The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-04-16
PArRIorrsM Nor - pEAp.

BdIhfOIfsM NOI 1EI DEAD
The Chicago Chronicle is dealing the
administration some sharp shots anent
the Hispano-AmericAn crisis. Sam
Burdett, in Washington, is showing up
q few things Of interest, among them
q contrast, which runs thus:
william Mckinley and Fitzhugh Lee
the one president OF the United
States, the other a consular represent
ative without post. Which is the
popular idol today2 And whyP
Fitzhugh Lee has done nothing that
ordinarily would render him subject
for dedication. He has led no conquer
ing army, he has commanded no vic
torious squadron, he has negotiated no
great and important treaty pregnant
with advantage to the nation. He has
done nothing, IL is safe to say, but
what ninety-nine in 100 honest, red
blooded Americans would have done in
his place. He has simply maintained,
to the best Of his ability, the honor
and the dignity Of his country in the
face of a gang OF cutthroats who had
the disposition, but not the courage,
TO Assassiuste him.
That is what be has done. He has
performed his dnty. He has upheld
the standard of his country in a hos
tile and trescherous land. He has as.
serted his Americanism when that as.
sertion meant possible peril. He has
maintained the national honor Of the
United States Of America in the island
of Cuba, What American would have
done less?
And yet FitzhuRh Lee is today the
central figure in the nation. His jour
ney from Key West to the national
capital is a triumphal progress and he
is welcomed to Washington with a.
claims such as greeted Cmssr and POM
pey when they returned TO Rome at
the head Of their victorious legions,
He is the man Of the hour--the nations
idol.
McKinlev-William Mckinley, presi.
dent OF the United States. chosen to
that great office by the suffrages OF
1000, 900 electors-sits in the White
House despised and contemned by the
whole nation. Save for the mercenary
clique Of few subsld zed newspapers,
the servile chorus OF a few congress
sional helots, not voice is raised in
his defense-much less in his praise.
The man who eighteen months ago
commanded support aud the Admira-
tion Of the majority of the American
people is now without friend-for
the men who use him despise him. He
has earned the contempt Of everyone
else.
Why this outburst OF popular en-
thusiAsm and affection for Fitzhugh
Lee, this ebullition Of scorn and re-
sentiment against william Mckinley
Everyone knows. The one typifies the
American idea--nAtional honor, power
and prestige The other represents
degradation, shame and humiliation
the defilement of the American dag
thC EhAt Va n W
and money changers. The people OF
the United States, hot with wrath and
shame at the cowArdioe and bAsenest
of William Mckinley, seek for an OBJ
jeet upon which TO lavish their pat
riotic sentiment-the real sentiment oI
the nAtion-And find It in ,he person
OF Fitzhugh Lee, the modest consular
representative returned home from &
post which he has filed with dignity
and unswerYing Amerieanism.
That is all. The nation is still Amer
lean. The Rothsohilds and the Nor
gAns control the White House. but
they cannot control nationsl senti
ment. The creature Of the money
kings is despised aud scorned by bis
fellow countrymen. The plain Amer
lean. the Havana ex-consul general, il
the nations demigod.
Patriotism is not yet dead 10 thil
land Of ours.