Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-09
our Country and the War.


which r. f. d. views is that Of the war
with Spain. and the views and conclusions
therein expressed are apt 70 be productive
OF false and mischievous impressions, es-
pecially ia the minds OF the young; ana
let me say, this is a time when great care
should be taken to form correctly the
minds OF young Americans. H. J.. D.
makes his points against the present STU
alton something like this: First. the pres
ent crisis reveals the inherent weakness
OF our form of government; second, tnat
the war Is the direct act of Congress ana
a few selfish persons for private gam;
third, that starving Cubans and the &C.
struction Of the battleship Maine were
only "pretexts" which these reprehensiole
persons used 10 bring on a war; and
fourth, that many of our men will be
killed before the struggle is ended.
1 shall treat the foregoing points as pre-
scented, and as briefly as possible.
The argument made by II. Il. Il. to sus-
tain his point Of the inherent weakness OF
our government is that the Emperor OF
Austria. although sympathzng with the
Queen of Spain, regarded it as his duty
TO his people TO keep from embroiing
them in war, the inference being that
a monarch might have kept our people
the Cubans.
], for one, am glad that our government
Is not strong enough TO disregard the
great and overwhelming sentiment of the
people who ought to rule, unless our pre-
tence of representative government Is a
farce.
The reason for the present embroglo lies
in the fact that President Cleveland per-
sistently and defantly disregarded the
wishes Of the people of this country and
their representatives In Congress. refusing
70 sanction the resolution of Congress Civ
ing belligerent rights TO the Cubans, so
that they might be in position 10 fight
their own battles successfully: and in the
CONTINUATION of this policy by President
Mckinley until the conditions in Cuba
became such that our people would no
longer tolerate them.
| think / do not oYeTstate the case
when l say that President Cleveland and
President Mckinley are to blame for
vast majority of the deaths by starva-
tion in Cuba from the time Weyler's re-
concentration orders went into effect UP 10
the declaration of war on our part. For
three years this government looked calmly
upon that patriotic struggle for liberty,
not only refusing 20 aid the patriots, but
giving all possible aid 20 Spain. If this
self-restraint, which amounted 10 infa-
NOUS cowerdice, had continued longer We
mi2hs we'll speak Of the failure of repre-
sentative government. seeing that the VIII
Of the people had no effect in the shaping
OF it's policy.
II. +. Il. also ends much ground for
adverse criticism because the war was
the direct. act of Congress. and that Con-
gress was influenced by the "artful ma
chinations OF a small number of persons
who expected 10 be benefited thereby"
AS understand the Constitution Il pro-
vides that Congress shall declare war
and in no other way can this be done;
az TO the Vaccinations Of the few self
interested persons, the charge is too vague
and baseess TO be worthy of considera-
ton.
The fact Is quite we'll known that Wall
street and the Sugar Trust opposed the
war by every art and influence at their
command. and that the common people
demanded that action be taken.
II. f. Il. further says that the condition
Of the starving Cubans and the destruc-
ton of the Maine were mere pretexts"
OF yellow journals and clamoring, greedy
cormorants. who wanted war. and that
all might have been settled nicely and
peaceably by diplomacy.
the ones who told the truth about the
condition of the Cubans and the Maine
disaster-if they had lied their efforts
would have had no effect-and the greedy
war cormorants were the most conserva-
tive and respectable senator's, who went
TO Cuba and made a personal eXamfna-
ton of the conditions there and said
half Of the tale of horror had not been
told AS to the Maine disaster, all Of the
circumstances and the report of our own
Board of Inquiry show that 1t was caused
by a mine in Habana harbor. which could
only have been placed there by the Span
ish authorities and blown up by some
one connected with the harbor defences.
Two hundred thousand old men, women,
and children starved TO death by order
Of the Spanish authorities. and these our
very neighbors. A battleship on peace
full visit blown up and 266 men killed
without a chance for sef-defence--for
such trifes as these, says II. L. B., we
went to war;
If the blood OF this. nation were so thin
and cold that 1t could view these outrages
unmoved, then, indeed, would the book
Of its glorious history be finished and
sealed up. Cursed be ye Meroz, because
we came not up 20 the help OF the Lord
against the mighty"
But, says VI. l.. B.. these little matters
could have been settled nicely by diplo-
macy. Verify, queer ideas of diplomacy
are extant.
President Cleveland so far aroused him
self to the situation as to offer the friend
ly offices OF this government to bring the
war 10 a close. His offer was scornfully
rejected. 1--WE need no help from the
Yankee pigs" President Mckinley renew
ed the offer with no success and supple
mented il with all sorts OF propositions
OF peace, including the purchase OF the
Island from Spain and the declaration
OF an armistice while We might feed the
starving Cubans, all OF which would have
greatly benefited Spain IL she had not
had the total determination OF the Cubans
as the objective point OF the war our
representatives, were cOoly informed that
Spain could not allow further interference
on our part. The Shiny, slnuous path OF
diplomacy was blocked; nothing remained
but TO make good our demand or TO back
down, as we have been doing. until the
name OF American is n by-word for in
suit In the old world. But" says H. T..
b., 1--WE might have submitted the Maine
disaster TO arbitration" Yes, arbitrate
with criminal in a court that out Of sys
pathy with Spain and fearful Of the result
OF verdict in our favor had already
decided against us!
The last point made by II. T. y. is that
we shall lose some lives in the war. No
one has been compelled TO so to war
against his Will The men who have en-
listed glory in what they have done. and
in the privilege of shedding their blood
to maintain the glory and credit Of their
nation. Then. ut IL not all of life to
live nor ali of death TO die" Many men