Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-09-22
WHAT SORT OF A WELCOMED

WHAT SORT OF A WELCOME?
The Sioux Falls Press, as the repre-.
sentative of Senator Pettigrew, has en-
hibited passionate anxiety-the only
quality of anxiety it ever eNhibits-to
be foremost in whatever might bedone
in South Dakota in the way of prepar-
ing Il welcome for the home coming Of
the volunteers enlisted from that state.
1t has expressed the deepest anxiety
to "honor' the boys. From day to day
it has amhushed the republican press
of the state. justifying its Filipino war
fare OH the ground that the republican
press of the state opposed all it's pro-
positions to "honor'' the men coming
back from the Philippines. This OPP
position the Press has attributed to
partisan politics. Even if that were
true it is an homogeneous complaint to
come from Senator Pettigrew's person
al organ. Senator Pettigrew is simply
stepped in politics: he is IA partisan
through and through. There are pots
and kettles of all shapes, sizes and
hues i'll South Dakota politics, but it is
Il grotesque spectacle to see the Sioux
Falls pot in which Senator Pettigrew
mixes his politics swinging itself back
and fourth and sqneaking out it's NAL
| edictions against an assortment of ket-
| Ties which it calls black. Senator Pet
| tiyrew does not honor the South Dako-
Ia soldiers. The labor of his life at the
present time is to establish u distinc-
ton between the men and the service
in which they have been employed.
His anxiety to get them away from the
Philippine did not spring from his So
licitude in behalf of the men, but it
sprung from the malignancy of his
feeling against the administration of
William Mckinley. The Sioux Falls
Press as the personal organ of the SEN
ator, daring to have no policy against
his will, is not a leader the patriotic
newspapers of the state, of whatever
political party, car be justified in fol-
lowing. The people of the state who
will truly honor the soldiers on their
return will be the people who think of
the soldiers and not of themselves; the
people who honor the soldiers for the
sacrifices they have made in the SER
| vice of the country. The people who
| do not believe the men have been en-
gagged in service cannot honor them.
They will remember that they went to
the Philippines willingly; that they
shirked no hardship; that they fought
like men who believed i'll the justice of
their country's cause-a cause against
liberty, as Senator Pettigrew says; a
cause ''damnable," as the governor OF
South Dakota says. If the soldiers of
South Dakota have been the victims OF
IL wicked government. ii they have been
the unwilling contributors to Il gigan-
tic plot against humanity. if they have
been, as it were. prisoners OF war con-
PEELED to bear arm against their con-
sciences. then they may have commits
Grafton. and such congratulation as es-
cape from humiliating bondage may
provoke. But that is not the type of
welcome the heroes of war are want to
have. Such Il welcome should be free
of the stars and stripes. The men
should be relieved of their uniform in
advance of all other ceremony. The
fife and drum should PLAY no national
air. No voice should be permitted ia
break forth in raphsody over tile
achievement of Dewey, the valor O!
American arms, or the honor and glory
of our great country. The American
troops homeward come from service in
the Philippines stand i'll need of no
such welcome. Better far that they
should be left to the welcoming tears
of those who love them. The people
of South Dakota have it intheir hearts
to extend Il welcome that has use fol
the flag. that would have the bands
play the old music, that would have
love of country i'll it, and honor for
the soldiers because they We're their
c%ountry's hero-soldiers. Such welcome
as the president extended ut Pittsburg
is the better welcome, for in that the
soldiers have honor.-SiouX City Jour
nal.