Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-04-22
THIS is PATRIOTISM.

lull IN II ArguS-Leader, from which
We make the following excerpts:
1t is unfortunate that some men
seem to have a cowardly fear of being
called a coward; that they are lynx
eyed to pending chances for reelection
and wall-eyed to the interests of hui
manity in the world. 1t is unfortun-
ate that some men locate patriotism in
the mouth and forget to demonstrate
their genuine love of country by pay
ing their honest debts to their country
men. 1t is cheap patriotism to clamor
for the barbarous glory of commenc-
ing a war in the interest of national
dignity. 1t IS unmanly to make a mad
rush to reuden the Atlantic waters
with human blood because the nation
has been insulted.
In nothing has President McKinley's
statesmanlike courage and far-reach-
ing sagacity been more apparent than
his exposure of himself to the charge
of cowardice. This he did by seeking
to accomplish by diplomacy what his
accusers demanded he accomplish by
the sword. Only foolhardy bravado
will regard interference in the affairs
of another nation as q holiday under
taking. A sword that leaps from its
scabbard too quickly is likely to return
in ignominy and shame.
Iu all the wars on this continent
those who have been the first to take
the sword have been the first to perish
by the sword.
The admiration of all thoughtful,
non-prejudiced men goes out toward
the man who has the courage to be
called n coward in the interests of hui
manity.
There is something sublime in his
fixed purpose to draw the sword only
as the last resort. He seemed to know
that he would be accused of being in
league with the money power, as the
Saviour was accused of being in league
with Beelzebub. He seemed to know
that his patriotism would be in jeopar-
dy every hour if he did not call down
fire from heaven upon the cruel, blood
thirsty Spaniards. But his presidential
prospects two years hence could not
defect the compass needle of his soul.
The political capital manufactured out
of his course by those who would use
the ruins of his administration as the
foundation of another could not veer
him from the polestar of his purpose
not to plunge the nation into a sea of
blood until the interests of humanity
demanded it. To violate international
laws and precipitate q war of the
world would only hasten the destruc-
ton of the Cubans and invert the or
der of converting swords into pillow
shares and the spears into pruning
hooks
Savages love war. Barbarous an.
tions are cruelty jealous of their ma.
tional dignity; cheap patriotism runs
to the mouth: q man with a cold heart
and Il small head can grow red in the
face and win Il clap by personal abuse.
A railroad engine belches and Kisses
when it ceases to draw its train. 1t is
the silent lightning and not the clam
orous thunder that does the business
1t has seemed to be apparent to Presi
dent Mckinley that Spanish tools OF
torture would soon cease to cruelty lib
erty aud the long suffering Cubans
would be free. 1t is a question of how
the result can be compassed with the
least possible cost of pain and blood.
The question is many sided and hydra.
headed. The man at the head of the
nation that looks into the hot furnace
of such Il question is entitled to candid
= treatment.
Looking out upon the four quarters
of the earth from the gilded dome OF
our national capital; feeling as he does
that the destiny of nations is poisine
i'll the balance: knoping as he must
that blunders of ignoran ce and deci.
sions of prejudice will bring woes
whose name is legion, he ought not to
be nettled by the buzz of small critics
and the abuse of those whose range OF
vision is in an inverse ratio in
their readiness to condemn.
Let war come if it must. 1t is far
better than tyranny, rapacity and
bondage. Let the Cubans be emanci.
pated oven if the fuse must be held at
cannon until it becomes so hot that ii
melts every fetter of liberty. Let the
the cruelty that will learn nothing and
forget nothing be driven like swine
j, into the sea and sink to rise no more.
But after it has been done and the
smoke of battle has been driven before
the rising sun of a better day, let not
the critics of the president mount the
L.-J ,.o o,l el.o,A HN:l,ek 49,