davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
THE MISCHIEF OF THE RUMOR
MAKER


Until after noon yesterday the telephone
bells of the newspapers of this city were
rung necessarily by anxious people, inquir-
ing about the rumor that the battle ship In
diana and the cruiser New York, of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS fleet, had been sunk by
the Spanish. Those inquiries came from
half dozen cities, indicating great excite
ment and anxiety. The cause of these in
quiries was dispatch in the Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune and other papers, sent
from Washington, giving an unconfirmed
rumor to the effect that there had been an
engagement south of Porto Rico in which
seven Spanish and the United States ships
named had been sunk. The dispatch con-
Guided with the observation that ''the ru-
NOR cannot be confirmed, but it is persist
emily repeated everywhere"
There was no ground for such a rumor,
since by the actual location of the two
fleets, given in Saturday mornings papers,
they were a thousand miles apart, as any
one could have seen by consulting a map.
The people who persistently repeat rumors
do not consult maps or use ordinary sense.
so slight matter as fact does not interfere
with repeating any sort of absurd story, that
will contribute to the excitement of a
crowd. The same rumor reached the Jour
nal Office in time for publication, but mas
much as the Associated Press had heard
nothing of the affair. and as it was a geo
graphical impossibility, the story was not
printed. OF course, there was nothing in it,
except in the Imagination of the person
who started it, probably with view of
selling the rumor to some newspapers which
imagine that the printing of an absurd
fake will be accepted as evidence of enter
prise, when publication should be regarded
of proof of unreliability.
There can be no excuse for sending out
such ridiculous reports to excite the people
and to give unnecessary anxiety to those
who have friends on some of the ships in
Admiral SIMPSONS fleet. Between actual
collisions the people should have periods of
tranquility in which they can attend to
their affairs instead of being made the vic
tins of the worst kind of agitation and ex-
element which indefinite rumors afford.
The rumor maker should be sent to the rear
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

SIMPSONS fleet Her long and expensive
journey round the Horn is a close home ar
gument for the completion of this American
WaterWay.-VfncenneS Commercial.
The grocer who pours water into the Vine
gar and sand into the sugar, instead of buy
ing more stock, would be just the financier
that would coin the se'gniorage and issue
paper money and call ii adding to the wealth
of the country.-Terre HGute Mail.
In the long run Spain must pay every
cent of the money which the war will cost.
If she had good business sense the, war
would end at once. But whether the war
be long or short Spain will be conquered,
Ledger
We were talking with gold standard
Democrat this week and asked him if he
was sorry he voted for President Mckinley
and Congressman Crun packer. and he as
sured us that 1t was the wisest and most
valuable vote he ever cast.-Laporte Repub-
lcan.
The war with Spain has been on but a few
weeks, but it has demonstrated the impor-
lance of at least two projects that have
been violently opposed by many in recent
years one is the annexation of Hawaii,
the other the building ard American owner
snip OF the Nicaragua ship canal-Angola
Magnet.
1t is to be hoped that the unseemly wran-
gle over the offices at Camp Mount is end
ed. The contention concerning the briga-
diership and the coonecies is certainly not
calculated to increase the enthusiasm of the
men in the ranks who went into the service
through purely patriotic motives.-Rch-
mond Palladium.
1t is a consolation to know that the vicious
Legislation proposed by the Democrats and
Populists in Congress to degrade our cur
rency and weaken us in war has no chance
OF success. 1t can never go through the
RepuDHcan Rouse, and II 1t could it would
not long survive the Presidents veto AK
New Albany Tribune.
Governor Mount is entirely right in insist
ing that officers and men in the militia shall
treat his office with respect He is Gov
ernor of the State and not only entitled to
but must receive all outward signs of re-
spect from members of the legion. Cit-
zenS IN private life can grumble and growl
at officials, but army discipline does not per-
Dem)
Hundreds of young men in Anderson and
elsewhere are undermining their systems
smoking cigarettes. Four or five BOYS who
used cigarettes have tried to learn the print
ing trade with us and every one of them
mas been an absolute failure 1t was for
this reason about year ago. when the
Herald Il needed boy all applicants
smoked igarettes.-Anderson Herald
There are a few irreconcilables in Con-
gress among the Popuists and free-siver
men. who are doing all in their power to
embarrass and hamper the administra ton
IN eippfopriating money to carry on the war
Ihey are politicians of the rule or ruin type
sent to Congress by a Populistic constituent
cy, and who igamine that they are Moseses
TO lead America out of the wilderness by
the adoption of their wild goose schemes
Ia Rio finances n, when in fact they should be
kcheu out or Congress as enemies to the
United States.-Huntington Herald
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
INDIANA PRESS OPINION.

