The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-17
MEETING OF STATESMEN
QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC MOMENT SET
FLED As THEY ARISE.
The Chinese Matter Discussed Pro and
Con Availability OF the
Philippines.

II tAild II 6OliiS " Ot SlCrN 0p L dnh III
favor of the United States getting her fair
portion" said Deputy Auditor OF State
Frank Martin yesterday. Mr.. Martin is sec
rotary OF the State Board of Tax Commits
sioners, which body is holding daily sessions
at the Statehouse in the room Immediately
adjoining his office. Every morning before
the board begins its session there is quite
a group in Mr.. Martins office and ques-
lions of great moment, both state and ma
tional, are discussed and usually settled in
a manner highly satisfactory TO all con-
cerned. Occasionally a matter of interna-
tional Importance is handled by this body
of diplomatists with quite as little fear as
If it related to nothing more serious than
the proper twaxtaion of a gas or oil-pipe
line.
Yesterday the group concerned itself with
the Chinese trouble, and, as a side issue.
the Philippines were "lugged in on ac-
count of their proximity to the Monaghan
empire. One of the Statesmen made the
startling declaration that when the COM
plete story Of the massacre in Peking
reaches Indianapolis in all of its antici-
pated horror, should some one in the crowd
gathered about the bulletins raise the mad
cry of "Clean out the Cinnamon" there
would be an instantaneous rush for the
abiding place of every Celestial in this city
and we would have a little Chinese trouble
CT our own. "There would be a general
cleaning out of the yellow fellows all over
the civilized world as WELL" said he. This
statement aroused a storm of protest. Sew
eral of the group came CALAMITY to the res
cue and made inspiring remarks about the
spirit of fair play, which burns brightly in
every true Americans breast, and would
effectually prevent him from numbering a
man TO atone for another's wrong. The
gentleman who insisted that Cinnamon
would become victims of mob violence
cheerfully conceded that such action would
be entirely wrong and that it would after
wards be regretted. But" said he, 1.-The
American people are quite as capable OF
being aroused to a pitch of unreasoning
frenzy as are any other people on the face
or the globe. Why, l remember a lynch
ing from one end of a bridge in my own
county which proves this. The victim was
supposed TO have been concerned in some
way with a very bad case of murder. and
the mob decided he ought 10 be hung. They
tied a rope about his neck and swung him
off the bridge, but the fellow was a big,
stalwart athlete and he grabbed the rope
and was for a time able to prevent the con-
summation of the mob's will. Finally one
of the mob climbed down the rope and de-
liberately planted his feet on the poor fell
lows shoulders. holding him down until he
oNo SAlOeC0 W aCoN1s 1AS AAaA BS@PN
trated that cold-blooded, fiendish outrage
was afterward elected township trustee by
a good-sized majority. / am as much a be-
lever In the free-bOrn American citizen as
anybody else. but / tell you the veneer of
civilization which separates us from the
savag state is not so thick but that too
much rubbing will remove 1t. | think that
this Chinese business is working through
the veneer at a pretty rapid rate
1T is a mighty good thing we are in pos
session of the Philippines at this time,
cof6 Tox rOrnr nfGGinnaF WinOafn tNNa
would find ourselves badly handicapped in
dealing with the Chinese II we did not
have a naval base close at hand"
IT agree with you there" said Judge
Buskirk, but / am not in favor OF keep
ing the Philippines. I'll tell you [
would do with them. 1 would add fifty or
a hundred million dollars in cash, or what
ever amount might be needed TO clinch the
bargain, and then trade them to England
for Canada"
'If all the stories of the great mineral
wealth of those islands are true" said Mr..
Martin. 81 think we ought TO hold on to
them. OF course. the Filipinos are treach-
erous and all that. but in time there would
be such an inhux of Americans into the
islands that the natives would be in the
minority, practically"
Yes, but there would have to be a lot of
throat-cutting TO get the upper hand OF
Them" said Judge Buskirk.
\ humorous and telling point was made
against peace commissions by Judge Bus
kirk. Il am heartily opposed to peace
commissions, SAID ne, II tney are gen.
orally followed by such results as have fol-
lowed the one held at The Hague. Ten
years ago we were hearing On all sides that
the world had practically seen its last war.
They said that in America, certainly, war
was at an end. Now 1T looks as If the en-
tire world were involved in the greatest
war of it's whole history. Even the Car
of Russia. who not so very long ago was
giving out columns of stuff about peace
and arbitration. is girding on his armor
and setting out for China. I guess we are
not through with war for some time yet"
Il believe the only way of settling inter-
national difficulties is by war" said Mr..
Martin. ''They are more apt to stay set
tied"