Hutchinson gazette., 1898-04-21
CUBA AND POPULISM.
WILL WAR RETARD THE REFORM
MOVEMENT?
A Reform Movement That can bO Retard-
ed by Striking a Blow for Cuban Lib
erty Deserves to be Abandoned. Gu
bs's Cause Right.

"a war will retard the reform move
ment. Let Cuba alone, and free Amer
ican wage slaves" These and similar
sentiments have been expressed by
many good friends of The New Time
and have found an echo in some excel
lent reform publications.
We take issue with these friends.
Considered from the purely selfish
standpoint of policy and cxpediency,
they are wrong. 1t is always good pol
icy to do that which is right. 1t is
right that Cuba should be free. 1t is
right that Spain be dispossessed of
every foot of territory adjacent to this
hemisphere. 1t is right that the Unit
cd States shall main tain its dignity
among the nations of the earth. 1t is
right that the murder of American
sailors shall be avenged. 1t is right
that every friend of reform should
sympathize with and extend aid to the
Cubans patriots who are so gallantly
struggling for their liberty.
The true reformers must reckon with
human nature. 1t is natural to love
ones country, it is natural to demand
that its enemies be punished. 1t is
natural that the people of republic
even though it be one only in name
should reach helping hand to those
struggling for freedom from the most
calling tyranny of modern times
The spirit of the American people in
this crisis is the most hopeful sign which
has been made in this generation. Had
they remained dumb the cause for
which The New Time is striving would
be all but hopeless. When the people
of nation fail to resent such outrages
as have been committed against this
country, the spirit of liberty is dead
beyond hope of resurrection.
A reform movement which can be re-
tarded by stribing blow for Cuban
liberty deserves to be abandoned.
War will exist just so long as in jus.
tice attempts to perpetuate itself by
force of arms. Unless l read history
to no purpose, those who now maintain
their position with armies and navies
will never yield one inch of their adj
vantage until forced to do so by peo-
pie able and willing to meet them with
their weapons. Peace will come when
the producers have disarmed the rob-
bers The brotherhood of man awaits
the dissolution of the brotherhood of
greed and gold. The fact that this ma
tion is now ruled by such men as Han.
ma and Morgan is no reason why its
people should supinely submit to Span
ish insults You cannot insult Hanna.
Nothing could drive him to war so long
as his financial interests are involved.
This nation can recover from four
years of Hannaism. There is small
chance that President Mckinley is
strong enough TO Withstand the pres
sure now being brought against him
by the international money lenders.
Let us keep our record clean. Let us
defend the American flag, not for what
it now represents, but for what it
should represent A flag is just what
an administration makes it: Just now
at Washington it stands for Wall
street bond syndicates and purchased
cowardice. Where stand the corrupt
ing influences of America in this emer.
gency? Where stand the men who are
Heeretly working for an actual political
Plutocracy2 Where stand the men who