Pleasantville weekly press., 1898-06-08
a LETTER FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
dill uar and Cold Weather Effect the
Summer Travel? !?
now LONG MILL The war WITH SPAIN LAST
The POLITICAL BATTLE In PENNSYLVANIA
AND JOHN wANAMAKER's CAMPAIGN
LOCAL GIANTS WILLING TO BE sACRI-
FICED.

The war scare and the dull cold weather
has doubtless kept some people away
from this city, and the question: is widely
discussed as to what the effect will be II
both should continue. The weather will,
think, be the principal factor in the
problem, for do not consider the danger
OF a visit from Spanish warships hardly
worth mentioning in view of their prob
ably being deposited on the bottom of
the possibly before these lines ap-
pear in print. A few shots, put "where they
will do the most good" by Sampson and
Schley, will make Atlantic City as safe
from Spanish depreciation as a residence
on top of the Allegheny Mountains. 1t
seemed entirely natural, at first, that the
seashore resorts would suffer, for of
course it seemed reasonable that war
ship might sail up to our coast, any
where, and do some mischief. However
much there might have been disposition
to do 80, the events of the last two
weeks have conclusively proven that the
Dons will have plenty to do to take care
of themselves without attempting the
bombardment of Atlantic City. There
fore, | predict, we shall not be bonn
barded with shot and shell, but with
beer kegs and pretty girls with short
bathing-dresses and other attractions
that we can face without flinching.
The duration of the war is a theme
for much speculation and opinions
widely differ. There are some who
think the present difficulty is only the
beginning of great and almost univer-
sal war that will eventually draw in all
nations-and perhaps end in what the
Bible calls the Battle of Armageddon.
More, however, incline to the opinion
that we can trounce the naughty
Spaniards in good style before snow
falls, and some expect the end of the
war before September. / am inclined to
number myself among the latter class
for several reasonable principal one
being that Spain is practically bank
rupt and otherwise demoralizedand only
wants reasonable pretext to abandon
the war which in any event must prove
a losing game in the end. If another
Dewey can be found in Sampson, Schley,
or somebody else, who wants to quit
playing at war and put in some real
hard knocks, and is allowed to do so,
the war will soon be ended, and Cuba
and Porto Rico will be captured terri
tory. When this is done Uncle Sam
will not be anxious to continue the dis
turbance merely to help the money
lenders and those who want to profit
by fat contracts. There should not be
any useless sacrifice of life even though
the Boys are willing to go by the mil
lion if need be to defend the honor of the
country. When, however, the armed
conflict ceases there will be another fight
on hand but it will not be waged by
armored ships and big guns. 1t will be
fought upon the land with the jawbones
of many asses and the music of the
chin will resound in various parts of
the country, Pennsylvania has already
started the battle to "do up" one set of
political bosses for the reason that the
first set won't let the second set have
their own way. The merchant
Prince" John Wanamaker, has been
rejected by convention of his fellow
Republicans for the Office of Governor of
the glorious old commonwealth, but
that does not surprise him or his friends.
He made q wonderful canvass and de-
monstrated the fact that he has few
equals in the country as q campaign
orator. He surprised his most ardent
friends, and ratified" his enemies and
it goes without saying that they
don't want him turned loose on
them again. He uttered no word
of abuse toward them, but he told
the truth ft ftarlessly as he believed it,
and the effect of his campaign will be felt
hereafter. He stated publicly that he did
not want the office but that he stood for
better men and better methods than the
men who are at the head of affairs at
the present time. What his future course
will be cannot be foreshadowed, just
now, but we may rest assured that it
will be consistent with principle and
honor. What President John Wanna
maker would make, and how the thieves
and scamps would hunt for a hiding
place Mr.. Wanamaker is q reformer
who believes in reform. He proved that
when he was Postmaster-Ge General and
held the contractors up to their con-
tracts and compelled them to do the
work they had agreed to do. He was
not hard upon them for the sake of
being so, but he was upright and be-
lieved in conducting his department upon
business principles for the benefit of. the
government. If he lives he may yet be
Governor or something higher, for John
Wanamaker is an intellectual giant. l
cannot shut off steam upon this topic
without calling attention to the intel
lectual giants right in our very midst.
The sand is full of them. Measured by
themselves, Mr.. Wanamaker does not
loom up above them, and not one of
them could be induced to say that he
didn't want to be GOvernor-no not upon
your life. They are too liberal and un-
selfish for anything like that. On the
contrary they are so full of patriotism,
and other fluids, that they will fight like
8 regiment of cats for almost any old
Office that happens to be lying around.
As rule our office-holders and seekers
are clever, good-natured collection of
gentlemen who feel that they self
sacrificing lot Of citizens who deserve en-
good salary with small amount Of
work. Some, who like ex-senator In
gals, are in the list of Statesmen out of
q job" are willing, SO hear, to buckle
on the arm0r and be sacrificed some
more.
At the head of the list is, so hear, our
beloved fellow-citizen, State Senator
Samuel D. Hoffman, who is willing that
the lightning shall hit him for third
term, noble man that be is. I do not
send you this, Mr.. Editor as strictly
original news, for everybody knows it
&nd hear that there are some Republi-
cans who are not wildly enthusiastic
over it-among whom might mention
Sam. Kelley, Lew. Donnelly, Lew.
Evans, and Harry Leeds and several
Others who are willing to be sacrificed,
themselves, toS TIE good of theState.