Uncle Sam is feeding one part of Europe
with wheat and another with shot.-Colum-
bus Republican,
The thing about the Spanish fleet that
most concerns the American naval officers
is to find it.-Mdrion Chronicle.
Blanco is said to be quite favorite in So
ciety circles in Madrid, but he isn't going
out very much this summer in Cuba-Ma-
rion News.
There is loose talk aLcut the Spaniards
putting Dewey or Sampson in bottle. No
bottle that ever was would hold them.-Ko-
komo Tribune.
The conclusion to wait just little while
before invading Cuba ought to afford Blanco
a theme for another cheerful message to
Madrid.-Latayette Courier
One would Judge by the large number of
converted yachts and converted revenue cut
tiers that some enthusiastic SKY pilot has
been doing good worlx.-Lafayette Call.
Army officers should not bubble as to
which one is the biggest" When the civil
war ended those on top were not the ones
who started out in the highest positions.
-Muncie Times
Tho Spanish fleet seems to be playing a
game of hide and seek with SIMPSONS fleet
They do the hiding and are careful not TO
come within range of the American guns
-Middletown News.
The Maine went down because of ''incom-
petence and lack of discipline" say the
Spaniards. We suppose the Manila fleet
went down because they were overturned
Fort Wayne Gazette.
The scramble OF some men for official
position in the army is not very creditabe
to their patriotism. man does not have
to wear shoulder straps to be a patriot
Greenfield Republican.
Were the Nicaragua canal completed the
oregon would have long ago been with
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

to make and it made it. In strategic
sense this Was as complete a surprise as
Admiral Dewey's entrance into Manila bay.
1t remains to be seen, what the ultimate
results will be- On the 14th the feet was
reported off the island of Curacao, off the
coast of Venezuela, and this location of it,
like that at Cadiz, is accepted as perfectly
reliable. From Curacao the feet may sail
to intercept the Oregon or may make
dash for Cuba. The result of the movement
thus far has been to upset our plans, COM
pei partial division of our naval force and
leave it in doubt whether the Spanish fleet
can be brought to battle or not. The fleet
is a well balanced one and is organized
either to fight or run away 1t can easily
outsteam Admiral SIMPSONS fleet, and
therefore can either evade him or choose its
own time and place of giving battle. 1t
would seem, therefore, that the strategic
results of all the movements and false re-
ports since April 20, when the feet left
Cape Verde, are with the Spanish. They
have gained that much in time and have
got their fleet in a good position for
further operations. Their craftiness and
skill in maneuvering having been demon
strated it behooves our naval authorities to
be intensely alert to prevent them from ex-
ecuting some daring movement that may
result disastrously to our arms.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
Some summer novels.

