davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-02-20
The Education OF Spain.

Some time ago, from the -Administra-
tons Chicago megaphone, issued the
statement that President McKinley's
idea in this Spanish situation was that
of the true diplomat. He will went
on the Washington correspondent OF
that newspaper, put upon Spain just
so much as she can bear, and no more,
with full consciousness of the fact that
as We come nearer and nearer to actual
| intervention, by one step after anoth-
| er, the Spanish mind will be gradually
| educated to endure the crisis without
| explosion" In view of recent events
this prediction is piece of grim humor
too good to lose. Educational methods
have been used on the American people
ever since Mr. Hanna appeared on the
scene. He was impressed with the
great and mighty idea that the Amer
ican people needed educating. and he
proceeded. accordingly, TO educate
them. But it has been reserved for
President Mckinley to extend this
school teaching to the Spaniards
Spain is rather an old country COM
pared to the State of Ohio, and other
nations have generally considered her
old enough to know how to behave but
President Mckinley saw deeper. He
saw that If he introduced the subject
of Cuban freedom suddenly the Spanish
mind was likely TO explode, and so he
decided to let in the light gradually
so that it would not hurt so much.
This reminds the reflective observer of
several things, among others, of the
man who amputated his dogs tail an
inch at time. 1t not only hurt the
dog, but caused considerable suffering
to all the people within earshot of the
operation But President Mckinley
persevered He e-had MIR. De LONE edu-
Gated UP TO the point of taking dinner
at the White House without becoming
disjofnted, and with little more train
ing the Spanish diplomat might have
had a seat in the Senate, or something.
But the unhappy disclosure of the
Canalejas letter came before the Pres
ident was ready to award dii Tomas, and
while. of course. Mr.. Mckinley did not
cali that an explosion, he had to admit
that it was perceptible noise. And
now, IN dnOtner week, comes Itle fia-
vana disaster and it is time to beg
President Mckinley to cease his educa-
tionai methods. Either he is on the
wrong tack or he has been Civ
ing too large doses of unaccus-
toned knowledge for the Spanish
mind to endure. Educational meth
DDS for the benefit of Spaniards
which result in making our ma
ton q laughing stock to the dip
lomatic world, and in the violent
death of two hundred and fifty Amer
lean sailors in one holocaust, are too
expensive for the American nation at
present to sustain. II the President is
really in need of something or some
body to educate. he might get book
on diplomacy and begin with his State
Department. But the present state OF
affairs bears a likeness to that little
scene enacted by the Irishman who
went to give his pony medicine by
blowing il into the animals mouth
through a tube. The pony blew first.
The times., 1898-02-20
The Truth .

The man who, handicapped by his en-
tironment, is brave enough to stand
out for Americanism, liberty and hu-
manity, is not one TO be harshly crit
icised for slight mistake but Senator
Mason made one on Friday which we
are sure he viii regret when he comes
to think about it, and explain away
at the earliest opportunity
We do not believe that in his remarks
on the floor, Mr.. Mason really intended
TO say what a careful analysis of his
words would convey. When he said
that great many people had lost con-
fidence in some Of the departments of
the Government, and perhaps in the
Navy Department, MIR. Mason did
something which might appear to justi-
fy his enemies in accusing him of an
attack upon the American Navy itself.
q thing which we are sure he did not
intend. Even his language. as applied
To the department, as distinguished
from the sea service OF the nation, is
open to the same criticism; but as
part of it, Secretary Long and his Of
flee must accept some of the odium
which attaches to the whole of the Ad-
ministration.
This may be hard and unkind, but in
times like these, it is difficult to differ
entiate a segment from the circle. In
any case we hope and believe that SEN
ator Mason will take the earliest pos
sible opportunity to disclaim any inten-
tional reflection on the Navy. That is
one of the few things which We have
left OF our old Anglo-Saxo fighting
character. 1t is all right. and ready at
any minute to go down to death for the
flag. Nobody doubts that, while every
body is shamefully conscious that the
same cannot be said of many ether
American elements.
IL is the Administration as an en-
tirety that is on trial at the bar of
American public opinion today. If Sen
ator Mason or anybody else will devote
himself to exposing the scandals and
corruptions that exist in that quarter,
with scarcely an attempt to cover them
up, no decent American VIII find any
fault with him. Applied to that power,
his assertion that pertinent facts are
being concealed from the country is
too notorious a truth TO be affected by
the impassioned eloQuence Of Mr.. VOL
cott, or of any statesman who thinks
The times., 1898-02-20

