The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-03-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Mar. IS, 1895

~ POl0 VI WI OlCNC-
lands conversation with Secretary
Gresham concerning the diplomatic
happenings Of the past week would
unquestionably make what the late
Horace Greeley would have called
"mighty Interesting" reading, but
as neither of the principals in that
interview are likely to tell what
was said, the country will have to
wag along without the knowledge.
1t has leaked out, however, that
Mr.. Cleveland thinks it would have
been just as well had Secretary
Gresham, who is still far from well,
not been in such hurry to prepare
and send that demand to the gov
eminent of Spain, and that he
would have been better engaged in
trying to nurse back his strength.
Allowing that the facts as they
have been stated by the captain and
other officers of the Alliance, the
language of Secretary Gresham's
demand for an apology from Spain
and for the issuing of such orders
to the commanders of Spanish war;
ships as will make it certain that no
other vessel flying the U. S. flag
and engaged in a legitimate bust
ness will be fired upon, was all
right, although unnecessarily strong,
but there was no occasion for such
undue haste. Americans with all
their other faults are credited by
all the world with a love OF fair
play. 1t is therefore unfortunate
that an American Secretary of State
has been guilty Of threatening q
weaker nation upon an ex parte
statement of case, in the face,
too, of an assurance from the Span
ish minister that he would present
statement Of the other side as
soon as the Spanish authorities in
Cuba could communicate with the
gunboat which is charged with
having fired at the Alliance, and of
the further assurance from the
Spanish minister that his country
would apologize If the firing had
taken place as charged unless it
could De justified in a manner sat
isfactory to this government. While
it was thoroughly undiplomatic for
the Spanish minister to have pub
licly criticised Secretary Gresham's
action, in ignoring his assurances
and making a direct demand, which
really is an ultimatum upon Spain,
it certainly is not surprising. One
does not cease to be a man upon
becoming diplomat, whether he
be Spaniard or an American.
1t is not difficult to put ones
finger on the reason for Secretary
Gresham's hasty action. Nor is
that reason creditable to him from
any point of view. His action is
nothing more nor less than an at
tempt to restore to the present
administration the popularity which
it has by its incompetence lost, by
putting it in the position of cham
pioning the American flag. He
knew there was no danger in send
ing a buncombe ultimatum to Spain
which would necessarily submit to
any humiliation to avoid war with
the United States. He acted hast
ly because he feared that if he
waited a reasonable time the mat
ter would be explained and the
opportunity to tickle the jingoistlc
faculty (Which Notwithstanding
their love of money is prominent
national trait) of the American
people, would be forever lost. 1t
is rather late for this administration
to try to pose as the protector of
anything American, either abroad
or at home, after having turned
over much of our manufacturing to
foreigners and even allowed a syn
dlcate of foreign bankers to raid
the United States Treasury. The
people of this country know what
real Republican protection, at home
and abroad, is, and they cannot be
taken in by any such rank counter