In the advance guard of summer novels
are the following: Two Odd Girls by
Goblin A. Peters, bright, clever and inter-
esting story, with a vein of humor running
through it, a plot that is sufficiently in
volved without being strained, and some
well-drawn characters; "A Pedigree in
Pawn" by Arthur H. Veysey, an amusing
story written in a comedy vein, but with
a keen motive and thoroughly American in
tone; "A Member of Congress- by William
Wentworth, story that takes familiar
scenes and presents them in an amusing
and lively manner with characters and in
cidents apparently drawn from life; An
American Citizen" by Madeleine L. Riley,
in which the hero, a young American born
of an English mother, becomes, by force
of circumstances, a British subject. and
after various adventures again resumes his
American citizenship; with gives OF
Gold a story of the present day and Of
the realistic school, by Henry Athey and
A. H. Bowers; "Yetta Segal,''' by H. }. Roi-
lin, a novel of which the theme, the ultl-
mate fusion of human types. is not permit
ted to wholly overshadow the story, which
is intended to interest both story readers
and thinkers. All of the foregoing are pub
lished by G. w. Dillingham; Company New
York
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
The Magazines.

Lovers of Lewis Carroll" will find in
the May number of the Strand Magazine
an interesting series of portraits from early
youth and sympathetic sketch of his life
by Beatrice Hatch. still further illustrated
with facsmileS of Mr.. Dodgson's MS and
drawings. and copies of his photographs Of
children IN costume.
Captain Alfred T. Mahan has written a
paper for the June number of the Century
on the causes of the failure of the Spanish
Armada. Vt accompanies an illustrated
article giving the story of the famous catas-
trophe. based on manuscript records and on
the narratives Of survivors and other Span
iSh documents.
The Outlook has secured the services OF
Mr.. George KEENAN,. vice president of the
American Red Cross Society. as. a member
of its staff during the war. Mr.. KEENAN, is
the most distinguished American traveller OF
the time, and his studies of the conditions in
Siberia have had a worldwide reading, and
have revolutionized the Russian exile sys-
tenn.
Mr.. c. d. Gibson is making for Scribner's
Magazine q series of drawings under the
general title of "A New York Day" He
will undertake to represent therein the
typical scenes of typical twenty-four hours
in that city. The June number will contain
his observations of the life of the worker
and of the leisured person during the morn
ing hours They include scenes on the
ferries. on the elevated roads and in clubs
ard homes.
Richard Harding Davis. who was present
at the bombardment of Matanzas and near
Cabanas harbor, and at the most impor-
tant prize captures. is Scribner's Magazines
chief war contributor, being under agree
ment to write for no other magazine upon
this subject His first article, THE First
Shot of the War" will appear in the July
number to be followed by "The First Bonn
bardment'' and Il rapid succession of other
articles. all to be written from his personal
observation.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
Fate of the Philippines.
London Mail


Conquests are sometimes embarrassing,
and there are already signs that the people
of the United States hardly know what to
do with the Philippines. Innumerable solu-
A very small party is for holding them; 9TH
ers again, are for selling them to d friend
ly power while many go further and name
the friendly power-England. The Philip
pines are TO be offered to England to CO.
ment the Anglo-Saxon alliance. and in ex-
change we are to give the Americans Il
base at Manila or else certain of our West
Indian colonies.
by this fresh proof Of friendship from the
people OF the United States The mere sug
gestion shows that they trust implicitly.
but the trouble Is that we do not want the
Philippines. In view of our daily increasing
empire in Africa and of our obligations in
China. shall do well to avoid Lnduly
stretching the bow.
What we have won and what we are
winning We DO not hold without a certain
difficulty, though destiny compels US TO go
forward. Each new possession brings with
il new responsibilities. We took the Philip
pines in 1852. but we promptly abandoned
them, and have never since cast a covet-
Gus eye upon them.
Under these circumstances there are three
solutions which suggest themselves. Either
the United States should continue 10 hold
these islands or should sell them to Japan
a state friendly both to the United States
restored to Spain in exchange for Cuba.
We could not with cquanimity see one of the
great military powers of lcurope-Russia or
Germany-establish there.
We are an Australasian as well as an
Asiatic state, and we are therefore most
deeply interested In the future of Malaysia.
But the Philippines are likely to prove q
new apple OF discord. and there are posi-
British and American statesmen will do well
to consider and prepare to meet.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
TINKERING THE CONSTITUTION.