The policy Of the Administration in
its Spanish relations is a simple and
single minded one. 1t is summed up in
three words: Peace with dishonor.
1t is the policy of peace at all times,
under all circumstances, under all in
suits, at all hazards, at any price-and
always with dfshonor
Does anybody suppose for an instant
that MIR. Mckinley would plunge de-
voted country into the horrors of war
with pitiful. rotten, bankrupt
state like Spain merely for senti-
mental reasons? 1t may be dis
agreeable to reflect that American
citizens have, been tortured to
death in Cuban prisons 1t may
be unpleasant to know that other
Americans have been tied to trees and
hacked TO pieces with machetes. Our
moral sentiments may be agitated by
the thought that, within sight of our
shores, prisoners. hospital inmates and
non-combatants have been butchered
during the past two years! But what
do these things amount to?
1t is not that all American traditions
and precedents, and the unquestioned
oanons Of international law have made
it mandatory upon us to exercise the
rights Of our position, whether as q
party interested or as the dominant
civilized power of the Western Hemi-
sphere, and stop the sickening atrocf-
ties of the war of Spain in Cuba, 1t
is that any such course would depress
the interests of the people who own the
Spanish-Cuban bonds. and who. be-
cause of that ownership, found it
profitable to contribute some millions
to the election of Mr. Mckinley in 1896.
We have often charged this. The
friends Of the Administration do not,
cannot and dare not deny it.
1t is the rock bottom basis of Amer
lean shame and disgrace today 1t is
the foundation Of our national policy of
peace with dishonor.
The times., 1898-02-20

IL necessary to attitudiniZa for the COM
fort of the campaign contributors.
For example, Mr.. Mason might with
propriety have attacked the Admins
tration for its cowardly conduct in
connection with the Maine disaster
Without the slightest hesitation. We
charge that Mr.. Mckinley has good Of
ficial reason, to believe that the Maine
was blown up by a submarine mine,
and that it was the work of a Span
lard. Yet ne does not dare to say 50.
The reason for this. however dis
graceful, is obvious. Ii is epitomized
in the short, sharp sentence of Sena-
tor Hanna, the one individual who
rules America. lie has said: 1T was
an accident" Any delay, while the
wreck is sinking into the mud of Ha-
bottom of the ship, and the causes of
its destruction thereby will be made
correspondingly difficult Of detection.
Senator Mason should confine his
patriotic attention to such considera-
tions, and recogniZepthe difference be-
tween them and the position held by
the officers and men of our Navy. He
knows, and the country knows, that
the gallant and fated officers and
crew of the Maine were living
for three weeks in monentary eN-
pectatien of what actually happened.
But not a word of complaint or pro-
test was heard from the doomed ship.
The poor boys knew what WAS coming,
but they went to their frightful death
with the heroism of American sailors.
Under the present, regime their
treacherous massacre Is not likely to
oe avenged. Any action in that line
would depress stocks and destroy the
value of Spanish bonds. So we shall
learn at the last, as the dominant fac
tor in the national problem puts it:
1t was an accident
The times., 1898-02-20

A Kansas literary society is going to de-
bate the question, rs it hot or cold where
Andree is now" 1t might at first sight
appear that this is one-sided debate. but
on further consideration ii becomes evil
dent that the person who uphods the the
eloquence and burning metaphor such as
can only be grown on Kansas soil Mr.
Andree will receive roast of the lveli-
est description. 1t will be pointed out
that having no earthly reason for want
ing to discover such useless spot as the
North Pole, Mr.. Andree is spending his
days as an Improbable servant and chaf
fit for the burning. Instead of running
for Congress, conducting dry goods en-
porium, or lecturing on temperance, he
has gone off there on useless expedition
conducting to nothing in the world but his
own fame and glory-and profit. Should
he perish in the pursuit Of this ungodli
ness, therefore ii is safe to conclude that
he will experience a change of climate
sudden as to be startling. That is the
line which may be taken quite easily by
the Kansas orator, and his imagina-
tion will have free rein, and nobody can
disprove anything that he says. without
laying himself open to grave suspicion,
he will be happy, and his speech great
All that the man on the other side can
do is to stick to fact-cold fact.
The times., 1898-02-20

