New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-05
THE DREA DFUL MILLIONAIRES

We are gradually but surely getting at the
bottom facts The millions Of readers Of the
great newspapers Of enormous circulation and
unbounded influence, who have been buying
extras" Mt a cent apiece every hour in the day
for the last two or three weeks have no doubt
been racked with anxiety 10 know why. when
those newspapers had declared war over and
over had modified their STATS and enlisted
var correspondents 70 the extent Of three hun
drcd thousand more; had published campaign
plans showing the Spanlards where 10 anchor
their Ships to lombard NewYork, on the one
hand. and how our Navy, on the other hand,
would surround and capture Cuba-the readers
Of these enterprlsng newspapers, we say, have
doubtless been doubled up with anxiety to
know why, In these circumstances, President
Mckinley has not ordered Spain out Of Cuba;
why Secretary Sherman has not instructed Min
lister Woodford to ask for his passports; why
Secretary Alger has not concentrated the Army
at Key West; why Secretary Long has not or
dered the bombardment Of Havana; why Secre-
tary Gage has not begun the issue of a thou
sand million bonds for war purposes Mt low
rate Of interest to be placed in the hands OF the
deserving poor: why, in short, the country Is
not put on a war footing, every citizen armed
q
and the white-livered traitors who are talking
peace are not arrested for treason. There must.
Of course. be some reason for this; aome OK
PLANTATION for the delay In all the departments
in entering upon the war already declared by
these spirited and courageous newspapers.
The truth dawns slowly. We might be GER
tain that the newspapers which exhausted the
Investigation within ten hours after the disas-
IL, ,l,o,,
twenty-four told the whole story IN the most
thrilling language accompanied by cuts, would
not wait long for the Government to net or
would know the reason for the delay. The
trouble, as It now appears, Is cowardice; sheer,
rank cowardlce Not physical poltroonery. 10
he sure, but what is infinitely worse that base
and grovelllng form Of cowardice which at
tends the possession OF great wealth. We are
governed by monalrcs. The President Is not
a millionaire, to be sure, but Mark Hanna, who
controls him, is. which is just as bad If not
worse The Cabinet IS made up Of million
aires and they are afraid to respond to the
patriotic demand OF the great and powerful
newspapers for immediate war. war to the
knife and the knife to the hilt, because 1t would
endangcr their possessions. The discovery has
been made simultaneously by the two powerful
NEWSPAPERS upon WnOln, ny tDP common CONSENT
of all their reporters and war correspondents.
the honor OF the Nation now rests. NNe say
simultaneously: but that Of course Will be dis
puted for each will claim n patent on 1t and
bring broadsdes of afiidavits to sustain the
claim
Nor Is the fact that We governed by cow
ardly millionaires the worst feature Of the sit
uatlon Both these newspapers have discovered
also simultaneously these cowar1y mill
ionalres are specializing on war rumOrs TO in
crease their -gotten gains. Hanna loads up
with stocks AT low prices, talks discouragingly
about the war, puts them up and sells out.
Then stocks go down to where they ought to
be If the country maintains It's honor By good,
rouslng war, and all the milllonares in the
Government load up again. Then Secretary
Long starts q rise in the market by dropping
in what seems 10 be n casual way. bu. with
undoubtedly "bull' purpose--the remark that,
personally, he does not think the Spanish Gov
eminent blew up the Maine The two news
papers with unlagging enterprise Immediately
send down divers with electric lights, kodnks
and three days ratons. who find everything
bent upward and telltale ropes leading shore
| ward in the direction Of Madrid. These things