The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-01
CARDINAL GIBBONS VIEWS
Approves the Waiting Policy. and
War If 1t Il Justified.

Approves the W aitlng Policy ana
War If Ii II Justified.
Baltimore, Nd, Feb. "a solemn re-
QUEEN mass for the repose OF the souls Of
those who lost their lives through the
destruction OF the battleship Maine IN la
vana was celebrated al the Cathedral this
morning. Cardinal Gibbons made an ad-
dress and read the service for the dead.
a number OF naval and military officers
were present including those of the mill
tia and naval reserves. The vocal music
was furnished by a quartette from the
Bride Elect Opera company now per-
forming in Philadelphia.
The cardinal said:
We do not fully realize how ardently
we love our country until some crisis
occurs which awakens our devotion 10 her
and arouses our admiration and gratitude
for those who have died in her service.
Such a crisis has quite recently occurred.
for we have assembled here this morning
TO assist at the holy sacrifice offered up
for the souls of the brave officers and men
who have lost their lives at the post Of
duty. We are also called together to give
expression TO our heartfelt coincidence
and sympathy for the bereaved relatives
of those faithful defenders of their coun-
try whom the nation mourns. / see be-
fore me representatives of our army and
navy; see representatives OF our excel
lent state militia and OF our fcllow-citf-
zens al large. You represent a sorrowing
nation. for every home in our broad coun-
try feels the loss as a personal one.
TOO much praise cannot he bestowed
upon the president and on the members
Of his cabinet and particularly on the
secretary Of the navy and his able assist
ant, as we'll as on the houses Of congress,
for the calmness and tranquility. the self
control and the self-possession, which
they have exhibited during the fearful
ordeal through which the country has
been passing in the last few days. II
needed only a spark to hndle a great com
lagratiou. and the patient and dignifed
bearing Of the executive and legislative
bodies are all the more commendable in
view of the mischieyous and intemperate
utterances of some sensational newspa-
pers.
"'This nation is too brave, too strong,
too powerful and too just 10 engage in an
unr;ghteous or precipitate war. Let us
remember that the eyes Of the world are
upon us. whose judgment we cannot de-
spise, and that we Will gain more ap-
plause and credit for ourselves by calm
elaboration and mastery inactivity than
by recourse to arms. Thrice IS he arnrd
who hath his quarrel Just
az hope and believe for the honor OF hu-
mainly. that the destruction Of the Maine
was cased by an accident. ana IN that
case Spain cannot be responsible. But sup
pose some Rendish CEbsn had loocasioned
this fearful loss ofllfe IN brder 10 embroil
our nation IN a var with his mother ooun-
try. In that case Spain soHd not be res
ponsible. And even had some fanatical
spaniard perpetrated this atrocious crime,
there should be no necessity for a re-
course to the arbltrament Of the sword.
1.-The only circumstances that would war
rant active hostilities would be the evil
dence that the Spanish government con-
nived al the placing Of tropedoes or ex-
pIosives IN the harbor To destroy our ves-
sci. But 7 do not believe. and no sane
man can believe. that a rhivalric nation
would be guilty Of such iuhumanity-
"An able commission - been appion-
ted by the government 20 investigate the
cause Of the disaster. Let US calmly
and dispassionately await the result Of
their verdict and not anticipate the'r
judgment One thing is certain, this ooun
try knows how in any emergency 70 de-
fend her honor and protect her Interests.
These brave men did not die indeed
on the deck Of their ship with weapons
in their hands. Nevertheless We must re-
gard them as the heroes or martyrs 20
this country who died at thepost n whiVh
duty called them 7 earnestly hope that
the day is not far OF when grateful na-
ton will show her appreciation ~ The 7er-
vices % those brave ard faithful public
servants by erecting 20 their memory "a
suitable monument = monument which
will not only commemorate the decd. but
With Will be ~ incentive ~ patriotism 20
the living BY keeping before them the Feo-
timent so well expressed by the Roman
poet: Dulce et decorum propatria rnori
IT Is sweet and honorable 20 die for ones
countrv1."