Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-23
A RIGHTEOUS WAR.

New Time, IL " the strongest article
we have seen on the war and Is well
worth your c'reful perusal;
Those earnest but short-eighted
friends who fear that ,he war is 60
lug TO retard the reform movement
should consider the fact that the wal
Is part Of the reform movement, Ger
tain people who proclaim themselves
socialists and who denounce In harsh
and unOrotherly terms all who favor
war as the price Of Cuban liberty should
reflect that this war Is the grandest
example of socialism yet given IN this
century, The state, the government,
the nation Is performing colossal duty
which no indi ,idual or combination OF
individuals 10 authorized or competent
to do
Those friends of the initiative and
referendum and advocates of majority
rule who are so bitterly opposing the
war should take into consideration the
unquestioned fact that at least seventy
Ave per cent of the American people
are in favor of this war, Are they pre-
pared to repudiate their oft-repeated
assertions that the will Of the people
shall be Obeyedp l would not
give much for a "reform movement"
which can be retarded by blow struck
for human liberty.
The eternal and memorable law Of
evolution decreed that this war should
come and that the grasp Of SPAN
should be torn from the throat Of her
island possessions. The destruction
Of the Maine was but an incident which
FASTENED the inevitable conflict. The
money interests of tins country and of
the world we're soldly arrayed on the
side Of dshonorable peace. The
Rothschilds hurled their enormous In
huence against war, but the sentiment
Of the people was too strong, The as
ISOLATED banks petitioned the president
| for peace.
Mckinley dared not hold out against
the almost unanimous demand of the
common people and reluctantly obeyed
their command.
The plea that we should turn deaf
ear to the starving people of Cuba be-
cause our own citizens are oppressed
sounds strange coming from those who
preach the brotherhood Of man. In all
but name Cuba Is part of this coun-
try.
Certainly INSCRIPTIONS men will rob
the people while the war is In progress
Bankers will scheme for bond issues
Spectators will fatten at the expense
OF the people. What Of itY That is
their business, They do it in times OF
peace. Labor produces everything and
war does not change this rule.
cannot outgr0w prejudice that a
citizenship In this country is worth
having and defending. This is
our country. 1t is and it will be just
that which the people make it. We
have at our command the means to
remedy every evil. The franchise Is an
asset worth fighting for If necessary.
| do not own much Of this country, but
it is my home Every fond memory of
the past, every struggle and pleasure of
the present, and all hopes of the future
are conferred in this country, and | can
not measure patriotism by the acre or
enter 1t on a bank account.
The phantom of a standing army is
ever before some of our friends. They
fear that the capitalists are plotting
for u vast standing army with which to
protect their property and subjugate
the masses Go read your histories.
When did big standing army long
hold the masses in checkY How about
the history of RomeH How about the
standing army Of France in the days of
the revolutionH Today Germany has
a standing army Of 100000 men, and
1915, 900 Of them are socialists. Nearly
half Of the officers are avowed socialists
The same is true in France, Does the
standing army Of England menace her
workmeng
No standing army, great or small,
ever did or ever will subjugate people
fit for freedom.
We are told that there are greater
issues than Cuban liberty confronting
the people. True. And who is going
to settle themp The men who are now
ready to give up their lives for their
country are the men who are going to
grapple with the mighty problems now
forcing to the front, The boy who Is
now sleeping on the wet southern camp
ing grounds or who is speeding across
the Pacific may not know much about
direct legislation and may not
know that plotters are conspiring tc