The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-15

who, among many other warm things,
says:
1t seems a little unfair that the department OF
posts in Cuba should be made the scapegoat for all
the corruption on the islands administration
when it is well known in Havana that the postal
Irregularities and defalcations but bagatelle
in comparison with the stupendous frauds that
have been perpetrated and judiciously covered up
in this city alone, to say nothing of suburban
military railroads, etc. Havana has always had
the reputation of being place, but If the
political pot continues to boil over much more II
will be pronounced too hot for comfort.
The military middle is getting thicker than
ever. General Adna r. Chaffee, late CHIEF OF
staff got away just in time. Before leaving ne
remarked to a friend: 1--WE all knew it would
have to come, and l thought the sooner the bet
ter, but those tender toes up there IN washington
wanted the cyclone STAYED off till after election.
Keep quiet down there the Democrats will
catch on, and then the devil will be to pay So
we kept quiet until jay squealed to congress,
and then-well, now the fat is in the fire, and no
body knows who stole the fish,
For many months--in fact, since January-the
military authorities in Cuba knew OF the gross
extravaganza the criminal carelessness and the
glaring inaccuracies, not to use stronger terms,
that existed in the department of posts, but they
also knew of the amazing rottenness of the city
government, which under military jurisdic-
ton and for which army officials in Cuba re-
sponsible and they hesitated to stir up such a
cesspool Of corruption. realizing that all the vr-
tues OF the $I25,000 electrozone plant and other
disinfecting fakes would not be sufficient to de-
odorize Davis doings, let alone purify the city
expense account.
Besides, the constant admonitions from the
White IIouse-"Keep Cuba out of politics'-could
not be ignored SO the military authorities in con-
troll followed as long as possible the advice of the
late Colonel Ingersol, Never look for what you
don't want to fnd," and were happy.
On the Stool of Repentance.
Now, mark you, The News has been
a stanch supporter of the McHanna
administration. But rats desert a sink
ing ship. The same correspondent gets
off this startling paragraph for the
amazement of gaping world:
The real facts are that the present administra-
ton lacks the foresight to discover, the courage
to denounce and the ability to bring TO justice
the real thieves and 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 brave
leap for the shore, remarking on. the
way through the air:
But the people will not have it so. They will
insist on knowing the worst in order that the
proper remedy may be applied. The president
cannot afford. matter how completely some OF
his friends may be involved, to ignore this mat
ter, and we cannot believe that he will. When
the whisky ring scandals touched the most inti-
mate friends of General Grant, the members OF
his own official household he said, "Let no guilty
man escape" Here is precedent for President
Mckinley
Evidently The News is on the stool of
repentance, and it may seem ungra-
cious to jog it's memory with unpleas-
ant things, but the fact is that, not
withstandng General Grants fine cpl
gram, several guilty men did escape,
among them his military secretary,
! General Babcock, and at the ensuing
election the Democrats swept the coun-
| try, electing Samuel J. Tilden presi-
dent by a popular majority OF. a quar-
ter of Il million and by IL substantial
majority Of the electoral college.
Two Pictures.
It 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
istraton. headed by President McKin'
ley, gave them the cold shoulder and
| the marble hand. Mr.. Mckinley and
his premier, Colonel John Hay, receiy.
| ed them as private citizens only and
| turned them away empty handed
Gaze first on that picture of heartless
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:
] trust the Gay will never come when a nation
fighting for liberty will look in vain to the
American people for sympathy and aid. These
ENJOYS have honored us by coming to seek ouI
sympathy, giving US as Americans the opportunity
to assist them to gain that liberty which is SC
dear to
1t is to our honor that the Beers have come to
us to receive sympathy. 1t is hard to under
stand the feelings of the man who has sympathy
for the Boer cause, but who is conccaling it for
political reasons When young man, ! heard a
very able sermon which has always chung by me
on the text, 'As he thinketh so he isl
Why should any American citizen who feels for
the Boer fail to express himself such? ] do not
see how one can do other than to choose the
cause of the two republics in preference to that
of monarchy
Essence of Americanisnl.
Those words were fifty spoken and
are like apples Of gold in pictures of
silver | humbly and feryently thank
Almighty God that America is still
able to nurture q man such as Bryan.
His career demonstrates that the breed
of men who formed this republic has
not run out. Il do not see how one
can do other than to choose the cause
of the two republics in preference to
that of a monarchy" That is simple
| statement 1t contains the very es-
sence of .tmerican!sm. Two years ago
to those words and TO that sentiment
there would not have been dissent
| ing voice in all this bread land; now
official America-Mark Hanna Ameri-
ca-dissents toto cnlo. doubt if any
/ L..