The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 31, June 10, 1897: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and GirlsVarious
History
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 31, June 10, 1897: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Various
History, Modern -- 19th century -- Juvenile literature -- Periodicals
In 1877, during the Russo-Turkish war, there was a very strong party in
England which was in favor of helping the Turks against the Russians.
They urged the Government, which was under Lord Beaconsfield (the great
Disraeli), to go to the aid of the Turks, and make war on the Russians,
who were advancing on Turkey, and it was feared might take the city of
Constantinople.
The outcry for this legislation became so strong that men's minds were
full of it. Every paper had something to say on the subject, in every
pulpit and every theatre allusions were made to the absorbing topic of
the hour, and it seemed as if war must be the outcome. In the midst of
this excitement a song appeared, the words of which ran:
"We don't want to fight, but, by Jingo, if we do,
We've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too.
We've fought the Bear before, and while we're Britons true,
The Russians shall not have Constantinople!"
This verse so exactly suited the feelings of the people that they went
wild over it. It was sung everywhere, until finally the mere whistling
of the air was enough to rouse a frenzy of patriotism and a thirst for
war.
One day, during a heated discussion in Parliament, a member alluded to a
previous speaker, who had declared himself in favor of supporting
Turkey, as "one of the 'by-Jingo-if-we-do' party."
From that moment the war party was christened the Jingo party, the men
who belonged to it were called Jingoes, and the platform of the party
was "_Jingoism_."
The Russo-Turkish war came to an end, but the word lived on, and now,
twenty years after, we find it in use in our own country, and applied to
our own politics. The word has in fact become a part of our language,
and is incorporated in our modern dictionaries.
The quieter people insist that there is a great deal of Jingoism in the
United States Senate to-day, and that the people who clamor for the
recognition of Cuba are Jingoes, who want war with Spain. Many people
think that the proper course for us to pursue is to let Spain settle her
own affairs her own way.
Every one is most anxious to know what the President intends to do about
Cuba.
It is asserted that he is not at all in favor of the Morgan resolution.
He wants to end the war, but he does not think that is the right way to
go about it. It is said that he will endeavor to bring about a peaceful
settlement of the matter by suggesting that the Cubans be given the
right of absolute self-government, in return for a sum of money which
they shall pay to Spain for her expenses of the war.
If these friendly offices are not accepted, it is said that the
President will intervene in a more determined way.
In the mean while the House of Representatives has also voted in favor
of the Relief Fund for the unhappy Americans in Cuba.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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