The age-herald., 1898-01-27
ETCHINGS FROM
 CURRENT TOPICS.

What a nervous. impressionable race the Americans are. to be surel Every man, woman and child in this great republic is more or less enthused with the announce ment that the national government has sent the battleship Maine into Cuban wa ters, and with suppressed excitement all are discussing the probabilities of a war with Spain.
 They have forgotten, apparently, the awful record that crimsons the pages of American history in the years from 1861 to 1865.
 They are ready, aye, eager, for another fight and with what? fife most despotic and dastardly tyranny of this nineteenth century; with the most degraded govern ment of this civilized time. the names of whose people are synonymous with treach- cry and intrigue.
 Should any decent American become a subject for the bullets of the Spanish sol diery? Shall the manhood of the nation become a receptacle for the stab of Span ish bayonets? War with a nations equals is bad enough, but with race which ranks among the lowest of Europes diversified population, means a pitiful sacrifice to
 
 agement.
 Had the government at Washington pur- sued the manly, self-respecting course from the beginning of the Cuban embrolio there would have been no necessity for warlike demonstrations at the present time.' With a childish, puerile policy at Washington, the Cuban question has grown into man. moth proportions and obscures for the time being every other matter of import ance.
 Every patriotic American desires to pre- serve the national self-respect, and this Is commendable. But every southerner who has found more than thirty years too brief a period to recuperate from the four years of civil war must question the wisdom of a foreign fight just now. A woman few days ago was orating excitedly about personal matter, and a friend circum- specify inquired, Are you putting on your fighting garments?' 'No," replied that belligerent specimen of womanhood, q al- ways keep my fighting clothes on; there fore, I generally have peace" If America would only keep her lighting garments" on there would be little need for the sud-
 
 ships and the almost universal demand of a patriotic citizenship for a maintenance of national honor.
 There is too universal an acquiescence in all this Cuban and Hawaiian excitement anyway America has apparently more than she can do to attend properly to her own, her native population, without en- tailing upon the nation the care and bur den of undesirable set of degoes and half breeds. American honor should be upheld regardless of Spanish financial en- tanglements, but patriotism and common sense should point the way to a satisfac- tory settlement without committing Amer ica to the protection of a people, or peo- ples, which have not an idea or senti- ment in common with the best classes of American citizenship.
 Civilization is too advanced to permit any people to be treated like wild, bowling beasts.
 No nation can afford to look quietly and unconcernedy on while barbarisms and cruelties are practiced upon helpless people, but Cuba or any other foreign land is not worth the heart blood of Amer ican soldiers
 A little more aggressive assertion on the part of the politicians at Washington, more discreet selection of ambassadors to foreign courts, and a non-offensive way of America wearing her lighting clothes" oftener, regardless of the money powers of the east, there would be little need for so much war talk and so much injurious excitement.
 If MT. Hannis Taylor had presented during the four years of his ambassador ship at Madrid the true condition of affairs as he has done since his return to this country, there would have been a much better appreciation with the great masses of American citizens of the questions which now are before the people.
 It would be well for all politicians to learn that they owe their constituents their best energies and an honest clearness of purpose and dealing which will leave no reason or excuse for any vagueness or misapprehension of public questions, They all owe the people at least an out spoken honesty of conviction.
 BALL,