The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-18

the corruption on the islands administration
when II Is we'll known in Havana that the postal
irregularities and dcfalcatons are but bagatcllc
In comparison with the stupendous frauds that
have been perpctrated and judiciously covered up
In th's city alone, to say nothing OF suburban
military railroads. etc. Havana has always had
the reputation OF being a warm place. but il the
political pot continues to boil over much more it
will soon be pronounced too hot for comfort.
Ihe military mudde Is getting thicker than
ever. General Adna r. Chanee, late chief OF
stan. got away Just in time. Before leaving he
remarked to . friend: 1--WE all knew 1t would
have to come. and thought the sooner the bet.
ter but those tenc,r toes up there in Washington
wanted the cyclone STAYED of till after election.
Keep quiet down there or the Democrats will
catch on. and then the devil will be to pay So
We kept quiet until some jay squealed to congress-
and then-well. now the fat Is in the fire, and no.
body knows who stole the Ash"
For many months-in fact, since January-the
military authorities in Cuba knew OF the gross
extravasancc. the criminal carelessncss and the
glaring inaccuracies. not to use stronger terms
that existed In the department OF posts. but they
also knew OF the amazing rottrnness OF the city
government, which under military jurisdic.
tion and for which army officials Ia Cuba were re.
sponsible, and they hcsi atcd to stir up such
cesspool OF corruption. realizing that all the vir.
tues OF the $l25.000 electrozonc plant and other
disinfecting fakes would not be sufficient to de.
odorixe Davis doings, let alone purify the city
expense account.
Besides. the constant admonitions from the
White House-"Keep Cuba out OF politics"--could
not be ignored. % tho military authorities in con-
troll followed as long possible the advice OF tho
late Colonel lngersoll. "Nevef look for what you
don't want to 6nd," and were happy.
On the stool Of Repentance.
Now. mark you, The News has been
stanch supporter Of the McHanna
administration. But rats desert q sink.
ing ship. The same correspondent gets
on this startling paragraph for the
amazement Of a gaping world:
The real facts are that the present administra.
tion lacks the foresight to discover, the courage
to denounce and the ability to bring to Justice
the real thieves a,i political parasites both civil
and military. that have disgraced our occupation
Of the island.
Whereupon the agile editor of The
News. determined not to be caught
as the ship goes down. makes q brave
leap for the shore. remarking on the
way thrt ugh the air:
Bui the p. 'ple will not have It 50. They will
insist on knowing the worst in order that the
proper remedy may be applied The president
cannot AFFORD, no matter how completely some OF
his friends may be involved. to ignore this mat.
ter. and We cannot believe that l. III. When
the whisky ring scandals touched the most init.
mate friends OF General Grant, the members OF
his own official household. he said, ''Let no guilty
man escape" Here Is q precedent for President
Mckinley.
Evidently The News Is on the stool of
repentance. and it may seem ungra.
cious to jog its memory with unpleas.
ant things, but the fact Is that, not
withstanding General Grants fine epi.
gram. several guilty men did escape,
among them his military secretary.
General Babcock. and ut the ensuing
election the Democrats swept the cOun.
try. electlng Samuel j. Tilden presi.
lent by n popular majority Of n quar-
ter Of a million and by n substantial
majority OF the electoral college.
Two Pictures.
1t Will be remembered that when the
ENJOYS Of the two brave little South
African republics presented themselves
at Washington to seek the sympathy
OF the greatest republic under the sun
in their heroic but unequal death
struggle with the vastest monarchy
upon the face Of the earth, the admin.
istration. headed by President McKin-
ley. gave them the cold shoulder and
the marble hand. Mr.. Mckinley and
his premier Colonel John Hay. receiv-
ed them as private citizens only and
turned them away empty handed.
Gaze first on that picture Of heartlcss-
ness and then ON this Of American
cordiality. When an ovation was given
these same ENJOYS at Omaha. William
j. Bryan was the chief orator. During
his speech. which was American
throughout. he uttered these noble
words. which thrill the heart like
strains Of martial music:
I trust the day will never come when a nation
fighting for liberty will look In vain 20 the
American people for sympathy and aid. These
ENJOYS have honored US by coming to seek our
sympathy. giving Us as Americans the opportunity
to assist them to gain that liberty which Is 50
dear to US
1t Is to our honor that the Beers have come 10
US to receive our sympathy. 1t 10 hard 10 under.
stand the feelings Of the man who has sympathy
Tor the Boer cause. but who Is conccaling 1t for
political reasons. When young man, ] heard a
very able sermon which has always clung by me
on the text. "As he thinkcth. so he is"
Why should any American citizen who feels for
the Boer fail to express himself as such? do not
sec how one can do other than to choose the
cause OF the two republics In preference to that
OF monarchy.
Essence Of Anne ricanism.
Those words were fitly spoken and
are Ike apples OF gold in pictures Of
silver ! hunlbly and fervently thank
Almighty God that America is still
able to nurture man such as Bryan.
His career demonstrates that the breed
OF men who formed this republic has
not run out. I'll do not see how one
can do other than to choose the cause
or the two republics in preference to
that OF n monarchy" That Is n simple
statement. 1t contains the very cs.
sehce or Amcricanism. Two years ago
to those words and to that sentiment
there would not houo hoo,, ~