There is q lively protest in the editorial
columns of the Savannah News against
the reckless way in which small children
are allowed to ride bicycles in the streets
of that city, and an instance is given OF
a lady who, when collision with a little
girl on n wheel seemed imminent, heroic
ally took the risk of serious injury to her
self and made a turn which threw her
to the ground, the fall resulting in some
bad bruises There is not very much of
this sort of thing in Washington, and
there should be less. Children who are
not old enough to take care of themselves
should not be allowed in the streets either
on bicycles or velocipedes, and children
of all ages should be taught to keep out
of the way of others and refrain from
'dares'' and rivalries which result in
electric ear accidents, drowning accidents
and a dozen other happenings of the kind.
In many large cities, however, play
grounds for the children seem to be the
last thing thought of. Land may be
held for a rise in price, while the sur
rounding lots are crowded with tenement
houses. money can be raised to build ad-
ditioual churches, which are used one
day in the week and closed for the other
six, but when it comes to providing a
playground on which the children of the
poor can have some chance to breathe
The times., 1898-02-20
One Hone Left.

From the Chicago Times Herald)
A farmer whose son was an applicant
for position under the Government. but
had been repeatedly turned down, said:
well, it's hard luck, but John has
missed that civil service examination
again. 1t looks like they just won't have
him.
What was the trouble?''
''Well, he wuz short on spellin' an
geography, an sorter backward on his
tory, an missed purity fur in mathema-
tics" 81 iii
whats he going to do about it?
81 dunno. Times AIR mighty hard, an
reckon he'll have to go back ter teachin
school for a livmr' ~
The times., 1898-02-20

There is nothing in this world like orig
inaiity and some of its manifestations
make us glad that there is not any more
of it. The latest advices in regard TO
American inventive genius are to the eff
feet that somebody in Portland. Oregon.
has devised plan 10 make kitchen uten-
sile convertible into musical instruments,
and vice versa. Thus. n mandolin. by re-
moving keys and strings, will be made 10
answer for stew PAN the guitar for a
ham boiler, and the banjo for a grid
iron. The various wnd instruments could
be used to keep milk in, and the bass
drum would, upon occasion. make an ex-
cellent flour barrel. This Western in
ventor seems to have. thought it all out
and 1t is mysterious how he could, be-
cause it has been supposed that the great
West had roomF enopgh for. everybody
without cooping families up into three
room flats. These Inventions have almost
been duplicated "a Harlem F1snos have
been used as refrigefators, and box
couches as coal bins. before now. so that
the flat-dwellers slept every night upon
a literal bed OF coal. The bati-tub has
been used as a repository for groceries.
and the escritoire served as a sideboard
and pantry. But weary hat-dwellers
have been given to understand that there
were no such horrors as these out West.
What does this Portland Oregonian
mean? Is he reduced by stern necessity
to this invention, or is he simply indulg-
ing in a flight of imagination to see
what he can do? 1t he trying TO glorify
familiar objects after the manner of
those disciples of Oscar Wilde who gid
ed gridirons for parlor ornaments and
made vases out of lamp-chimneys? What
in the world is the matter with him? But
suppose his invention were really to be
adopted, think of the state of things
There seldom is more than one musical
member in a family, and there seldom is
more than one cook These two ele-
ments, the esthetic and the practical.
would be constantly at war Laurence
Augustus would be chasing Mary Ann
every time he wanted TO play the banjo,
and would howl because it smelled of
fish, and Mary Ann would walk into the
parlor at inopportune moments and de-
mand the mandolin to cook the potatoes
for dinner. Go TO, benighted inventor go
to any place you like, but DO not come
here.
The times., 1898-02-20
THE TINES WASHINGTON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 90 1898

fresh air and take wholesome exercise,
the town becomes economical. Sunday
schools are all very well. but except in
Sunday-school book, sick child is not
usually a good Child. Public buildings
are all very welf buttt is, after all, more
important that the future citizens of the
republic should grow up intelligent and
good so far as sthe fepravity Of human
nature will admiS thai, that the legislator
should walk on . marble floor and sit in
gorgeously upholstered chairs If chill
dren have nothing else TO do and nowhere
else to go. they will play in the street,
and unless the street3s quiet and semi
suburban street it is d bad place for them
to be.
The times., 1898-02-20

