The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-21
SENTIMENTALISM RUN MAD.
ATTEMPT TO PRESENT ADMIRAL
CERVERA WITH LOVING CUP.

CERVERA WITH LOVING CUP.
such Action as Proposed Severely
the Fitness of Things Is Properly
BaIanced-Extremel Doubtful If
Admiral Cervera Would Accept
Such Gift.
Washington, Aug. 20.-There is a
loud and urgent demand for the Fool
Killer TO get in his deadly work on the
notoriety seeking individual who pro-
poses to get up popular subscription
for the purchase of a loving cup to be
present to Admiral Cervera of the
Spanish navy. 1t is such a clear case
of sentimentalism run mad that the
promoter of the scheme should not only
be suppressed, but totally ignored.
However certain newspapers and dis
tinguished men have been asked to
consider the proposition seriously, and
the topic is now open for general dis
cussion. Just why the American peo-
pie should go down in their pockets and
subscribe for a loving cup for the
Spanish Admiral who was so ignomi
nously defeated in the battle at San
tiago, even the sponsors of the propos-
ed testimonial are unable satisfactorily
to explain. Bishop Potter of New York
and other distinguished gentlemen have
been asked to express an opinion as to
the feasibility of such presentation.
With one accord these eminent author
tiles discountenance the scheme and
very promptly suggest that 1t would
not only be in bad taste to tender to
Admiral Cervera a gift of any KIND,
but that il is more than likely that he
would decline to accept it under exist
ing conditions.
An effort was recently made to Sc
cure from United States naval officers,
who were actively engaged in the bat
tie of Santiago, their opinions as to the
propriety of getting up a subscription
in the United States for the purpose of
giving Admiral Cervera loving cup.
Every naval officer who has been APP
preached on the subject, replied with
| out a moments hesitation that such a
proposition was so preposterous that it
should not receive serious consideration
by intelligent people.
One of the most sensible and frank
comments on this subject was made
by Rear Admiral Robley d. Evans,
who commanded the battleship Iowa
at Santiago. Admiral Evans person.
ally is a great admirer of Admiral Ger
vera, both as an officer and gentle
man. He probably had a better OPP
portunity to "size up the Spanish ad-
miral than many of the participants in
that famous battle, for it will be re-
membered that Admiral Cervera was
for a time a prisoner of war on board
the Iowa.
Admiral Evans says that knowing
Admiral Cervera as he does, ii is hard
ly within the range of probability that
the Spanish admiral would receive such
a gift at the hands of the American
people. Even if the Spanish govern
| an act, it is doubtful whether Admiral
| CerVera would consent to be a party
| to such a transaction, which, on its
| face, is in bad taste and entirely I'M
| called for. Admiral Evans says he be-
| lieves every American naval officer who
| participated in the battle of Santiago.
| entertains the very highest regard for
| Admiral Cervera, and would be willing
| to see any courtesy or compliment be-
| slowed upon that brave and gallant
| officer. At the same time the idea of
| presenting him with a loving cup or
| any other testimonial is so unusual and
/ out of tune with the precedents that II
| is safe to assume that Admiral Ger
vera would not only decline the gift,
| but would have a right to consider the
promoters of the scheme either very
| silly, or that they are seeking to make
| him appear ridiculous in the eyes of
! the civilized world.
Other naval officers expressed similar
views to those of Rear Admiral Exams,
| and all of them heartily concur in the
| humane and practical suggestion made
| by Fighting Bob" to the effect that
| if the American people are so anxious
| to subscribe for a worthy cause and
| at the same time commemorate the
| glorious victory of the American navy
at Santiago. they should do something
| to relieve the American widows and
orphans who were rendered destitute
| by the battle at Santiago by land and
by sea. He says he knows of numer-
GUS distressing cases where women
have lost heir husbands, father or
sons in the battle of Santiago. These
poor women have endeavored TO secure
employment without success and many
of them are to-day suffering for the
necesasries of life Under the ericum-
stances. Admiral Evans says he is con-
fident that Admiral Cervera would
greatly prefer that Americans should
go to the relief of these widows and
orphans rather than he should have
hestowed uDon him "a loving eun