The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-25
The Helena in Action.

Helena mas uistinS uisheu hei-
self very early in h war by
capturing a Spanish steamer
with a load of cotton. valued at $780,
900 or so. The Helena by any other
name might have captured the steamer
and the cotton just the same. but then
of patriotism over In the Cracker City
SO briskly. The citizens Of Helena,
particularly those who Clipped in when
the hat was passed around for the
'steenth time to pay the balance due
on the gunboat's silver service-the cit
liens, of Helena, we repeat. take n deep
and fatherly interest in the vessel and
walk the streets with a proud and
buoyant air every time she gets her
name in the papers. On the receipt OF
the bulletin yesterday announcing the
Helena's valorous performance, seven
prominent citizens surged around the
bar of the Montana club. n the bar
tender was kept on the jump for the
space of three minutes. Farther up
Main street the demand for beer was
~redoubled. several patriotic gentlemen
showed their devotion to the old nag
by switching to whiskey straight. and
the havoc wrought upon the free lunch
counters was something frightfui.
Tommy Cruise. George Ramsey. Ed
Beattie. Dave Marks n a number of
other millionaires accidentally met In
the Helena hotel buffet and resolved
that each should arm inc equip a regi-
ment of volunteers. a la John Wana-
maker. and lick the eternal stufing out
Of Spain at the first rattle out of the box.
Great enthusiasm and several yards of
bunting were displayed. The Helena Is
all right-we refer both to the gunboat
and Mr.. Walkers popular hostelry. May
they both catch on. particularly the
gunboat. She should understand that
she Is at liberty to catch anything she
pleases belonging to the enemy except
yellow fever. A load of cotton Is all
right for a starter; it's more than all
right-the prize Is n yard wide IL II
isn't all wool. Four hundred thousand
dollars worth of cotton In this case Is
pure velvet.
Speaking of the names of vessels,
there are still many people who can't
tell a battleship from a cruiser by
their names: many inlanders, IN fact,
couldn't tell which was which by actual
observation. American battleships, IL
should be borne in mind. are named
after states, cruisers after cities. The
rule may be considered as ironclad az
the things Il applies to; the exceptions.
as in the case of the Kearsarge, are
made for sentimental reasons purely.
Sometimes the sentimental reasons
evoke criticism. We find the New York
Sun breaking forth in this style: The
sooner the ANY department gets other
names than Harvard and Yale for the
ships Paris and New York the better.
Boyishness Of that sort has no place in
a national AFFAIR like the present" The
sun is too hnicky. Harvard N Yale
arc good enough names for any Ameri-
can. The New Haven Register thus
flies to their defense: who ever knew
Yale and Harvard to go into battle
without preparation snd resolution?
They have faced ach other upon the
diamond, the gridiron, ms river. the
forum and the track. and fought splcn-
did battles. II is now proposed that
they shall go into battle together on
the same side and under n flag.
There is not a Yale man in the country
who will not feel the better for the new
association. nor is there a Harvard nan
who will conceal his satisfaction. We
would c~onhdentially advise n Spanish
commander who is tempted to axe a
fall out of either of these two new
cruisers to think twice before opening
FIRE. The very names of Yale and Har-
ward are ten-inch-steel plates. rapid
firing guns deadly torpedoes and dead
~ torpedo destroyers rolled into one
Keep your eyes upon these two dogs
of war. They will give a nne account
Of themselves. eve fear. Ano'hei
cheer for them: Ready"