The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-31
A PAPER WITHOUT A COUNTRY.
From the New York Sun.

No American can read without indig-
nation the articles which the editor or
the New York Evening Post is writing
and publishing from day to day concern-
ing Cuba. That newspaper alone among
all the journals of the land defends
Weylerism, extenuates Spain's inhuman
warfare in the island, treats in hippant
phrases the sufferngs of the reconcen-
trados as something which Cuba has
brought unto herself and regards the
patriots who are fighting for freedom
only as pernicious disturbers OF wall
street values. American patriotism,
the love of the flag, sympathy with nero
ism, hope for the independence of brave
people, are almost daily the themes OF
satirical observations by the one news
paper of the United States which is at
this time for peace at any price and Tor
the dollar every time.
O.
1t would be unfair to attribute to any
editor, however alien his heart and con-
temptibe his sentiments, an attitude IKE
that above described without exhibiting
the words of his own pen which JUSTIFY
the description. First, as to Mr.. +. l..
Godkins apology for the starvation OF
non-combatants. The Evening Post
treats the devilish policy which has made
the island a wilderness and sacrificed I'm
nocent lives to a number variously esti-
mated at from two hundred thousand TO
half million, as II it were the usual and
inevitable incident of war waged by
a civilized nation: "Ths measure of de-
stroying peoples homes in order to pre-
vent their furnishing supplies to the enc
my is not an invention of the Spaniards.
There is nothing Spanish about 1t. 1t Is
exactly what Sheridan did in the Shen-
andoah Valley and Sherman in South
Carolina. 1t is what all military COM
manders do If hard pressed, and If they
think it will further their cause. One of
the peculiarites of war is that 1t rids men
of all restraints imposed. in time OF
peace. by religion and humanity. II
hanging or shooting non-combatants or
burning their houses Will help general
to victory, he hangs or shoots them or
burns their houses. other warriors woull
think him a ninny If he did not"
Is there any other editor in America,
calling himself an American or any other
newspaper in America. capable OF writing
or printing that? The butchery of help
less women and children, the hanging
and shooting of non-combatants, the
starvation of hundreds of thousands--so
these are the ordinary methods of con-
Quoting war common to the great cCm-
manders of all civilized nations; and
Spain's commanders are no more criminal
Sheridan or Lee or George Washington!
The warrior is "ninny'' who is not a
Weyler!
Next as to Mr.. f. L. Godkin's srgu-
ment that the Cubans have brought their
sufferings upon themselves by persistent
ly rebellious behavior, and that the fate
of their cause is something which does
not concern us He says "Grantiig, as
we have to grant, that the Spaniards
have a right to put down the rebellion
by force of arms, we have to grant also
their right to use the ordinary military
means to accomplish their objec,, and
devastation is one of them. AS the
French say, Qui vout la fin vsut les
moyens. All objection to the doings of
| the Spaniards in Cuba, therefore, on the
ground that they cause great suffering
| would be rather absurd, unless We pro-
| posed TO relieve the suffering on the al
| lopathic plan. The plan now before the
country is homeopathic plan; That
is, is we n,,tb propose St,, to cure the Gu;
the dog that bit them or IN other
| words, cure like by like. They have
| brought all their present sufferings on
| themselves by armed resistance to bad
| government. They have done so delib-
| erately, and have persisted in their resist
| ance for nearly three years. They can
| In other words, they have exposed them.
| selves to death and starvation and i'm
| povershment with full knowledge of the
| probable consequences of their conduct
| O.
| The insurgents, continues Mr.. +. L.
| Godkin, should be allowed to carry or
1.-The work of slaughter and destruction
| without any help from us If we refrain
| from intervention I'VE shall not have &c
| police the Cuban population after the
| war, and chase the rebels through mi
| asmatic forests and marshes, and com
| pei them TO lead a sober, civilized life. >
| "A good Cuban war. that would destroy
| plenty of Spanards," could not be car
| ried on by us, ION land and sea, undel
| one million dollars a day, If for tha
| sum-" But If we let them alone, leav,
| them to be starved and butchered unde
| what the Evening Post regards as tn,
| ordinary military practices of civilized
| nations, "they will stew in their owl
| grease, and do their own policing"
| o
Such is this aliens view Of the situa
| ton in Cuba, and of our duty with ref
| erence TO il. 1t is almost the Language
of insanity, but the only insanity in hi
case is that of a nature in which egotisn
has become monomania. The faintes
spark of the Americanism which inspire
and unites all other citizens, native o
naturalized. in a crisis like this, Is lack
ing in him and in his paper. He is tn
man without country at the presen
time, and the Evening Post is the news
| paper without a country.