New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-06
ply y NUSr
tlN'ivii War

Certain political Influences have long been Mt
work trying 10 array educated sentiment
against nil living American tendencies. and
seeking 10 convince The average citizen WI"
was inclined tc take pride In his country ana
cspouso ts side IN NIL external controversies
that ne was n good deal Of barbarian. Win
the traditions and prejudiccs 81 ia" back woods
still upon him. and was piicd and d"spls"d hy
his fellow -countrymcn Of culture Particularly
as the controversy with Spain hccam" critical
did II become tn fashion for 'hos" intent on
sprcadng the notion that th" highest ini"li-
pcnce was outraged hy anything lih" posi-
tive American policy 10 drag from The s"clusioh
Of study college professors and make them "a!
that they were ashamed Of their country and
it's rulers ON the other hand. tho vicious "l"-
mcnts who delight to dlscrcdi, learning and So
cial order have not been slow 10 accept th"S"
few croakers as typical representatives of' the
colleges and 10 argue that what they call the
upper classes" arc NOT true Americans. How
utterly the quotations Of one party ana the
snccrs Of the other have msrcprcscnied Amer
lean colleges Is evident from the almost univer
sol display Of militant patriotism among facul-
ties and students now that war is going on.
Since the beginning Of hosliies one or two
prof, ssors have appeared as rare exceptions 10
dis, ourage in their students devotion Ia their
Government and wishes for IFS success IN IN"
prcscnt conflict. Their views are 10 he attrib-
uicd 10 personal dosyncrasy for which they
are rather 10 be pitied than be blamed Ih"y
represent nothing and nobody. From all III"
colleges come reports Of patriotic enthusiasm
which show that the educated youth Of the land
are as devoted 10 II rs ever and that th"ir
teachers are not failing to make them loyal cit
izcns. Every old fogy mo for selfish reasons
wants 10 porpctuatc some old political abuse Will
continue 10 dcnounce educated young men who
attack II ms ''nn-Amcrican dudes and every
snecrng critic of living and breathing Amcri-
can jmpulsc will try 10 MAXI him seem so. hut
stil tho college man will he found ready 10
stand by his flag with n hearty and healthy on
thnslasm The war with Spain does not prom
ise 10 call for the sacrifices Of 1851. hui nobody
can doubt after knowing OF the college drills
and meetings. that in proportion 10 the need
the response now would hc gratifying as II
was then.
Nor are our students splitting hairs over dip
lomatic questions and giving 4 grudging sup
port 10 the Government as n sad duty. How
ever much they wish for peace like other scnsi-
bic persons. they know that peace and war are
often beyond control Of statesmen or of peoples.
and instead Of wasting time amcntng the
"crme Of war; they work To bring peace
through victory. President Low of Columbia
Yesterday at the Chamber Of Commerce meet
ing expressed the views Of the vast body Of
college men when ho said
nave heard it said In many quarters that the
war Is needless and ought 10 have been avoided.
months ago that our Civil War was needless
and ought 70 have been avoided. Statements
Ike these I'm view Of he event. seem TO me 10
carry but little weight. The fact Is that war
has not been avoided and the reason why is not
far 10 seek Events beyond our control have
created I'm both countries n public feeling which
time being probably Incapable Of doing full JUS
tce TO the other. Under these circumstances
war has come and in view OF these circum-
stances II seems 10 me- II may Justly be said
that war was inevitable. For myself | believe
that history will sustain the attitude taken by
the United States. Spain has shown herself
cruel mother to Cuba and "A bad neighbor to us.
and the most earnest opponent Of the can
point TO no circumstance in SPANS long deal
ings with her colonies TO Justify a hope that
under her dominion the history Of Cuba I'm the
future would in any way differ materially from
what II has been in the past. firmly believe.
therefore that the United States In this con-
test is fighting the battle OF humanity and the
battle Of civilization.
1t was significant that the resolutions Of the
Chamber Of Commerce in support Of the Gov
eminent should have been offered by President
Low. II identified leading institution Of
learning with active patriotism In a busnesslike