A statement lately made by Prince Bis
marck in regard TO his neuralgia opens
a field for very interesting discussion.
The Prince is reported to have said that
the severe neuralgic pains which he suf-
fers around the cheek bones were quite
natural. because he had sinned in his
life the most with his mouth, In eating
drinking and talking" If there is any
one thing for which Bismarck has been
rightly celebrated, 1t is his frank and
straightforward way of admitting facts
and If. in this remark of his, new
scientific and physiological truth is in
dicated, the number of people VINO may
look for neuralgia in their cheek bones at
some future day includes large per
centaEe of mankind.
The times., 1898-02-20
1t Could BE Saved,

(From the Cleveland Plain DeaIer.)
1t is estimated that the United States
pays at least half a million of dollars
day to foreign nations to carry its ex
ports and Imports. instead of carrying
them itself in itsrown bottoms and under
its own flag This isnot pleasant thing
10 contemplate. &C. H.
The times., 1898-02-20
His slumbers interrupted

From the New Orleans States.)
We do not violate the confidence of
Mark Hanna when we say that President
Mckinley is not sleeping well OF nights.
The Cuban question is causing him a
great deal more worry than the financial
issue If we are to judge from the raspins
articles which appear in Republican
The times., 1898-02-20
Overlooked.
Ernp, Answers \

A story is told of a certain committee
meeting in which The proceedings COM
menced with noise, and gradually be-
came uproarious AT last one Of the dis
nutant., losing all control over his emo
tions. exclaimed to his opponent:
"Sir, you are the biggest ass that L
ever had the misfortune to set eyes
upon
"Order order!' said the chairman
gravely. sYou seem to forget that l am
in the room"
The times., 1898-02-20

the country want of a new bankruptcy
bill? The McDingiey tariff and the gold
contraction policy would seem to furnish
everything In the way of bankruptcy that
the most insistent intending bankrupt
could ask.
The times., 1898-02-20

The Spanish armored cruiser Vizcaya
rides peacefully at anchor in the harbor
of New York. Nobody on board has the
slightest apprehension as to anything
which might happen III retaliation for the
destruction of the Maine. The people Of
this country do not fight that way. The
mailed hand of the secret assassin is a
Spanish production.
The times., 1898-02-20

The Evening Star found it's Havana
correspondent, got out its delayed extra
and began to tell the truth about the
Maine massacre simultaneously AS the
newsboys.
The times., 1898-02-20

There is a common and consistent
peacefulness about Lord Salisbury and
Mr. Mckinley that suggests consan-
guinity. The latter will not fight Spain
if he can help it, and the former is dis
inclined to notice the chip which France
has knocked off his shoulder in estab-
fishing a French military post in the
British treaty possessions in western
Africa
The times., 1898-02-20
A PenrerhOy salute.

Now renovate the pastepCt.
And sharpen up the shears;
Let admirers of the neuter
Abandon all their fears;
Let that "most unhappy family
Embrace all hands around,
And shout loud hosanna-
For
Pepper
Has
Been
Found.
Get out the Ancient Pepperbox
And fire a brave salute;
Reyanp the joyful fishing horn
And let the whole world toot.
From far-off Santa Clara
To earth's remotest bound
BE extra glad, be happy
For
Pepper
Has
Been
Found.
Get out the bold militia,
With Harries and the boys;
Produce the little German band,
With Kaufman and much NoyeS;
Announce an extra" paper
And keep the newsboyS round;
Declare with glee a gaudy beat
For
Pepper
Has
The times., 1898-02-20
A Gentleman to the Last.

