The age-herald., 1898-07-14
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There is every reason to conclude that the "hero" business of this present war has been very decidedly overdone. To the average American (who has retained his or her mental equilibrium, notwith- standing the excitements, incident to the American-Spanish difnculty) there seems to have been set up for public worship very surprising number of "heroes' con- sidering the limited supply of battles, or engagements. Between the supreme in- terest of the people to learn the real situa- ton at Santiago de Cuba; to keep pace with the raising and lowering of the flag of truce and to have proper understanding of General Toral's defiant utterances and General Shafter's reassuring telegrams, there seems to be constantly appearing in unexpected places d new figure fresh hero for the worship and adulation of the generous-hearted public
 
 Writers of prose and writers of poetry tell Of deeds of daring such as the world never saw before' forgetting the slorious record which stands and will stand forever of American heroism through long. weary years of forced marches and hard fighting by barefooted troops who were kept alive With pitiful allowances of parched corn.
 The history of American valor is not of recent origin. It began far back in the annals of the republic from the very birth or this western nation and at every crisis Which called for the loyalty and devotion Of American citizens to a principle or a policy there have arisen men who write their names in blood, way up on the, im perishable roll of fame.
 There are heroes and heroes in this and every other war. since the time when Joshua lead the army against the enemies or Israel to this moment when Shafter is laundering at the gates of Santiago.
 Every man who fearlessly meets the en- emy, whether on land or sea- and courage ousiy performs his duty, is hero in a very broad and liberal sense private who marches up to the cannon's mouth; who storms the gun-crowned hlfs who mans the rife pits, or who stands to his guns on shipboard, is ofttimes a grander hero, nobler patriot, than the general or commodore from whom he receives his commands. It is the private soldiers and sailors who have woven the laurel wreaths which have crowned the brows of many of Americas most illustrlous commanders. The genuine heroes of every war are the men who do the fighting, the marching, tte dying in trenches and in hospitals, and of whom the eager world hears but little or nothing.
 The dilatory progress of the Spanish- American war has afforded opportunity for a great amount of flamboyant correspond epce, and an opportunity to magnify the simple, everyday, commonplace deeds of certain officers into gleat and marvellous acts of reckless bravery. The supply of he- roes is out of proportion with the num- Der of battles that the American public is positively refreshed by the discussion which is now engrossing universal atten- ton, to whom belongs the honor of the capture of Cervera,s fleet, Schley or Samp-
 
 Sampson, with an avldity unbecoming and unseemly, was so eager to rank along with the other men of mark of whom columns are written, ad libitum and ad nauseum, that he lost his head, and evil dently, from the best authorities, claimed a victory which had been honestly won by another American naval officer. Samp- son seemed to be fighting for name, not a principle, and in his anxiety to rank with Dewey and IIobson. he was guilty of a pitiful littleness which has justly brought eN-AN~ of his fellow citizens.
 The conduct of Commodore Sampson will probably open the eyes of the public to the absurd overdoing of this wearisome hero making business.
 One of the definitions of the word 'he- TO" reads "A man of distinguished valor," and, judged according to this explanation of a much-abused term, there have been thus far but few men in the present war to whom it may be correctly applied. Op- portunity has been lacking for the dis play of unusual daring except in very few notable cases. No one who is famil- far with the history of this republic can ever doubt what the courage and intre- pidity of Americans will be when a test of valor comes, but until the occasion arises one belittles a noble standard by placing it in line with the commonplace and the expected
 The magnhcent-almost unparalleled achievement of Richmond Pearson Hobson, the brilliant victory of Dewey at Manila, Schley's picturesque demolition of Cerve- ras fleet at Santiago de Cuba and Wain- wrights destruction of torpedo boat de- stroyerS are evidently inspirations for the creation of countless heroes by war cor respondents What the future holds for the men and officers of the American army and navy as to individual notorety, no man can yet predict, but thus far the names of Hobson, Dewey, Wainwright and Schley are the only ones which stand out far above the rest because of their gal lant achievements and their distinguished valor. The present-day American should keep his standards up to those of mar velous past, when hero was reckoned according to those deeds of daring which lifted him above the commonplace and put him side by side with those men whom all the world calls great and noble. BALL. VERY MEAN. From the Mobile Herald.
 It is very mean indeed for people to try