The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-03
THE PRupDs ANSWER

I
lists who are ready at a momcots motto
to pick up secming fault ami criticize {
publicly, regardless Of The pain that ma
be caused, and before the tacts an
thoroughly Investigated, Grcat wrcng'
are often done by this haste to rush int
prin, Tor the sake o, a principle, rtgh, ii
itself, but often mlsappled and the worlt
goes on. misundcrs,andings arsins be-
tween those who should be friends, har
feelings engeptcred whore az should b'
love, and the Aighes, Interests q human
liy retarded by oversoal. which through
the ages has been responsible for more
crime than the statute books could pro-
vide against.
A striking Instance of this fac; has Just
come to llgh, through the allowing let.
ter. published IN yesterdays dispatches.
from Fighting Bob Evans. u he battle
ship Iowa. dated July =. in reply to an
article published by the Index, a, wn-
Transport, Pa. prAisins Captain PHILIPS,
os the Texas, Sor his After action ps~ee. {"
and making a contrast between Captain
Philips action and what Is referred 70 by
the paper as the froauently published
profanity" OF Captain Evans. The lsi,s-
speaks vOsunes;
Il beg to acknowledge the rroep, Of
copy Of your pSper which you have SSen
good enough 10 seTld me.
y am az somewhat - loss 10 kroN
whether you sent 4 for the purposs q
'ail'ng my atyen;ion 70 the euss words
attributed 20 me en newspapers. or ~
,apiAin PhnFS Official show % Christian
iparit N announcing 20 his men % the
lusr;e--deck q the Te1Ss after the bat
ie % Santiago that he Believed u Al
mighty God. As. however. you have ssen
i TO drag my name into your newspAp~r.
hope you VIII publish this reply ;ha,
hose who have read your issue OF July
). may also read what have 10 say
bout It.
i have never cursidered Il Necessary. /
nd am surs THAI the grea, majority o.,
nice-s in the navy DO no; consider It
ecessary, 20 announce 20 their crews
hat they believe IN Almighty Cod I !
hink thar goes without saying. We. OF
ourse. have n right TO show by our acts
ov much We are imbued with this belief, |
apiain Philips had a perfect righ, to
how that TO hS men as he did: II was
imply matter OF taste.
Now, for myself, shortly after the
panish cruiser viEcaya had struck her |
olo-s and my crew had secured their
uns, the chaplain Of the ship. an excel
mt man. came 10 me and saId: Captain. |
hall ] say a few words Of thanks 20 Al |
Mighty God for our victory?
Il said. by all means do 50; I will have |
he men sen; aft for that purpose. and !
ras on the poln, Of doing so when 1t was |
eported to me mat Spanish battleshlp |
-as Standing toward Us from the east |
Tard. Ny first duty 20 God and my |
ountry was TO sink this spanish battle |
hip, and | Immediately made prepara-
'ons 10 DO so, when IL was discovered /
his ship was an Austrian. found my
hip surrounded by boats carrying dying |
nd wounded prisoners and others Of the |
rev Of the Vizcaya 20 the number of 20 |
o leave these men to suffer Tor want of |
pod and clothing while I called ny men |
II 20 offer prayers. was not my idea Of |
.,her Christianity or religion pre-
erred TO clojhe the naked. feed .h- hun. /
- and succor the sick, and am
,r2ngly Of the opinion that Almighty God /
as not put black mark agains; ne on /
ccount Of H. / DO no, know whether I |
hall stand with Captain Philips among |
he hereafter, but / have this 20 say IN /
onciusion. that every drop Of blood IN
" body, on the afternoon of the third
July, was singing thanks and praises
Almighty God for the victory We had
on"