Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-05-19
PEOPLE DON'T CARE.
It Is the Man Who Has an AK
Who Wants War,
Mi@chlcvOus People Have Fun with
the DRrLIes-COnvicts Are Good
FlEhters-Stephen Gir8rd's
secret of Success.

much concerned. They have more curl
osity than apprehension, The great eN-
citement is at Washington, and even
there it is based not upon fear of blood
or suffering, but upon the struggle be-
tween the two great political parties-
which one shall get ahead and what
move is the best one to get ahead and
stay there Whatever Mckinley does
or proposes to do the democrats must
fight it and vice versa. The success Of
the party is a bigger thing than war.
We have never seen congress so be-
wildered. Some are for Intervention,
some for recognition, some for anneNa-
tion and all for revenge. Wall street
sees nothing but the money that is in
it. Some preachers are for peace at any
price and some are bowling for war
OF course the army and navy want
fight, for that is their professional
business and gives a chance for promo
tion Then there are the editors and
publishers who must appear to be at
fever heat whether they feel so or not,
for il is a harvest time for news, and
the people want the news and will buy
the papers. The farmers, too, are af-
fected and are studying what to plant
for profit, and the spectators in grain
and meat are bulling and bearing, ac-
cording to their faith.
But the great masses Of the American
people, the toilers and consumers, who
have nothing to gain and nothing TO
lose by war, are lockers on with un-
concern. They have no ak to grind, nor
even a hatchet, but still have a feeble
hope of more work and better wages.
Down here at the south there is no
great interest except in the cities, for
our people never get any contracts OF
government jobs, and don't expect any
gain from a war with Spain. If we
get customhouse here and there the
material must come from over the line
Notwithstanding the marble and the
granite are at our doors. Northern
contractors clean out our rivers and
harbors and all the profit goes away
from home.
Our mischieyous people tell the ne.
groes they have got to go and do al
the fighting, for it is McKinley's wal
and they all voted for him. The boy;
read to them paragraphs from the
northern papers which say that north
ern soldiers would die of fever in Cubj
in a week and that only southern ne
groes can stand the climate. Lots o
them around here are fixing to hidr
out and have done picked out thei
canebrake Clarence, the drayman, j
a leader, a heeler in elections, and h
says; 81 never vote for any war.
mint gwine to fight. ] amt done moth
in to nobody and nobody amt don
nothin' to me. amt mad wild nobod,
and how can a man fight widout he
mad? Mr.. Akerman and Mr.. Crawfor
got me into dis scrapc and dey must gi
me out. Iwonder if dsy is gwine to d
WARP"
Last Sunday | saw gang of negroe
standing around preacher and he wa
reading the big headlines of the Cor
stitution to them. There is a larg
pictorial recruiting poster in the pos
office, and they stand off and look at
with serious alarm. But they are nc
going from these parts, neither are tn
white people going right now Old ma
Ingram was a good fighter in the las
war and seemed to like the busines
and he says he wouldn't mind going
they would let him fight under Gel
Lee and wear gray clothes. My frienr
Capt. Dcbbs, says he will go along wit
DR.. Calhoun and will skirmish aroun
awhile and get sick and get the doctC
to give him a discharge at the end {
. three months and then he will con
home and draw a pension all the re-
of his life.
9 Wei, II it has to be a war Mr.. NJ
Kinley had better turn it over TO Gei
Lee TO fight it.
Big things are piling in on us jui
now The state canvass for state o
ficials is now going on and getting re
hot and it takes nearly all our time
keep up with that and the war to
Maybe we will need another war go
ernor, and if we do Col Chandler hi
had more experience in that line tha
some other folks.
. Col. Renfroe could take care of Il
negro eonvicts and march them to Il
front just like old Joe Brown did Il
200 conyicts In the penitentiary witt
c Sherman came along. Gov Brow
j went down there with a wagon load
) gray clothes and made them take {
! their stripes, and he gave them all GU
and had them to elect their officers al
Il then made them a speech and said;
Gentlemen, Fellow Citizens, Soldie
1t doesn't follow that because "
:. are convicts you are not patriots. NJ
Do is the great opportunity Of your lis
TO redeem yourselves and wipe of I
/. disgrace from yourselves and your k
b dred. The enemy is al your doors a
G you must fight him-yes,
"Flght tu the last armed foe expire
FiEht Tor your altars and your fires
e God and your native land
n And they haiied their freedom witt
{, shout, and they marched forth like D.
l. men, and they did fight just SO, c