The Senate has adopted the following pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution,
which. if adopted by the House, will be sub
mitted to the Legislatures of the various
States for ratification or rejection:
The term of office of the President and
Vice President and of the Fifty-slxth Con.
gress shall continue until the 4th day OF
Nav, in the year 1901, at noon, and the Attn
day of May at noon, snah fneasai as +be
commencement and termination of the OF
fetal term of the President, vice PRESIDENT,
senators and representatives In congress-
The object aimed at by this proposed
amendment to the Constitution is not impor-
tant. and there is a serious objection to it.
It's object is to change the date of Inaugural
ton day from March to May in order
to make reasonably sure of having pleasant
weather in Washington for an outdoor
parade and demonstration. This is not I'M
portant. The customary outdoor ceremonies
could be dispensed with altogether without
any sacrifice of official dignity or detriment
to public interests.
When the old Congress of the Confedera-
ton fixed March as the date for TIE
inauguration of the new government it was
not thinking about the weather nor outdoor
parades. 1t was intent on business. The
Constitution had been completed and laid
before Congress in September, 1873. and on
the 18th of that month Congress adopted
the following:
Resolved, That the first Wednesday in
January next be the day for appointing
electors in the several States which Before
the said day shall have ratified the Con-
stitution: that the first Wednesday in Feb
ruary next be the day for the electors to
assemble in their respective States and vote
for a President, and that the first Wednes-
day in March next be the time and the
present seat of Congress New York; the
place, for commencing the proceedings
under the said Constitution
AS the first Wednesday in March, 1889. was
March 4, that became the constitutional
birthday of the government. The first Con-
gress should have assembled on that day.
but on account of bad roads the House
did not have a quorum until April nor
the Senate until the 9Th Washington was
not inaugurated till April 30. An act of
1872 made the presidential term begin "cn
the 4th day of March next succeeding the
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

day on which the votes of the electors have
been given" A later, act makes the terms
of members of Congress begin on the same
date The effect Of the proposed amendment
is to make both the presidential and con-
gressional terms begin two months later
than they do now. Instead of that, if any
change is made they should begin earlier.
The sooner a President is inaugurated aft
er his election, and the sooner congressman
take Their seats after election the better. At
present their terms do not begin for four
months after the popular election and
new Congress does not meet till thirteen
months after it is elected. The question of a
prompt execution of. the popular will is
far more important than having fine
weather for an outdoor Inauguration
parade. Instead of making Inauguration day
TWO months later than it is now the true
principles of popular government would be
better served by making it two months
earlier. To amend the Constitution, except
Tor grave and sufficient reasons, savors of
tinkering moss
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

Our naval authorities will be very dull if
they do not learn from the recent move
ments of the Spanish fleet that they have
to deal with very crafty enemy 1t is al
ways unwise in war to urderrate the
enemy, and in this case il may be advisable
to revise our estimate of the Spaniards in
respect of naval strategy and maneuvering
Assuming that their plan was to get their
main fleet into West Indian waters without
our knowledge, it must be admitted that
they managed it very adroitly. The fleet
sailed from Cape Verde islands April %,
after having remained there long enough
to attract attention and create the impress
sion that it would sail direct for this side.
About the time it was expected in Ameri-
can waters. on May TO- it vas reported at
Cadiz. This report came through two diff
ferent channels and seemed so reliable
that our board of strategy shaped their
plans accordingly. and made rapid prepara-
tions for the invasion of Cuba. The govern
ment had no doubt whatever that the fleet
was at Cadiz. on the 18th inst. II arrived at
Martinique. having eluded our scouting
ships and baffled every other means of To-
eating it. Martinique was the best point on
this side of the world for the Spanish fleet
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
The Race of the Oregon.

