The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-19
II Is That Acquisition viii Open Up New
Markets 10 Merchants.
CUMMINGS AND ABE LINCOLN.
Former Held Copy For Lincoln While Latter Read
Proof Of the First Spssoh He Ever
Made In New York.

NEW YORK, Oct. Of Special. Amos
Cummings, member Of the national house
of representatives from one OF the New
York districts and candidate for re'elec-
r tion on the Democratic side, has drawn u
good deal of attention TO himself by his re-
Gently published letter espousing the i'm
perialstic policy so called, and declaring
in favor Of Uncle Sans holding all he has
his hands on, including every island OF
the Philippine archipelago
Though this Is not the avowed policy of
his party, Mr.. Cummings past record has
been in entire accord with this letter. Ho
voted for the addition Of Hawaii, and he
has always cast his influence in favor OF
what is known as a jnRo policy. In this
respect Cummings has shown himself an
apt pupil of his journalistic master, the
late Charles A. Dana, with whom and un-
der whom he worked for many years, first
on The Tribune as compositor, when
Dana was Greeley's managing editor, and
later as reporter, special writer, managing
editor and correspondent on The sun and
first editor of The Evening Sun In the
DAYS when Dana, in the flower of his sue
cess, was the leading spirit in The sun
Office.
Tammnny Indorses Cummings.
Ii may interest some readers who do
not often see or hear of Tammany's daily
newspaper organ, owned, or at least back
ed, by Richard Croker himself, to know
that it unreservedly indorses the position
taken by Mr.. Cummings. This is pretty
conclusive proof that the guiding star of
Tammany Hall is as thoroughly in favor
of territorial acquisition AS any one In the
United States, despite tho noncommittal
platform of the party in this state. And
IL is probably true, were vote taken to-
day, every voter in the Greater New York
being obliged to cast ballot, that the ma
jority would be found like minded. Later
there may be q change, but that Is almost
certainly the sentiment today.
What to do with the islands OF the sea
after we get full possession of them and
how to govern them Is another question
upon which there Is by no means a con-
cord of opinion here. Nor is there much
similarity in the reasoning by which the
majority of New Workers have arrived at
the conclusion that we should keep the is
lands Business men generally, especially
manufacturers and merchants engaged In
foreign trade, believe In expansion be-
cause il will tend TO increase the volume
of trade and the demand for American
goods. Workingmen, whose interests are
identical with their manufacturing en-
ployers, believe in the imperial doctrine
for the same reasons, and these great
classes make up very respectable proper
tion of the whole. AS yet, however, the
mass of imperialists so called hold TO their
views chiefly or solely for sentimental rea-
sons, and 1t will be n long time probably
before the question Is thoroughly digested
and understood by the public mind.
Cummings and Lincoln.
1t is a pity that Cummings does not be-
stir himself and write book of remi-
niscences. Such volume from him would
be most informing and entertaining. His
memory gossip OF the days when Dana
was at his best, his recollections as print
er of Horace Greeley, his impressions, mel
lowed by time, OF the hundreds of eminent
men he has met In the journalistic capac-
ity--all these are well worth preservation
between covers, and for the sake of the
general fund of knowledge of affairs his
friends should persuade him TO undertake
the suggested work.
some of the stories that Cummings
could tell have already been in print of
course, and here is the skeleton of one
which no certainly should give To the pub
lie. His full and detailed version of it
would cast new light upon tho character
of a man whose memory Cummings, like
most good Americans, holds in profound
est reverence. Some time prior to his
nomination for the presidency Abraham
Lincoln then known I'm the east only -
i,e adroit western dcbater who had met
Vouglas i'm one of the most memorable
series of oratorical encounters ever known,
came to New York TO deliver some sort of
an address Inasmuch as he had yet 10
win his spurs before New York crowd
the speech was written out in full, and
after Its delivery the manuscript was Civ
en- to Tribune reporter for publication
I'm that journal
Readers who have seen facsimiles Of
Mr.. Linooln's handwriting do not need To
be told that, although not nearly so bad
rs Greeley's, yet 10 was not like copper
plate by any means, and that IL would be
easy for newspaper printers to make griov.
Gus errors I'm setting it up. At oil ovonts,
Mr.. Lincoln felt by no means sure his
speech would appear accurately In Tho
Tribune In the morning unless the proof
was properly read. Accordingly, ho be-
took himself to the Office of the paper late
at night I'm order to read 10 himself After
somo delay IL was arranged that he might
do this, and Cummings, then employed In
The Tribune composing room, was detail
cd to hold the copy whilo tho future pPesi-
dent scanned the galleys.
An Angel tnawares.
Cummings had no intuitlons regarding
the future that night as he was sitting in
Tho Tribune Office holding copy while tho
comparatively unknown western orator
read tho proof Of his speech. The printer
could not forcscc that the tall, gaunt
somewhat uncouth man by his side was
destined TO be tho official head Of the re-
public during It's period Of greatest stress.
He could not look with the eyes Of a
prophet into tho coming years and behold
the sea Of blood that was soon 90 sweep
over the land lie had no notion that in