arbitration, there is no honor
able course left to this country except
to use force in driving Spain out OF
Cuba and in establishing the indepen-
dence of Cuba. Congress will this
week, upon President McKinley's re-
commendatioD, authorize that course
and then there will be war. This war
has not been sought by the admins
tration, but every preparation has been
1 10 IN Hnh kn n n.
torious close. Now that it is almost
upon US, there is no doubt or hesita-
tation in any quarter. Steps have al
ready been TAKEN that will result in the
necessary legislation by Congress to
provide the money needed to carry on
war on scale large enough to make
sure that it will be short. There is
but one feeling in Washington, and
that is, to give Spain thorough lick
ing, regardless Of any attempt that
may be made by European powers to
prevent it, either by diplomacy or by
force.
Captain Sigsbee, late Commander
of the battleship Maine, was guest
Of honor at a reception held by the Ma
tioDal Geographical Society Saturday
night. There was only one fault to be
found with this reception. There we're
thousands who wished to honor Cap
tain Sigsbee by attending who were un-
able to secure the invitation required
for admittance. There may be another
reception rendered him that will be
public in fact, and not in name only.
Those who are anxious to participate
in the war with Spain can best accom-
plish their purpose by joining the mill
tia at their homes, as it is generally un-
derstood in Washington that the mill
tia will be the first troops put in the
field, and believed that no others will
be required, outside the regulars.
Germany has officially announced to
this Government its intention to re-
main neutral in the war between the
U. S. and Spain, but recent diplomatic
occurrences have aroused suspicion
that the u. s. may be up against Ger
many before the Spanish war has pro-
ceeded very far. The suspicious cir.
cumstances is claim made by Ger
many upon Spain for property de-
stroyed in CuEa by the insurgents.
This property was only destroyed about
three weeks ago and yet Germany is
talking about using force to compel
settlement. 1t will not greatly sur
prise diplomats if Spain settles that
German claim by ceding to Germany
portion of Cuba or Poro Rico, solely
with the intention to defeat the plans
Of this Government to make Cuba an
independent republic. If Germany
agreed to such plan, it would be de-
liberateiy done for the purpose of pro-
voking scrap with us as the Monroe
doctrine expressly forbids the acquir-
ing Of additional territory on this
hemisphere by any European Govern
ment and the q. S. has too often reiter-
ated it's intention to maintain that doe.
trince at all hazards for any doubt to
Est as TO what our position would be
in such case.
Some idea Of the feeling in Congress
may be gained from the following
words of Representative Crout, of Yer
mont, one of the most conservative
men in the House: stI am in favor of
swift and terrible vengeance upon
Spain. Up to the present time I have
been opposed to any Intervention by
force in Cuba and was one of the few
Republicans who voted against the
recognition of Cuban belligerency more
than year ago, when the question was
presepted to the House. Now L am
ready to use our Army and Navy to
drive the Spanish flag froW the island
of Cuba, and will not only follow, but
I am prepared to lead In a movement
to authorize the President to teach the
Spanish Government that she cannot
insult this nation with impunity and
hide behind the cloak of diplomacy.
The American people are inflamed be-
,ond endurance by the method she has
employed in dealing with the Cubans.
and the destruction of the Maine is an
additional cause for an immediate re-
sort 70 torces It viii not 90 to treat
the blowing up Of our battleship and
the killing Of our gallant sailors as
simply distressing incident of the
Cuban situation. The destruction of
the Maine has done more to fire the /
American heart than all the long list
of cruelties practi ced upon the suffer-