Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-11
MARCH IL, 1898.
DEMOCRACY AND WAR.

PARTISAN politics mas fOund about It's
lowest level i'm the Chicago Times Her
aid. In an hour when all other questions
are subOrdinated by the leaders of both
political parties to that Of steering the
ship of state safely and with honor
through any storm that may arise out of
our relations with Spain, the Times-Her
aid dangerously brings domestic political
problems TO the front. and seeks TO make
The issue of peace or war turn upon
them. In an hour when the broad pa
triotism of the country recognizes that
war would be justihable only on the high
est grounds, this Chicago paper declares
that as between war and a Democratic
1ree-slver triumph it would prefer war
And as an excuse Tor taking that posi-
ton, ii resorts to libel. 1t asserts that
OF Free silver and Free Cuba" in the
hope of plunging the nation into war and
carrying the country like a cyclone.
This assertion does violence to the logic
% the facts and the entire situation.
With rare exceptions. the most promi-
found in the ranks of the Republican
party. The jingoistic spirit of that party
was especially illustrated during Mr.
Cleveland's last administration. For proof
OF this, the Times-Herald has only 10
turn TO It's file OF the Congressional Re-
cord of that period, and refresh its
memory on the utterances of some of its
Leading Republican contemporaries touch
ing "our duty to Cuba"
Mr.. Cleveland's latter-day record as
President is, as a whole far from being
TO our liking. AS to many issues. he can
lay no claim TO having during that time
represented the Democracy of the coun-
try. But the party taken by and through
was in sympathy with his Cuban policy,
which was wise and conservative. How
sayagely MIR. Cleveland was attacked on
this issue by Republican leaders and Re-
publican papers is a matter OF history
easy TO be read by all who really desire |
10 be informed.
Now mark the contrast. The present
administration inherited it's Cuban policy |
from Mr.. Cleveland and. as a rule. from |
none has Mr.. Mckinley received stronger
support in preserving the conservative |
status QUO than from the Democrats in |
Congress. From no section has he re- |
ceived stronger support IN respect of this |
matter than from the South, the 'hot- |
bed" II you choose, of free-silver Democ- !
racy. IL was left for leading apostle |
of sound money" the junior Republican |
Senator from Illinois, to attempt to en- |
barrass the administration in connection |
with its conduct touching the Maine dis |
aster. and when IL was sought 10 tack on |
TO an appropriation bill resolution that |
was calculated 10 infiame Spain and pro-
woke war. Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
who had hitherto been regarded as the |
head and front of what jngoism there
was in the Democratic party, was the
man to administer TO the author of that
movement the severest rebuke he re-
ceived. Last, but not least, in the crisis
growing out OF the Lee incident, the
Democrats in Congress threw party TO
the winds and rallied to man TO the
support OF the administration-answ
10 man the call TO put the nation in a
condition 10 preserve its honor ana main
tain It's prestige at any cost, should that
Issue be forced upon u.s.
And this they did, knowing that II
either party would be benefited by war It
would be the Republican party. This
they did. knowing that in View of the
failure Of the Republican party to give
prosperity TO the country. war offers
great temptations TO that party. This
they ala. knowing. indeed. that the
chances were that war would give the Re-
publican party great eclat and might
prove potential factor In enabling the
Republicans TO control the next House or
Representatives. In voting with the Re.
pvbiicans TO appropriate so, CO0OOO for ma.
tional defence, the Democrats placea
party On the aitar OF national honor ana
took the chances of It's being sacrificed
10 the benefit OF Republicanism, seeing
that In the event Of war the administra.
ton would probably acquire a prestige
tha' would oyershadow all domestic cues.
lions.
NO. III war Is precpitated for political
ehas' u VIII not be preciptated bv tho
democratic party, but by the Republican
party, which will have been egged ON 10
me commission OF such crime BY pa.