(From the Boston Globe.)
The Louisville man who sent out invi-
tations to his funeral before he committed
suicide must have been real Kentucky
gentleman.
The times., 1898-02-20

1t need not surprise anyone to learn
that again there is a most abie-bodied
story to the effect that the Administra-
ton is attempting to avert war by buy
ing Cuba! The houses OF Rothschild,
Hirsch. Bieichroder and J. P. Morgan
are beginning to fear that the Admins
tration cannot keep the American people
in check. Something radical must be
done. and speedily. The purchase of Gu
ba. the assumption by this country OF
s50G 00O. 900 of Spanish debt. mostly stolen
would be a gaudy thing. 1t remains to
be seen whether or not our Congress and
people would stand it. In the words of
old Zachary Taylor on that great and
glorious occasion, what we really need
just now is, "A little more grape. Capt.
Bragg
The times., 1898-02-20

People are asking themselves why. if
DTeyfus is really guilty and the war
department should have resolved at
length 10 make q clean breast Of all
the secret evidence, both that on which
he was convicted and that obtained
subsequent to his cOurt-martial. it's
chiefs should have waited until this
late stage to reveal it. They have had
plenty of opportunity of doing so pre-
ViOuSly and they We're even offered IL
joint committee of the senate and
chamber of deputies sworn to secrecy.
and to which the war department
could have communicated the secret
evidence against DreyfuS on the under
standing that, il this legislative COM
nittee were satisfied of his guilt the
remainder Of the country would take il
for granted that he was really a traitor
and that nothing more would be heard
about the matter.
Why has the war department waited
until this late stage and permitted the
name, not only of the French army
but Of the French government. and
even Of the entire French nation, to be
dragged into the gutter In connection
with this affair? Why. again. should
two ex-ministers Of justice, one Of
them member of the cabinet, in Of
flee at the time of the Dreyfus court
martial, and who. necessarily, saw ali
the papers, confidential and otherwise.
connected with the case, be among the
lOudest to insist that the ex-captain
was Illegally convicted?
The times., 1898-02-20

SergeaHt-at-Arms Bright, of the Senate,
believes that the way to do a thing is 10
do it. In his mail yesterday morning ne
received a request from the Press Com
mittee asking that separate telephone,
independent of the one connected with the
Senate switchboard, be placed in the
press gallery for the benefit of the corre-
spondents. This was necessary On ac-
count of the rush of other business over
the few wires that connect the Capitol
with the city exchange. The application
was approved by the Committee on Con-
tingent Expenses at 10 o'clock, and ut
noon the contract was made with the
telephone company. At o'clock in the
afternoon the additional telephone was in
order and in thorough connection with
the downtown exchange. The CORE
spondents are correspondingly happy.
The times., 1898-02-20

THE Times is the only really American
paper published at the capital" said Sen
ator Mason yesterday. al am delighted
TO see the way in which it treats the Gu
ban question. 1t is a newspaper after my
own heart, and | hope ii will continue to
prosper The Cuban cause is a righteous
one. and if ever ii had a friend it finds
il in The Times.
The times., 1898-02-20

Members of the Pension Committee of
the Senate have begun TO receive letters
inquiring as TO the pensionable status of
the widows of the victims of the Maine
wreck Senator Gallinger chairman of
the committee, has received many such
letters. The committee is not sure as TO
the law on this point, but there is gen
eral impression that under existing law
those who We're injured and the heirs of
those killed can be pensioned. Whether
this Is so or not, 1t is probable that so
soon as the list of dead is officially pre-
pared a special bill will be introduced TO
care for those dependent upon the vic
Tins of the catastrophe The Pension
Bureau has been requested to look up the
law and lay all the facts i'll the case be-
fore the Pension Committee.
The times., 1898-02-20
Circulation Statement.

Readers OF The Times ecao mag at any
time be unable 10 procure copies Of IL at any
aers sta I'D, railroad station or on railroad
trains tctU confer fdcor upon tie manage
Hsent By sending 10 tbs Office iIJos7na ion Of
the fact
The times., 1898-02-20

Let curfew ring until the air
Is filled with vibrant shocks;
The ceuntry's saved, the Evening Star
Has found its Pepperbox;
Stale news that has been salted
Shall be with glory crowned.
And this will "close the incident
For
Pepper
Has
Been
Found.
The times., 1898-02-20

Communications intended JOr publication
ifl The Times should be tersely and plainiy
ScritteR and mast la al cases be accompanied
By The name and address OF the ,uriter. he
..ected communications 1uN net be preScrced,
and only manuscripts Of obcious Importance
scftt be returned 10 tier authors