Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1899 — AN UNHOLY WAR. [ARTICLE]

AN UNHOLY WAR.

A new war has been inaugurated; for the first time in its history the American Eagle has been a vulture feeding upon human gore shed in the defense of homes and hearthstones. Here in Amer- ■ ica there is no acclamation of joy. Banners do not wave nor cannons boom. The air itself is laden with a funeral dirge, and the American citizen, who heretofore was proudly boastful of the traditions of his country is silent and thoughtful and his heart is sad, for he realizes that something has been lost which can never be restored. Patriotism has been defined as “Love of Country” but such definition reflects no credit upon the intelli.wj character of the citizen U ten. bta a wotahippar .»

what might be an empty shrine. A better definition would be “Devotion to those grand principles of justice and equality which makes one’s country lovable.” This was the broad foundation upon which the fathers builded, but in an evil hour under the promptings of the commercial devil-fish which has turned the templs of the People’s liberty into a den of thieves, “old glory” has become the emblem of conquest and oppression. President McKinley himself in his message last spring characterized the course he is now pursuing as “criminal aggression,” and truth could not be more true. It is criminal in more ways than one. The American heart has become proud of the fact that our country by its universal kindness, its justice and humanity, its fraternal care and protection of weak people was expressing the grand truth by the savior, “the brotherhood of man.” This was the invincible rock of our magnificent power and glory. It was a divine warrant and pledge of the perpetuity of our institutions. But by the advice of mercenary councilors the executive has cast away the divine shield and henceforth we exist by the force of might and not of right. The sword and bayonet must now be our emblem and resort. The hundred thousand men which congress has just voted to enlist will melt away as though they had never ~ been, and give place to five hundred thousand more who in turn will become the food of the mighty mollock of commercialism which is now forcing this nation to its doom. This is a crime against God and humanity. But still another crime has been committed by the administration. Last spring volunteers were called for to carry the glad tidings of liberty to the victims of Spanish oppression and our young men bravely fell into line at the bugle call, and our regulars, whose escutcheon had never been tarnished by oppression and unholy war, fully maintained the record of American valor. And these young men who enlisted to secure liberty are now ordered to shoot down men who are fighting for that priceless boon. Reports tell us how those barbarians bravely face the merciless fire of rifles, machine guns and dynamite with bows and arrows as their weapons, fought to free their homes and country from foreign control. \ Our mon never enlisted for that nnmnM Our army was never or* ■

ganized for that purpose and this administration by putting it to such unholy and unlawful use has stained the executive chair with crime, and upon this administration must rest the blame for uni'ustifiable and criminal bloodshed. Jut the whole people are plunged in shame and sorrow —shame that these brave barbarians, instead of finding a friend in the United States, have a mercilegs foe and oppressor. Shame that the bloodstained and ghastly history of Spanish oppression is to be duplicated and re-written by our country. This unholy war should cease at once and our armies be recalled. Notice should be served on the world that the United States in the future, as in the past will continue to protect the weak and be the champion of human rights and the uncompromising foe of oppression. In such a role we are invincible, and we march on to become the ruling power of the earth in love and kindness.

W. M. LAKIN.

Aurora, Neb. 1899. Good correspondence stationery cheap at The Democrat office.