The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-27
NJ klNLEY FIRM
APPARENTLY UNMOvED BY THE IN
CREAsING CLAM0R FOR WAR.
He Is Said to BE Determined Not to
Sacrifice Thousands of Lives Unless
There Is Good Cause.
IF OUR HONOR is INVOLVED
AND SPAIN REFUSES TO Make JUST
AND AMPLE PREPARATION,
Then the President Will Show that He
Is Patriot In the Broadcast
Sense of the Word.
SENSATION At WASHINGTON
CAUSED BY EDITOR MEDILL's DE-
MAND FOR AN AvENGING WAR.
-H-
Views of Archbishop Ireland, Justice
Harlan and Observation-Disclosures
Catholic Priest Rebuled.
Then the President Will Show that He
Is Patriot in the Broadest
Sense of the Word.
SENSATION At WASHINGTON
CAUSED BY EDITOR MEDILL'S DE-
MAND FOR AN AyENGING WAR.
Views of Archbishop Ireland, Justice
Harlan and Others-Indiscreet
Catholic Priest Rebuled.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-Joseph Medill's
editorial in the Chicago Tribune this morn
ing, announcing that we are in state of
war, have been in that unhappy condition
ever since the Maine explosion and that
there should be an end Of the talk about
accepting a cash indemnity in full satisfac-
ton for the loss Of 26O American seamen
and an American battle ship, created a
great sensation in Washington to-day, for
it was telegraphed to Eastern papers and
was generally read at the capital. AS tele-
graphed here, Mr.. MedilPs declaration of
war reads:
1.-The time is past for conjectures as to
whether there is to be war with Spain.
There is war now. It will not commence
when Congress declares war. 1t began
when Spain blew up the Maine in the
harbor of Havana Any declaration of war
that Congress may make will be merely an
announcement that this country is ready to
administer to the countrymen of the Alva
condign punishment for an act of perfidy
more atrocious than any ever committed.
1t has been determined beyond shadow of
doubt that the act of Spaniards destroyed
the Maine and murdered her crew.
'Trhere is but one thing to be done.
When the President is ready he must let
Congress know. Then it will slip the
American dogs of war. 1t will net take
the Spaniards long to learn how the Amer
leans can punish crime which none but
Spaniards or Asiatics could have perpe-
trated. The Spanish fleets must be swept
from the seas. Spain must be driven out of
the West Indies and be compelled to aban-
don all its claims to Cuba and Porto Rico.
Spain must be made to suffer. The
pride of the Dons must be humbled to
the dust. 1t has shed. too much innocent
blood. 1t has burned Jews 1t has mas
sacred Hollan9ers. Not content with the
reputation for atchess villainy gained by
past misdeeds, it has assassinated Amer
lean seamen sleeping at peace i'll one of it's
ports. There is no answer to that but an
avenging war. So let there be an end of
talk in the newspapers or elsewhere about
money settlement-so many millions for
the ship and SO many millions on account of
the murdered seamen.'
This fiery expression of Mr.. MedilPs ac~
centuated the nervousness of Republican
congressman, who had been giving serious
thought to the future in the event an in
demnity proposition should be made on be-
half of this country and accepted by Spain.
Democrats seized on the suggestion and
II
campaign next summer and fall in which a
scoring of the administration would play
leading and winning parts. 1t was an ex-
citing and eXhilarating theme all along the
line, affording members of every party food
for speculation, tinctured with some uneas-
mess The President hears this talk and
pursues the even tenor of his way apparent
ly unmoved by the worries of emotion that
sway the average man.
a near and dear friend of the President
who just came from long conversation
with him, said to your correspondent this
afterncon: "It would be well for people who
are clamoring for war, and letting their
voices take the place of reason, to think
what war means. 1t means the clash of two
great fleets, with possibility that we may
suffer defeat instead of victory at the out
set. 1t means the sending of a green army
into Cuba and the expenditure of a vast
treasure. The chance Of a defeat in the first
naval battle and a certainty that a war
would cost an immense sum of money,
might not deter us from engaging promptly
in the contest, but it cannot be forgotten
that in the event of war with Spain we
would have to send 200 900 or 300. 900 soldiers
into Cuba, and that this soldiery would
comprise the flower of American youth and
manhood. Out of this 100000 or 300, 900 young
men, probably a 100000 would be cut down
by disease and Spanish butchery. This is
sacrifice that may well cause us to move
with the greatest deliberation and to make
us wish to resort to almost any expense
rather than plunge into armed strife. OF the
100 O0O men who might be sacrificed would be
numbered members of a 100000 families.
Once engaged in this struggle there would
ha M hacking ont The President hoe baap
through one war, and he knows what it
means. There is a grim reality about it to
him, and he cannot bring his eyes to the
horror which viii ensue when the word is
once given to let lose the forces OF de-
struction. Nevertheless, if the Nations
honor is involved, and if there should arise
actual cause for war, the President will not
be found wanting. He is a patriot in the
broadest sense of the term, and the honor
of the Nation is absolutely safe in his
hands
An Associated Press dispatch says: "a
member of the Cabinet. in speaking to-day
of the attitude of the President on the
question Of a war with Spain, said: ''Presi-
deLt Mckinley is giving thoughtful and
earnest consideration to every phase of the
Cuban situation as it appears, but he will
not be 1ingoed into war or act in anticipa-
tion of events which may never occur. He
fully realizes what war means, and will not
so to this last dreadful extremity without
the approval of his conscience and a firm
conviction that such a course would be
right in the eyes of God and of man. But
whenever the honor and integrity of the
Nation or Of its people become violated, the