The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-11-20
The Annual War Elurry.

The timid people of the country may con-
gratulate themselves that the annual Span
ish war furry is over for the present year,
and over, too, in single week. The war
like spirit of the country had hardly time to
get aroused and talk of the honor of the ma
ton before the annual epidemic had passed
away. The Cuban patriots in their fervid
invectives and their journals in their fippant
denunciations had scarcely paid their atten-
ton at all t. Secretary Fish before that con-
servative old gentleman scattered the rising
Indignation. To be sure the Washington
specials had succeeded in infusing an activity
into the navy yards they will never know.
Scores of naval officers all over the country
were made happy by orders for active SER
vice and full pay by these very active gentle
men. These correspondents even asserted
that considerable excitement was manifested
by Secretary Robeson's surbordinates in the
various naval bureaus at Washington. But
it is all over and fortunately with little ex.
pense to the country, and has contributed a
bit of sensation to relieve the tedious dullness
ana narQneSS OF Inc times.
One may conclude that our shrewd people
do not ''enthuse'' so readily over rumors of
a Spanish war as in times past. They have
come to the conclusion that they are to be
treated every year and at about this season of
every year to a Spanish war furry. They
have come to understand that this furry is
the work Of the Cuban ring-some of whom
are Cuban PARROTS and others who are the
negotiators of Cuban bonds. The Cuban
ring finds eager abettors in the newspaper cor
respondents who are in quest OF something
startling. They must have been disappointed
when they discovered that the patriotism OF
the American people did not burst forth in
indignant denunciation of effete Spain and
10 demands for war. The fact is our people
do not want war. We are still reaping the
bad fruits Of war in deprecated currency
and the myriad evils that grow out of it. An
industrial people, believing more in the tri-
ulnphs Of civilization than in the glory which
comes of conquest, we desire to return to a
condition favorable to the real prosperity
of the country which requires peace and sta
bility. We are not going to have war with
any nation it we can prevent it, and much
less will we be plunged into war. or waste
our energies in belligerent ebulition until we
know all about it.
1t was not necessary that there should be
any special reason-as there was not-for the
Spanish furry Of the past week. 1t was the
season for it, and the season must not pass
without it. Gen. Gushing has been quietly
conducting the negotiations with which he was
entrusted by the Administration. The Span.
ish government and our own differed respect.
ing the meaning of that clause of the treat y
Of 1895 which guaranteed to citizens of the
United States, against whom legal proceed
ings might be taken in Spanish territories,
the right to be defended by advocates of theil
own choice. The Spanish government con.
tended that this permission did not apply to
courts-martial, which under the Spanish rule
in Cuba has been accustomed to mere out
vengeance, rather than justice, to persons
claiming to be American citizens. Mr.. Cush.
ing was instructed to insist on a more liberia
construction Of the provision of the treaty
As the result of this negotiation, it is an
nounced that the Spanish government has
yielded, and comedies all that our government
has claimed for citizens of the United States.
That Is all there is of the Spanish war of last
week.