The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1898-06-25
SENTIMENT AND BUSINESS.

The United States went into the
present war from "purely human
itarian motives and loudly dis
claiming any intention of terrific
rial conquest. Weyler had est"b-
lished Il policy of systematic stary-
alton in Cuba, and the sutIerlngs
of the miserable reconcentradoS
afflicted the sensibilities of Ameri-
cans to such an extent that moth
ing would do but a War for their
relief. A Frenchman or German,
or Gilbert and Sullivan might
make very ludicrous story out
of the Great Humanitarian CRU
SADIE. The first thing done was to
blockade Cuba, and put the recon-
centrados out of their misery by
starving them all at once instead
of dragging out the agony. The
unfeeling business man has his
suspicious that the wretched re-
concentrates lin q purely business
sense) were scarcely worth saving
anyhow; but still, if they must be
starved to death, he would rather
the Spaniards should have the re-
sponslbility. But this is by he
way.
We started out to free the Gu
bans, and the first thing we did
was to capture the Philippine
Islands on the other side of the
earth. Then we assaulted Porto
Rico, which the great mass OF
American people had never heard
of until Sampson discovered it.
Next we sent the Charleston around
the world, with orders to take
charge of a large assortment of
islands scattered about the South
Pacific ocean, while we decided at
home to lunch off the Sandwiches.
Naturally this omnivorous appetite
is exciting apprehension in Eu-
rope. We might elect to annex
Ireland, or Crete. or any other am
bilious scrap of land which is de-
sirous of getting rid of its present
ruler. Indeed, the Anglo-Saxon
race have given indications of their
willingness to own the earth on
divers recent occasions.
Our philanthropic venture will
cost us something like S500,O00,-
600, maybe more. Sentiment is a
lovely thing, but such prices as
that are not usually paid for it.
We have got to back down from
our assurance that we didn't 60
into this business for the acquisi-
ton of territory. Spain cannot
pay the S5OO,OOO,OOO, but Cuba,
Porto Rico, the Philippines, La
drones, Carolines and any other IN
onsidered triiles which she may
possess "o0
Ing Of sentiment is all very
fine, but 1t is not business. and
we are no longer in this war for
our health. We cannot afford to
saddle ourselves with an over
whelming burden of taxation for
generations to come for the mere
satisfaction of establishing another
Haytl in Cuba, and something
worse in the Philippines. The
war was Quixotic and absurd at
the outset. We can gain no glory
from administering the final kick
to a dying lion, but we are up
against it now, with all its conse-
quences and, if we must act the
part of executioner, the work
should be done quickly and thor
oughly. If we can't get glory out
Of it we can get pay for our trou-
bic. If we don't want the islands
we can sell them and reimburse
for our outlay. From
strictly business standpoint there
IS nothing for it but to keep the
Stands when we get them and |
put them on a paying basis or sell |
hem to the highest bidder as soon |
Is possible. Mr.. Cleveland's ideas
ire different, and he is perhaps the
)est statesman in America; but it
S "a condition, and not theory"
hat confronts us now. This war
must result in a remuneration of
'ur Chinese policy of isolation,
nd the maintenance of an army
nd navy that will say ''hands off"
0 the European land-sharks that
re laughing at us now.
ruannH nrrErrrn