Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-08-27

In hospitals, in prison pens, in black
holes of Calcutta, and in holes blackcr
than Calcutta. Yes, Yes! but have
not earthquakes, tornadoes, ship
wrecks, the drest calamities that ever
smite men, been the occasions Of hero
ism as unsel6sh, by all tests as lofty
and divine, as war can show? swear
to you j would as soon commit myself
to the proposition that earthquakes
or shipwrccks, plaques and pestllcnces,
are good for nations and individuals,
us that war Is good
Our Spanish war, then, as war, was
an unmixed, pure evil-evil by the ma
ture of all war. Was it Il righteous
or justlhable war? In the first place,
was ii necessary? Here | assert that
it was not. Our grievances with Spain
were in no reasonable sense intoler-
able. They were. in truth, Of small
account. The Cubans had grievances
of great magnitude, make no doubt.
We professed to be crusaders Of free
dom, knights errant, doing free, vol
untcer battle for a suffering people.
We flung out to the world the banner
Of Free and Independent Cuba! Putting
together all our own grievances, and
all the grievances of the Cubans, we
could have obtained relief and redress
for them all without war. II we may
credit our own ambassador, who said
publicly in Boston in 1898, that we
should, but for the rage and folly Of
Congress, have obtained full redress
without the firing Of shot or the loss
of lfe'--or if we regard the diploma
tic correspondence leading up to the
war-correspondence only just now
given to the public after more than
three years of studied concealment.
Our Spanish war, then, was not nee
essary; and If not necessary, then not
stlftable--unrighteou wicked a
piece of high-playing to the galleries,
or perhaps l ought to say, to the pit;
a touch of he'll voluntarily given by our
rulers.
i was 1t patriotic war? 1t was
manifestly popular; was it anything
better? shall not refine upon the
word patriotism, but will say that
our pretences respecting the Spanish
war go further than anything have
;, ever observed to give color of truth to
DR.. Johnson's famous definition. IL
there be such u thing us public moral
ity, the shout ofepatriotism cannot
cover the hideous wrong of an unnec-
essary war. If as is so often said, the
war has knit together the two sec
tions of our country, who can rejoice
, in a union cemented by common par
{ ticipation in an unnecessary slaughter
Of our fellow-men? That way true
, union can never lie.
1 Here | pause to say, peccavi. When
the Spanish war burst on us, the
glamor of free Cuba and wicked old
el Spain blinded me, and l was swept
+ from my moorngs. The real extent
a of my offending limited itself to some
: rather academic talk at fag-raislnp
a among my own nelghbors. l know
v but one conspicuous man now living
). for John NJ, Forbes passed to where
' beyond these voices there Is peace, y
T. IN the very opening weeks of the wal
Q i say recall but one conspicuous
Il man In the United States who at that
G hour had the combined wisdom ant
J. courage-the eye to see and the yoic,
= to paint the true situation. Need
h name him who holds the chair of thi,
l. FESTIVAL, with a serenity of aspect ant
n mind no greater than when, for tina
l. true ana fear!es word he met the herc,
s denunciation and abuse of his dlstln
T guished college class-mate, the senio
/, senator from Massachusetts?
t Has our Spanish war ILLUSTRATED
o the valor of our soldlery? Did we neec
d to have this illustrated? Did we doub
s Il before, or did the world doubt it
y 10 what purpose is this illustration
u OF our valor to be put? But am goln,
r TO ask another question. Was ther
anything heroic, In high and Jus
l. sense, In the conduct or exploits o
II our army or navy in our Spanish war
Il We conquered, whom? Spain; decayed
D. decrepit Spain! A truly effete, dyinj
IS monarchy! Not an American life lost
E. not an American life really cndangere,
at Manila! Not an American life lost
20 not an American life endangered a
D. the naval fight at Santiago! Rats pour
o ing out OF trap with terriers watch
D. Ing to pounce upon them-that wa
d the great sea fight at Santiago, whicl
!" men tell us rivals the fights Of Abou
s. kir Bay, of Copenhagen and Of Ira
falgar! Skill in naval gunnery, dis