New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-03-02
Is This
Patriotism,
congressman McOleary Relieves Himself
Of Strange Interview.

OF course lie has since denied it, even
in the house, but when it is remembered
that there is absolutely nothing sensa-
tional about the Washington Post, that
its reporters are reliable and its inter-
views almost as trustworthy as the print
ed speeches in the Congressional Record,
one can hardly believe that McCleary
did not utter the words attributed to
him. After discovering that he had
. blundered, it is easy to understand why
he should wish to resort to denial.
The Post article was as follows: Re-
preventative McCleary, of Minnesota, has
views decidedly his own. 81 am no low
er of Spanish people," said he, "nor can
any one doubt my patriotism, and yet it
seems to me that there are considera-
lions in this question which we must
not lose sight o.. The Maine entered
the harbor of Havana ostensibly on a
friendly mission, but really prepared for
war. The letters of the men on the ves-
sci made public since the disaster plain
ly state that every gun was loaded as
the ship sailed by MORO Castle. The
Spanish authorities knew that while we
were talking friendship with our lips we
had war at our hearts. In my judy
ment, the Spanish authorities were amp
ly justified in deliberately conducting
the Maine to spot over a submarine
mine, just as we would have been justi-
fed in placing the Spanish cruiser in
New York harbor IN the same position.
The guns of the Maine could have blown
Havana into atoms, and the Spanish
knew it. At any moment something
might have occurred in Madrid or in
New York, which would have provoked
war, and the Spaniards did right when
they took every precaution to place the
Maine hors du combat the moment any
trouble occurred. I do not believe,
however, that the evidence will show
that the act was the result of official
authority, and if Spain is willing to pay
an indemnity, it seems to me that the
United States cannot ask anything else."
Booker 7. Washington, the gifted col
ored leader, believes the ballot should be
restricted to an educational qualification.
Recently he addressed letter to the
Louisiana constitutional convention, in
which he said:
"The negro agrees with you that it is
necessary to the salvation of the south
that restriction be put upon the ballot.
| know that you have two serious prob
lens before you-ignorant and corrupt
government on the one hand, and on the
other way to restrict the ballot so that
control will be in the hands of the in
telligent without regard to race. With
the sincerest sympathy with you in your
efforts to find way out Of the difficulty,
want to suggest that no state in the
south can make law that will provide
an opportunity or temptation for an 1g-
norant white man TO vote and withhold
the same opportunity from an ignorant
colored man without injuring both men.
Any law controlling the ballot that is
not absolutely just and fair to both races
will work more permanent injury to the
whites than to the blacks.
II beg of you further that in the de-
gree that you close the ballot box against
the ignorant that you open the school
house. More than one-half of the peo-
pie of your state are negroes. No state
can long prosper when large percent
age of its citizenship is in ignorance and
poverty and has no interest in govern
ment. .s"
"Let the very best educational oppor-
tunities be provided for both races; and,
added to this, the enactment of an cleo
ton law that shall be incapable of un-
just discrimination; at the same time pro-
viding that in proportion as the ignorant
secure education, property and character,
they will be given all the rights Of clti-
zenship. Any other course will take
from one-half your citizens interest in
the state and the hope and ambition to
sbecome intelligent producers and tax
payers-to become useful and virtYous
citizens.
Gen. William Booth Of the Salvation |
Army, in speaking Of Cuban affairs at |
Cincinnati last week made these remarks !:
"The Cuban butchery should stop. II
should stop, if need be, by the interven-
ton Of the United States. England is |
not jealous Of America. The individual