Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-23
CAPTAIN JOHN Cussoxss VIEWS.
He IL Unwilling tn Play Soldier In
Peace and citizen la War.


Captain John Cussons ordnance officer
on the staff Of General A. l.. Phillips. was
seen yesterday by a Dispatch reporter.
who asked him for an expression con-
corning the war now in progress between
this country and Spain,
The Captain expressed himself as being
much opposed to war. asserting it as his
belief that it was an altogether >unueces-
sary one. lie said. however. that he ex-
pected TO engage I'm it. for the reason that
he could not reconcile himself to playing
soldier I'm peace and citizen in war.
When the reporter called upon him. at
the Jefferson Captain Cussons was en-
gagged in reading a paper.
You seem Interested in your paper
said the scribe. as he entered.
Il am" replied the Captain.
Anything specialg'
THE REAL OBJECT.
IL should say so. Here's what I've been
looking for ever since the pow-wow be-
gan-the zeal motive and object of this
war"
Yes; and II is-?
'Humanitarianlsm, sir; pure and simple
humantarianism. Nothing TO acquire;
nothing to defend; nothing TO resent.
No enemy 20 punish. no rival TO restrain.
no commerce 10 extend no territory to
seize. no oppression 10 repel. We are
simply overwhelmed by a sense of our
own goodness and we cannot rest with
out bestowing on our fellow-mOrtals
share Of our redundant bliss"
But seriously. give me your views"
We'll. sir-a single point--read that
paragraph See how we are now 10
complete and round out the imperfect
work of three-and-thirty years ago. We
were turning the negroes loose then. and
cndowing them With the political privi-
leges which il took our race six hundred
years to win. Now the cry is for social
equality. Here is the c., r. and j. rail
road accused Of an intoerable affront'
by putting negro troops i'm negro cars.
And here We are Indignantly and didac-
tically assured that when negro decks
himself I'm a blue uniform he is good
enough 10 ride in any car with any
body and that southerners must treat
him wherever he goes as AN honored
public guest"
NOT READY PERSONALLY
And you are not ready for that"
mo, not personally. And yet my
views on the subject are liberal enough
As the writer truly says. it is simply
a matter of custom. and / am sure that
there ought not TO be the smallest OBJ
lection 20 the closest bond OF brother
hood between such of the blacks and
whites as really enjoy it,"
"DO you think there is any danger OF
embarrassment arising from this race
question:
20, l hope not You see we all have
10 be reconstructed some time or other
And the present scheme ought 70 link
us 10 the past, so that unitedly we may
carry ont the principles Of the old cru
sade. We may rig up a new carpet-bag-
ging outfit. and by afiiliatng with the
Cuban scalawags. | suppose We can turn
loose fresh set OF mOngrels. and by
giving them votes and things. We shall
lit them up somewhere. and shall doubt
less establish a powerful claim ON the
gratitude and admiration OF mankind"
You Will take a hand2"
"Oh. yes; there'll be precious little else
to do for the next few years. Each gene
ration. it seems, as well as each nation.
has it's own lesson to learn"
"Then you believe this war viii last
several years%
II most unquestionably do" and then
the Captain retired 10 his room