The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1898-03-31
PEACE AT ANY PRICE.

peace at any price policy the Times
Democrat ssys, editorislly:
A people who are wiling TO ride
into the jaws of death In defense
of the nations honor Idly cit this
day inactive.
The death OF the nations honor
is peace at any price,
If We are not going 10 punish
Spar for that cowardly act of ass
ssinstion which took plsce in the
harbor of Havana on the 18th day
Of February our navy will be q
scorn among the nations forever
| Cousecrate two seconds to reject
ing on the consequences Of the
doing Of such IN act TO . British
nsp>of- war. Would it matter
whose the harb0r
During twenty years Q great trag.
edy has been enacting under our
eyes and under our noses for II
smells to heaven. The most cruel
nation known to history has spent
$500, 600, 900 10 the desperate effort
TO suppress the liber ties Of | 400, 900
| Cubans, and 10 that effort has sac-
rificed the lives Of four times as
many nop.combatants as the sole
diers slain on both sides.
Since DOR own baptism Of blood
ae the foremost soldiers Of freedom,
we have plainly proisssed our call
ing before the whole world. We
have warned the tyraDts and We
have encouraged and animated the
peoples. Under the Inspirlting
Of our precept and example We
have set free the whole OF the
American continents except Spain y
rebellious remnant. Thore is not
an inch of American soil under Ops
preston except Cuba and Porto
Rico. In no other part OF the
Americas can colonists be induced
to set up q rebellion on any terms.
Cuba will not cease to rebel until
ell the Cubans are dead,
1t Is like a mighty gladatorial
contest. Spain 10 the arena Ia
looking up at the proscenium box,
where the President Of great ma"
ton is turning down his thumb.
In one year Spain has destroyed
4OO, 600 Cuban nonscombatants of
both sexes and Of all ages.
Our Presidents remedy for this
horror is to give the Spaniards food
for their victims, which food they
promptly divert to their own
soldiers.
What use is navy to us, if what
is going on in Cuba creates no use
for . navy =?
What use is an army to rs. If
what is going On in Cuba creates
no use for an army
We have no Indians to fight.
We have no nelghbors to fight. II
we are to be withheld from fighting
the piratical nation which ID plum
deriDg and burning and assassiDa-
ting Cuba, let US throw Our swords
iptO the sea and have done with
the farce of pretending.
If We are to be withheld from
Furnishing Spain for blowing into
eternity without warning 264 Amer
lean seamen, let us blow up our
navy for very shame and retire
from the seas forever.
1t IS q pitiable spectacle to wit
ness the President of 70,0OO,O00
free people acting like bulldozed
negro and shedding tears in the face
of an enemy, az ours is acting. In
time of war such conduct 10 prop.
erly punished by death. This
would be time Of war If We had q
patriotic President.
The $50,000,0O0 which he asked
for the national defense he obtsined
on paltry pretense. The nation
believed that he meant to fight.
The money is being deliberately
wasted by him, on the theory that
the petty whirlpools and eddies Of
local prosperity which it will set In
motion will inure to the credit Of
Wis OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES A4o uoc AOEmHl'
ly notified Congress that he does
not intend to fight, and has begged
Congress not to force him to fight.
That is the PLAIN English Of his
message, and it has not to be read
between the lines, either.
If the American nation accept
the leadership Of this man 1t will
place itself in the position which is
occupied by Chins-its shores a
prey for every robber nation on the
face of the earth.
The other day Kaiser Wilhelm
stole 400 square miles of Chinese
territory, and boldly announced TO
the world wherever the German
eagle has fixed it's talons it never
let's go its hold.' He can come
and take New Orleans if be wants
it. President Mckinley will not
dght.