The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-13
SANfLS
gaa1u eagle
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH. Editor.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The PRESIDENTS MGSOAGEs
The lingo element in congress upon
hearing the message of the president
very plainly showed its disappoint-
ment They talked as if they were
expecting a war whoop from the COM
mander-in-chief of the American
army and navy, and thereupon see
him disappear down the Potomac,
standing on the bridge Of a cruiser
franticaIly waving his arms aloft for
everybody to come on" His en-
phatic declaration that 'fn the name
of humanity, in the name Of civiliza-
ton. in behalf of endangered Ameri-
can interests, which give US the duty
and right TO speak and act, the war
in Cuba must stop" SENS to have
fallen like e threadbare political plat
itude upon the ears Of these members
whose eyes were protruding in ex-
pectancy of some paralyzing display
of fireworks. Even the sockless Can
adian reconcentrado, Jerry Simpson,
the Canuck, INDUCED in defamatory
remarks and danced a Pop jig because
the president Of his adopted country
did not recommend the placing of
submarine mine under the southeast
corner of Gibraltar for the blowing OF
Spain off the face of the earth. Other
members of the shoot and CUT sort,
nd
capers to catch votes, ignoring the
presidents plain deductions that the
issue is now with congress" seemed
disappointed that Mckinley didn't
rush up Pennsylvania avenue with
bloody knife between his teeth the
report of the court Of inquiry on the
Maine in one hand, and a declaration
of war in the other, yelling at every
lump ''My kingdom for a gunboat!"
oblivious of the fact that the presi-
dent had not omitted a single incident
of all the outrages leading up to the
present situation, experimenting the |
unvarnished facts with the solemn |
declaration that congress should au- |
thorize him to take measures to Sc
cure a full and final termination OF |
the hos4ilities between the govern |
ment OF. Spain and the people Of Cuba, |
and to secure in the island the estab- |
lishment Of a stable government cap |
able Of maintaining order and observ-
ing international character, insuring !
peace and tranquility, and that he be
further empowered to use the mill
tary and naval forces of the United
States for these purposes. Could there
be any stronger declaration of war, or
one based on more distinct grounds?
Is there any want of war spirit in
such demand? Having in his sum-
ming up reiterated the declaration
that having exhausted every effort to
relieve the intolerable conditions, and
that there only remains the alterna-
tive of war and that he stands ready
to execute every obligation which war
involves or the constitution imposes,
he awaits congressional action, what
more did these jingoes expect or what
more demand?
President McKinley's message is a
state paper Of masterful comprehen-
sion and cool conclusions. Its find
ings are drawn from irrefutable facts,
as apprehended by the world at large,
uncontrovertible by Spain and which
Will be endorsed and maintained by
the people Of the United States. That
the message means but one thing,
means armed intervention, means
war, Veuld be foolish to deny: but
the declaration is set forth in such
words as, no matter
what may follow, history must COM
mend and ratify it as wise, patriotic
and as profoundly statesmanlike.