The Atlanta constitution., 1898-02-28

It's the same way with warshlns. or
course President Mckinley can establish
pretty nearly the exact cost of the Maine.
ana 1t is already announced that the Unlteu
States flag her peak. which is
| now buried in the mre of Ha-
vana harbor cost only 49, but no ma
ton has ever yet tried to sell to another
nation the wreck of warshp blown up
while in the other nations waters. More
over the wreck is fun of dead bodies, and
as every day passes in those tropical wa
ters the condition of the surroundings is
made more dSagreeable. The bomb or
| torpedo or whatever it was which did the
| damage must have had some value, and
! there are numerous other matters Whlch
may enter into the negotiations before the
| affair is settled. ana before we feel au-
thorized to send another warship on n
friendly mission into the harbor OF ma
vana.
| The present disposition of the admins
! tration seems to he 10 hold out for the
/ last cent in sight, and this is most com
| mcndable in them. 1t will wonderfully en-
! liven the spirits of the officers and men
! on board the next ship that is sent to
| Havana to illustrate our friendly feelings
! toward Spain, for every man likes to know
| that he will leave his family something,
I and most men would like to leave
I their families as much AS pos
! sibla It will demand of them Il little
more courage than any other nation de-
| mands of it's fighting force for their mis-
! sion is to look pleasant while they await
| the explosion of the particular torpedo as
! SIGNED Them but they will always nave
! the satisfaction of knowing that there are
! HaIes and HaunaS in congress ana CleVe-
| lands and McKinleys in the white mouse to
! see to it that those they leave behind are
| well cared for Afterwards
| There can be no national honor without
/ ;,,Ii,ril,t,I bonor and that which COrrlptS
! and discouTaGeS the one must neNltapE
! discourage and corrupt the other money
is as much an antidote to PATRIOTISM as II
! is an incentive in politics. And when money
/ becomes the final basis of settlement III
e criminal affairs among the nations ii is only
fair to presume that the time IS NOT far
distant when the commission OF crlm"
among individuals may be settled in the
same way. If II malicious. ana muTderous
assault upon the Maine is to be wiped OUT
in cash. why may not one man break the
head of another and pay him or MS h"lt7
for it without the Intervention OF those
J AGENCIES which our forefathcrS considered
2s essential TO the peace. liberty ana hlpP'-
ness alike of nations and individuals?
! And why may not the humbleSt man WI"
enIists in navy today, If glory IS not
to be the reward Of his service, insist tha'
the government shall properly indemnify
those who are dependent upon him? A man
viii fight for glory. but he whl run Tor
| money. Cash never vet inspired soldier
! and if never will Hundreds of thousands Of
p! men have left prosperous employment to
! risk death for their flag, and those who
] remained AT home and paid for substitutes
, are among those today who have been in
! strumental in innueurating a policy that
would bring everybody else down 20 their
own level.
But il is Still so uncertain what the out
come of present ENHANCEMENT viii bn
that one is not justified in prejudicinG the
market Of international honor by printing
exact figures. II r,!ay even be that the price