The times., 1898-04-04
WORDS OF CONTEMPLATION.
Sincere Praise of The Times From
II Political Opponent.

To the Editor of The Times:
1 am and have always been a Republi-
can, and have often wondered why there
was not published in this city thorough
Republican newspaper, even during the
periods of Republican national admins
tration and deprecated the absence of
one, because i accordance with nature it
is agreeable to read papers whose edito
rfals vie with our Individual political feel
ings, particularly during political times
or the prevalence of any crisis concern
ing affairs of our country. But while that
void still exists IN Washington's jour
nalistic list / join my Republican fellows
and comrades in thanks to the fates that
We have a paper within the short shad-
ows of the Executive Mansion that fully
meets our views and expresses the senti-
ment of the whole American people ex-
cept the Wall Street holders of Spanish
bonds and campaign creditors on the
question the solution of which will deter
mine whether we are what the original
and familiar document written in Phila>
deIphia in 1776 intended we should be or
are rapidly approaching a condition of
monarchical despotism worse than that
II.
There is but one answer to the sentl-
ment expressed in your paper on the
American Spanish question and that an
swer is spontaneous, verbatim echo
from an insulted and outraged people
| whose patience is we'll nign exhausted.
Six weeks ago the American battleship
Maine, of the finest and newest bat
| tleships of the first rate of our Navy, a
| model of modern naval architecture and
| Ix-ftn fhra hlTro 6r,.l Won
American sailors on board was destroyed
| in the twinkling of an eye in the harbor
| of Havana by an explosion under her bow
| at an hour in the night when her crew
| had retired to their hammocks. The
place, time, means of destruction and
| other circumstances of the horrible oc-
eurrence, coupled with the demonstrated
| hatred Of Americans by the Spanish in
| Havana, and their threats to destroy the
Maine, pointed at once TO Spanish treach-
cry and one of the blackeSt deeds that
history records. From this summary
| The Times forecasts the result OF the
Naval Court of Inquiry which was imme-
| diately appointed by the Secretary of the
| Navy. Five weeks were consumed in the
| investigation by this board, whose report
| delivered to the Secretary of the Navy,
was by him submitted to the President.
| Then follow several Cabinet meetings or
consultations Senator Hanna, the chief
motorman of the Wall Street Spanish
bond holders 'peace-at-any-price" ma
chine made numerous calls accompanied
by the attorney for and members of this
money changing gang. After this, brief
! synopsis of the report was submitted to
Congress, with a final dictated paragraph
stating that the court had been unable to
obtain evidence fixing the responsibility
for the destrI ction of the Maine upon any
person or persons.
This finishing touch has very much the
odor of suspicion of being condition up
| on which Sagasta consented that the re-
port be sent TO Congress after his threat
that such a disposition of it would be
considered an affront to the dignity 90
and honor % of Spain. The paragraph
was superfluous matter, for even in the
! synopsis of the report sufficient evidence
is contained to fully and plainly locate
the responsibility and points unmistaka-
bly, to Spanish authority and Spanish
guilt.
The President. in his messages alleges
that after the explosion tributes of grief
and sympathy were offered from all OFF,
cial quarters of the island" That Is
Spanish-and, it may be added, hilarity
and Joy ran rampant in every quarter of
Havana, the bodies or brave American
seamen floating in the harbor were
cursed and called food for vultures and
=,
hooted at by Spanish eXcursionists and
| her flag fired at. American sailors were
insuted and told TO send another ship to
Havana for the same fate.
| In the face of all this our President is
trying, by advice of his Wall Street
friends and his grinning friend Sasasta
to have the people consider the destruc-
ton of the Maine matter closed by the
transmission of the report of the Court OF
| Inquiry to Congress and hopes the Senate
and House of Representatives Will st
consider ii.
Mr. Editor continue the truthful story
| as YOU are telling it, invite communica
tions and you will have barrels of letter:
= of patriotic sentiment, condemning th'
tardy un-American course of the Admin
istration. The people are not willing tina
! a modern warship costing millions o
: their money be sent to the bottom of Ha
vana's harbor by Spanish order, unno
ticed They are not willing to let go un
t noticed and unpunished the cowardly per
2 petrator OF the murder in the night o
two hundred and siXty-siX brave Ameri
: can seamen of our Navy; they are no
willing to have fifty millions of thei
i money placed in the hands of the Presi
| dent to pay to contractors in mocl
: preparation for war which he com
: mands the Congress to avoid at the sac
: | ri6ce of American honor and bravery
, they are not willing to be placed befor
> the civilized world as towards They de
OF