The Huttig news., 1913-12-06

captain, 'that Is all personal. I my self have felt the contempt which the Americans feel for us, but l should be willing to suffer more than contempt for my country's freedom. I have al ready suffered. as you know, at the hands of our oppressors. Contempt is very mild and easily to be borne when our liberty is the reward for it. If you have nothing more than nara tives of personal affronts to give us, I for one shall not be very much i'm l pressed"
 "Bahi" The voice of the first | speaker rose almost to shriek. "I- put my personal feelings above my patriotism! So you say! That-that was merely my beginning. Wait un- til have finished and then let me hear your sneers. if sneers you have left"
 Well well, go on, I am waiting" answered the older man.
 "So," resumed the speaker, I've all l know what this generous nation Of Yankees, this nation so given to es- tablishing freedom throughout the world. intends to do with the Phil ippine Islands. Their newspapers leave us no doubt az to that Impe rialismi That is the cry in the Unit cd States. They have received their taste of aggrandizement-and the taste is good. Have you been deaf to the talk about the American camp? What is the word you hear oftenest among their officers? I'll tell you: 'World-power!' That is what they say: 'World-power!'
 A sort Of low cry went the rounds of his hearers. and Holton could see that the speaker was bringing them one and all beneath his spell.
 He sat down, looking gloor'ily at the ground, paying no attention to the round of hand clapping that attended his peroration
 For a moment no one stirred. It appeared as though all were thinking digesting the eloquenee that had been poured into their ears. Then another nman arose. Holton leaned forward with a gasp.
 It was the spy. the waiter of the New Willard, come tonight to place the capstone upon the spell he. had been weaving among the officers of the Cuban army.
 "Brothers,' he began, 'I came here tonight to counsel prudence, and. ir fact. do so counsel you now"
 Holtons face filled with amaze
 t,, ,f1 T., few moments he found out.
 "T do most earnestly counsel pru dence," he continued There ar, things that must be borne. The sol diers of the United States have com here Well, good We brought then here. At least, so it would appear "Of course. we believe that thes, , men were sent here because of tn great yearning of the United State i, Q see us free, unshaekled country B And so they have come down here {, g set us free, and then, having done sc q % retire with q blessing. and to cos sempIate with pride the growth : he republic free and untrammeled , 50 much we know. The SpaniarG 9ill be driven from the island. all hen will these Americans turn to |
 nd say 'Pehold here is your coul ry, take ii and develop 1t, and make f great, ari may God be with you
 Q say prudence.
 But, on the other hand, there arc some of us who may possess well. formed doubts as to the truth of the beautiful word picture l have painted for you. Yes, there are many who doubt damnably. Has the United States ever been known to talk one way and act another? To those who know the political history of that great nation. I need say no more. To those who do not, I say that govern mental policies in the United States are fickle. jades, blown willy nilly by the winds of public opinion-they are valueless as things to depend upon they are trivial even to consider. And yet"-he raised his hand to still ris. ing growl of voices-"and yet, still counsel prudence"
 "Why?" roared hoarse voice from the darkness.
 Why? I can answer you simply Because we are weak We have been in the field fighting for several years But we are not soldiers. At least, the Americans say so. You have heard them One moment" as the murmur arose again. "Oh, no, we are not soldiers. But the Americans are. We know that. They are soldiers who have sold cloth and beans and sugar and perchance may have sold guns. And so they are sodiers-soldiers that we do well to fear. So again advise prudence, always prudence.
 If they leave us our country, good but if they elect to retain 1t as an other of their possessions, why, good also. For what can we do? They will be kind to us They will feed us so that we do not starve. and they will put trolley.cars-"
 A fierce yell interrupted him, and although he raised his hand, he could not again regain attention. Nor had he need to- He had done his work, and done 1t we'll. This he knew as he stood smiling at the writhlng faces <,f ht fro tod