The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-05-20

rapher. Some of our busiest statesmen
now use those machines. Others say
they cannot manage them. Mr.. Shell
don thinks the talking machine is a
coming necessity for regular correspon-
dence.
Infatuation of spaniards.
Think of Tom Thumb making faces at
John IL. sullivan! Think of Admiral
Dot going into the ring with Corbett!
Little by little we are getting light
upon the otherwise inconceivable infat-
uation OF the Spanish people. 1t is al
most impossible to imagine their con-
viction that Spain Is the superior. mill
itary or otherwise, of this enormous
country. 1t amazes the average Amer
lean to find Spaniards, immersed in
and contented with their sloth, their
feas and their decay, telling themselves
that we are a nation of sordid shop
keepers; timid, cowardly, shrinking
from war, and all of a tremble at the
prospect of Spanish scowls and Span
ish violence. 1t is ridiculous, but there
is something pathetic about it for the
Spaniards are actually serious. and
they believe it as devoutly as the jap
anese believes in Buddha
A more or less satisfactory twinkle
of light is thrown upon this perpexing
mystery by the utterances of Spanish
newspapers, especially where those
newspapers are informed by correspon-
dents in this country. For example,
let us consider the United States cor
respondence of the Madrid impartial Of
a recent date. OF course, it was sent
before the naval engagement off Ma
No,
have written such feeble slobber after
ward. The correspondent is said to be
Senior Julio Gonzales y Alba, and he Is
quoted thus:
Press Misled the People.
1.-THE United States hesitates to fight.
It's waiting policy is due to timidity
It's fleet hovers around the shores of
Cuba and moves up and down the
American coast, doing no greater dam
age than here and there the capture of
a defenseless merchantmen. The rea-
son for this is that the American gov
eminent is not prepared to fight 1t
was not thought that Spain would Of
fer any real resistance. The press OF
this republic has misled the populace
as to the power. resources, and military
virtues of the Spanish people.
1.-THE only powder mill on the Ameri-
can continent capable of producing
smokeless powder has been destroyed
Thus the Americans have no way of re-
loading their heavy ordnance, as black
or brown powder cannot be used effec-
lively.
Then the states which were counted
on to furnish the men for the war find
themselves handicapped by a threat
ened Indian uprising. The regular
army has been withdrawn and the saw
ages have already taken the warpath
In the states of Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa
the citizens have already been called
out to protect their western frontiers
from the raids of the wild men.
Militia Guard and Taxes.
''In the District Of Columbia the mil
itia guard has refused to serve. The
guard was ordered out by the presi-
dent and when 1t was discovered that
it was to go into camp and drill for war
purposes 1t disobeyed the officers and
returned to the capital. The $50, 900, 900
voted for the war has not been collected,
and a bill is now before congress pro-
viding means to borrow money with
which to fight Spain"
This is such sorrowful rubbish tf at
one can hardly have the heart to an
alyze it. The poor devil who concocted
it no doubt believed every word he
wrote, and we cannot find the cruelty
to disturb him in his dream. But think
Of a nation nurtured on such food as
this! Imagine the hopeless infatua-
ton, the self-deception, the suicidal
error of a nation which accepts all this
miserable stuff as solemn truth. Ger
vantes was not only a satirist; he was
prophet. Whether he knew it or not,
he portrayed in the absurd, the lovable,
the melancholy, and the honorable pict-
ure Of Don Quixote, the character and
the doom Of modern Spain.
Wise Choice of Major Generals.
Wisely and well has the president
acted in choosing the commanders OF
our volunteer army. The major gen.
erals and brigadier generals have all
been selected with regard to their fit
ness to lead troops and manage cam
paigns There are no novices among
them. All have had military training.
all have seen service in the field. With
such names before the country there
can be no suspicion of favoritism, no
thought that politics played a part in
their selection. Military men for mill
tary work Is the need of the hour, and
in declining to take the commanders
from civil life the president reduces to
the minimum the dangers Of mistakes,
once our army goes into actual service.
To have adopted any other policy would
have been deplorable in the extreme.
With the appeal to arms and patriot
ism ringing through the land, 1t Is hard
to believe that the United States sem
ate refused the widow of Lieutenant
John l.. Worden anything over the $50
month to which she Is entitled by
law What an unworthy stand for
great nation at such a moment, when
the issue Of this war largely depends
on the courage and loyalty Of the navy!
What an incentive to patriotism and
heroism to know that IL blown up on
battleship ones family will be given
the minimum pension, and that "grudg-
ingly and of necessity"
Monitors Encounter with the Merrimac.
1t was an anxious April morning,
after a Sunday of GREATNESS anxiety,
that the news came that the valiant
little monitor, with her inexperienced
young captain, had, after voyage of
unparalleled danger, reached Hampton
Roads, gone at once into action. fought