Evening journal., 1898-02-26
THE NATIONAL HONOR IS SAFE.

The great mass OF thinking Ameri-
cans are averse to going 10 war with
Spain They realize that a conflict un-
der modern conditions would be a most
dreadful and expensive thing. There is
no doubt that we should speedily tri-
umph as she is weaker than the United
States in every way.
The quarrels OF nations are settled
by men and along those broad lines
which characterize personal quarrels
and their adjustment If It be shown,
by the investigation now in progress,
that the blowing up OF the Maine was
due to Spanish carelessness or Grim
inality, an immediate demand will be
made for an apology and fun repara-
tion. II those demands are acceded to
it is the opinion Of the most eminent
statesmen Of this country and Europe
chat the incident would close.
1t is safe to assert that a large ma
jority Of Those Americans who are
now crying so Justify for war would be
the last to go TO the front. It has been
so at all times and in all places. In
their frenzy and by their wild talk they
work a public question from its proper
broad level to the narrow plane OF a
single issue, and then, when that is
sue is forced, they step to the back
ground and let others do the fighting.
A nations greatest safeguard is the
sound, sober sense of it's people. That
will stand when everything else falls.
Public opinion is moulded very
largely by the public press, and many
newspapers Of this country are sadly
abusing their high calling by sangui-
nary utterance and misstatement OF
fact in connection with the Maine dis
aster. Jingo orators, Of high and low
degree, have taken up the cry for war
raised by these newspapers, and the re-
suit has been most embarrassing to
the men in whose hands the settlement
OF the controversy lies.
In its issue of to-day the Philadelphia
Ledger prints am admirable editorial
on this jingo journalism, the following
being am extract from it:
The most dangerous and deSpicable
Inventors and puryeyors of war rimors
are those controllers of public jour.
malls who buy and sell false reportsi
who give to suspicion the dignity and
force of evidence; who distort exagger-
ate and pervert truthful reports 50 un.
scrupulously as to render them az
mendaclous and misleading as the mos
unsu bstantial falsehoOd. These deal
crs in rumors and reports, labeled
news, which are based upon fancy, no
upcn fact, are not more honorable no.
honest than the deaiers in counterfeit
money. Their Offense is as sordid a
that Of the forger, or of the make
and issuer of false coin. and 1t is
more rereprehenslble one becauseit infiict
losses so much greater upon so man,
more people. These purveyors Of men
daclous dispatches, interviews, report
and rumOrs pursue their dangerou
and disreputable business solely be
cause of the hire, salary or profit the
obtain by pursuing IL. They are falls
to every principle Of honest dealing
they are a conspicuous disgrace
journalism. and infiict lnestlmable IN
Jury upon both IL and the communit,
Thus far this peIniciOus sO-called Joul
nalism has been unable TO change th
dlgnihed. courageous attitude OF Oh
government. or to disturb the calmnes
and serenity Of its bearing. But, a
though failing to do these things, it di
succeed on Thursday last, to q mo-
disastrous degree, in so arOusing II
a Of tho ffpafA "a
duce many of them to rush pell-me
into the market to sacrifice their vall
able securities, and to almost crea
such a monetary panic as would ma
seriously impaired or destroyed 3
values. Reck.essness, inscription
ness and mendacity cannot easily
carried to mere extreme lengths Tn.
they have been carried in the persiste
Efforts of the offending newspapers
promoting not only the fears Of war
the minds of the timid and credulol
but in their purpose to incite TO al
promote war Itself Against this latt
calamity humanity, patriotism a
business interests should be alike ;
rayed. While peace with honor can
maintained by our government,
should and must be. Neitf
the United States nor Sp,
really desires war, but the directors
the policy of many of our public jc'
rails are doing whatever they can
excite and inflame the minds OF
people by the publication Of false a
incendiary rumOrs and statements q
by making appeals to the worst
most dangerous Of human passions.
Let the public read and reflect.
time Of public danger the best patti
is he who is just to himself, just to
country, and just TO his enemy.
We must first fix the responsible
then a just demand il Spain is fol
to be culpable That done, the bur
Of responsibility will rest upon
shoulders Of Spain, and she must n
il or go down beneath its weight
event Of her consent OF refusal to m
reparaticn, the national honor Of
United States is safe. and she has
eternity in which to uphold and
dictate 1t.
Cancers are now being treated :
alcoholic injections This Amer
iii .-..lat.,...- ...,.afr .