Lights OUT And a Prov turned toward the
South
And canvas hiding each lannon's mouth
And a ship like a silent ghost released
Is seeking her sister ships in the East.
A rush of water, foaming trail.
An ocean hound in coat of mail.
A deck long-lined with the lines of fate,
She roars goodbye at the Golden Gate.
on! On! Alone without gong or bell,
But burning fire, like the fire of hell,
Till the lookout starts As his glasses show
The white cathedral Of Callao.
A moments halt meath the slender spire:
Food food for the men, and food for the fire.
Then out in the sea to rest no more
Till her keel is grounded on Chiles shore.
South. South! God guard through the unknown
wave.
Where chart nor compass may help or save
Where the kissing wraths of the sea abide
And few may pass through the stormy tide.
North! North, For harbor far away
For another breath in the burning day
For moments shelter from speed and pain
And PROV to the tropic sea again.
Home, Home. With the mother fleet to sleep
Till the call shall rise Ger the awful deep:
And the bell shall clang for the battle there.
And the voice of guns is the voice Of prayer,
one more TO the songs of the bold and free
When your children gather about your knee;
AS they came TO the walls of Rome one night;
When the loroily William OF DeloTaine
Shall ride by the Scottish lake again.
When the Hessian spectres shall fit In air
AS Washington crosses the Delaware:
When the eyes of babes shall be closed in dread
As the story OF Paul Revere is read
When your boys shall ask what the guns are for
Then tell them the tale Of the Spanish war;
And the GREATNESS millions that looked upon
The matchless race Of the oregon.
John James Meehan. in Leslies Weekly.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

Inc present war is adding to the proof
Oh other wars that naval power is the pow
er That wins. The great wars of the future
VIII not be between little German states
nor between any contiguous land powers in
Europe. They will be between nations or
races which are separated by water and
whose supremacy will be decided by their
domination of oceans and seas. This means
that the United States. whose geographical
location and great extent of coast line on
two oceans indicate the direction of their
future development, should, without further
Questioning, accept the destiny of becoming
a great naval power
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16

On Tuesday the Senate will take up the
amendments proposed to the House revenue
bill by it's finance committee. two of which
are about as vicious as they can be. In
fact the silver men in the Senate, if the ma
jority of the finance committee represents
them, seem to have taken advantage of the
situation in which they have helped to place
the government to compel it to accept
lot of silver dollars coined from bullion al
ready pledged to the redemption OF
the treasury notes of 1890 and a new lot
of greenbacks just like the old ones. The
attitude these men have assumed is that the
President must take such money as they Of
fer him or the volunteers now going TO the
front may be disbanded. They say in effect,
that Admiral Dewey's fleet may go without
supplies and the fleets of Sampson and
Schley may be recalled as soon as the money
now in the treasury is exhausted unless the
administration and the House accept the
kind of money they choose to vote. The sill
verites seem to say to the government, we
have you by the throat and you cannot pro-
coed with the war unless you accept our
scheme to force the country to fiat money
or silver basis.''
1t remains to be seen if the majority of
the Senate will back the silver senator's on
the finance committee if the proposition is
made an issue. Let temporary loan to an
ticipate the revenue resulting from the war
tax be made the ISSUE leaving out of the
question an issue of bonds and see il a ma
jority of the Senate will vote for prop
osition to vitiate the currency. The admins
tration needs money to carry on the war.
Let the country see if the Senate will refuse
unless it can force the House and the Pres
ident to accept the terms of the silver men
on the finance committee. Let the senator's
who seem to be bound to comply with the
behests of the silver mine owners make
clear their purpose to use the necessity of
the war to force the government to a silver
or paper money basis if they desire to
arouse the indignation of patriotic people.
Fortunately, if these men undertake to
carry out the unpatrotic policy of forcing
the country to a silver basis, thus COM
polling soldiers and others maintaining the
national honor to accept payment in dollars
whose purchase power would be less than
those in use when they enlisted, they cam
not succeed. They may defeat tax law and
a loan for war purposes. but they cannot
force the clipped dollar outrage Under the
resumption act the President has ample au-
thority to issue bonds to the extent of a
billion dollars less those issued by Mr..
Cleveland to protect specie payments on a
gold basis So if the silver mine owners con-
troll the Senate, they cannot preven! the
prosecution of the war except or then
terms.