The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-01-04
CURRENT COMMENT.

We have for generations boasted
that this is the land of the free and
the home of the brave, an asylum for
the oppressed Of all nations. Now our
rulers deem II desirable to expand, and
we start out to slaughter a simple peo-
pie and take their land for our own.
Isn't this pretty picture of inconsist-
ency for a government boasting of its
Christian civilization?
Philadelphia has secured the Repub-
lican national convention, and now she
Is trying to have the national head
quarters located there. That would be
strictly in accord with the eternal fit
ness Of things, especially II Mark Han
ma is to be the chief bottle holder, as
seems likely. He would take to the
Philadelphia method Of carrying cleo
tions as readily as duck runs to
water. He would find 1t cheaper per-
baps, and no more demoralizing than
the Wholesale bribery and intimidation
used to pull Mckinley through In 1896.
Yes, by all means let Marcus locate
headquarters and hindquarters, too, II
he likes, In Philadelphia, for many of
the Philadelphia fellows who see a
horrid political specter in Matthew
would take kindly to Mark.
In spite Of all the paeans sung to the
goddess Of prosperity murder will
out" A few days ago Washington
dispatch gave the information that
Secretary Gage had that day received
kilograms from bankers in all parts OF
the country declaring that financial
panic was impending, and urging him
to take immediate steps to prevent 1t.
What was the good Mr.. Gage to do?
He knows that we have more money
than we need, because he said so; but
he at once decided to buy bonds to the
amount of $25, 1000. 900, so as to get the
money out of his way simply, and also
agreed to send out $4,000, 900 Of the
governments money to be deposited in
national banks OF course the banks
had no use for It, because, according to
Mr.. Gage and his golden crew, we have
all the money we need. But 1t was
perhaps in Mr.. Cages way, and he sent
It out. When such men as Gage talk
about our having more money than we
need and use that as an argument to
deceive the people into favoring the
single gold standard it is a pity that
the fate which befel Ananias and Sap
phira might not have a new illustra-
tion, as the old seems to have lost its
effect.
Professional military gentlemen are
the vainest lot of human peacocks on
the face of the earth, showing their
self importance in every movement as
they strut about logged out in tinsel
and feathers. Naturally they are the
greatest braggarts in existence, and
can make the tamest sort of an engage
ment a heroic and terrible contest, a
brilliant attack or a most gallant
charge When defeated it is always
overwhelming numbers, and the re-
treat is simply withdrawal in splen-
did order. General Methuen in send
ing an account of the skirmish at Mod
der river described it as the "bloodiest
battle of the century" and said he was
confronted by at least 5000 Beers. It
turned out that the Boer force was but
800 and the British loss 73 killed and
about 400 wounded. Perhaps it was
blue blood that the general had in
mind that made things so bloody, for
little of that in his estimation would
undoubtedly go a long ways. One
would think from Roosevelt's descrip-
ton of the skirmish at San Juan that
1t was like Methuen's, one of the blood
lest engagements Of the worlds histo-
ry, yet it was but scratch, with little
loss of life, which might have been still
less had somebody with less dress pa
rade courage and more judgment been
In Roosevelt's place.