Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-24

uu6 Cdubo. WAT always 10 JH0 COubulI
m4LiOn Of savagery. 1t turns loose all
the devilish instincts that have been
haIb inactive in the souls of men
through line Of ancestry from the
time their forefathers hung head down
ward. from the treetOps by caudal ap
penGage not then shed. Crimes that
are punishable, In time Of peace, by life
sentence in the penitentiary, ara Wis
tied upon enemies or their families and
no passing note is taken of it. Com
paratively few seem to- realize what war
means In these closing years Of the 10Th
century. The loss of life in the Civil
war was multiplied many times when
compared with wars wrich had pre-
ceeded 10. The principal difference in
infantry equipment then was that t ey
were armed with cap and cartridge in
stead Of flint lock and powder horn.
Now they have repeating rifle that
will easily throw ten or fifteen shots
with double accuracy in the same time.
This sOnly An example OF deadly lin
prOvement" of all The machinery OF
war.
All these considerations should be
weighed carefully
OF course the United States must
maintain her honor and standing
among nations. She must not allow
her affairs tritled with. She must show
that she is able and prepared TO defend
herself and her rights, for with present
semi-baI OarOus ideas of nations and
people, she would, like the new boy at
school who won't fight, be victim for
every bully that can jDstle against her.
There is no nation claiming to he
civilized that has a more ignOminious
history than Spain. Often in war, she
can boast no assuring victories. A ma
ton OF fighters, she has no heroes. A
people prone to conquest, and at one
time through right of discovery, a little
fighting, marriage and other accidents
she claimed dominion over fairer fields
and broader territories than any other
nation has ever done and lost all of it,
with its glOries, by uncomfortable ty-
ranny and resulting revolutions frOught
with Cruelties and treaChery without
parallel elsewhere In history. Think.
ing upon these things, upon suffering
Cuba, upon the most suspicious disas-
ter of the N inc, upon the indifferent
or insOlent bearing OF the Soanish in
Cuba concerning 1t, it is difficult for
Uncle Sam to "hOld his hosses."
But it is certain the present admin.
istratiOn will be conservative enough
in dealing with the situation. They do
not like to offend the holders of those
S40O, 100000 Spanish bonds issued
againstCuba. Then too, war would
soon reduce this country to straits for
which would imperiI the gold
standard. The indications at present
appear to show that the Maine was
blown up by some one from the out
side. The authenticity of the report
that the magazines of the Maine are
intact and have not exploded is not sub
stantiated but it seems to be generally |
as true. If it is true it is
evident that some Spaniard is respOn-
5ible. Then the question is whether it
was an accidental discharge Of a gov
9rnment mine or the discharge of one
BY some fanatic or by government su-
Shorlty, or whether it was done by a
torpedo. That a government mine
could be accidentally discharged is not |
plausible. That it might be discharged |
by fanatic" is almost equally so.
It is sure that the fanatic" must in
that instance be high in authority, |
FOR none others would have the knoWl-
edge to do it. 1t might be done by |
some Weylerites who have entered a
to get the Spanish govern
nentintO war with the United States,
get whipped and then in the general
1verturn, in the popular aversion to the
present ministry and dynasty, issue a
coup" In which Weyler would attempt |
10 place himself in authority. Recent
manifestations of popular feeling in
Spain is the chief thing that points to-
ward such a plan. In our opinion the
result will be that in case the court of |
inquiry should find that the explosion
was outside the ship, the United States
will demand a proper indemnity for the
damage done, which will either be paid
Or peaceably settled in some way.