Evening star., 1898-03-04

with the mostest men," The United States
nave got the men, and they have eot the
money. and 1t is the plainest dictate ~
common sense for them to buy at once ten
OF the nnest warships now for sale m
Europe. They could be got to Key West in
Ten DAYS and put in commission
l am opposed to war. and / oppose war
Win Win SPAIN; and, therefore, am In favor Of
P.ompt action as the only way to avert It.
II the administration let's things drift the
american people are heating up every min
u.e. ano the moment the court of inquiry
reports mat the Maine was blown up by q
mine IN the harbor OF Havana you will see
sucn an explosion that as far exceeds that
created by the firing on Sumter. in 1891,
ss. ss ene sumter exceeds any other in the
Before the war OF 1901 there was some
nesitauon-some aversion to shedding
protner biood-not much but some In this
case case TINS whole country will 70 or in o
Diaze.' ana the south will be far ahead Of
the north. The old confederates and their
sons and grandsons are most intense Amert.
cans. and the murder Of their fellow coun.
tnyheh tnnn on the Maine viii send the fiery
torch over every mountain and through
every cross roads from Mason and Dixon's
line to the Rio Grande. The dignity ard
seit-control OF the American people for the
last ten days has been simply superb II
shows people who have confidence in
themselves and confidence in their govern
ment. But there are plain signs that the
tension Is becoming strained beyond en-
durance. Every village is painting to be let
loose. and 1t will break loose II the court OF
inquiry reports that there was murder
Maine.
The country is standing at attention now.
Ihen the order VIII be Forward marchv
ana IL VIII echo around the world. 1t seems
10 me that the natural, logical order of
events viii oe for the United States to de-
manc that the murderers be tried convict
ed and hung In Havana harbor by the side
OF the wreck of the Maine by Captain Gem
erdl BlanCO himself. gRc0nd haf irHa
nlty OF $5OO0OOO0 be paid by Spain in forty
eight hours, and that the Island OF Cuba be
delivered. to be held until the indemnity is
paid. The idea of a money indemnity IL
horrible to me. But II is the only practica-
Bile measure. With the demand the entire
American fleet would move to Havana ana
blockade that port.
Five trains Of cars would take 5000 Mary.
ianders from Baltimore to Tampa in twen-
ty-four hours. There they would Join with
o.OO virgfnians. and 5000 men could be
sippi steamers and Gulf transportation.
with munitions and provisions. Twenty
hours more would land them at Coil
mar. The Spanish army would meet them
at Guanabacao. six miles from Havana
Half days fight would settle that, and
the American flag would float over the
Morro within six days after the boys left
Baltimore.
Get there soonest with the mostest men,
IL the watchword and the battle cry. and
We would have no war. Strike quick and
strike hard 10 the way to preserve the
peace. I am sincerely in favor of peace.
but II we dilly-dally-H we put off-the
spaniard will be convinced that we are
afraid. He thinks SO now-then he will
know it-and there is no injury that he
can do. no insult he can inflict, that tyrant
won't do Roosevelt will do the wise thing.
know him we'll. He IL a typical American
brave. clear-headed. high-minded. chival-
fic, generous. He's got the energy OF forty
dynamos. and the courage Of q thousand
bayouets. rely on him 70 preserve the
peace more than any man lm Washington.