The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-03-22
Tue ALBANIA INCIDENT.

No foreign question treated by the pres
ent administration has received such
unanimous commentator from prominent
members of all political parties as Secre-
| tary Gresham's decisive rebuke to the
| Spanish government for the conduct of
its officials toward an American merchant
| ship. The State Department has received
| letters from different parts of the country
| praising its course and cOngratulating
Secretary Gaesham on the firm attitude
| which he has taken. Republican Sena-
| tors and members of Congress now in
Washington, men who generally have lit
tie but fault to find with an administration
opposed to them politically, recognize
that no other course than that trken could
have been approved by the public and
have added their approval. Senator Hale,
than whom there is no more intense par
tisan in the Senate, says the promptness
with which the Secretary acted must re-
ceive universal approval, and expresses
the opinion that his message to Minister
Taylor demanding an apology for the out
rage of the Spanish gunboat will have the
effect of preventing further interference
with coasting vessels which have to pass
the island of Cuba in future, whether they
come within the three or siX-mile limit
President Cleveland has, of course sane
toned Mr.. Gresham's action. He gives it
his unqualified approval and will not abate
the terms which are demanded The firm
ness of the administration in this matter
has surprised many diplomats, who had
expected to see much delay and hardness
displayedin bringing the affair to the atten-
ton of Spain.
Diplomatic procedure is necessarily slow,
and even if Spain has given this govern
ment assurance of its regret over the affair
it will undoubtedly be several weeks yet
before final negotiations are completed and
a perfect understanding reached as a re-
suit of the incident. Spain must, of course,
make her own investigation of it and will
not depend upon the statement of Captain
Crossman or the representations made by
the State Department. While it is not so
stated officially, it is believed she must
have already instructed the captain gen
eral of Cuba to report upon all the facts
Spanish Investigations are VIGOROUSLY
slow, and it may be a week or longer be-
fore the Madrid officials receive any COM
munication from Cuba upon which they
can intelligently act There can be no
other result to the administration, however
than cordial support of Its course by the
people and the establishment clearly of our
position in the premises. Secretary Gresh-
am has plainly indicated to Spain that the
United States will not tolerate such con-
duct as her warship was guilty of.
Senator Frye is another prominent re-
publican who sustains the Administrations
policy. Monday morning he took occa-
sion to perform a rather unusual duty for
a republican by calling at the White House
and personally expressing to the President
his congratulations at the singing rebuke
administered by our State Department
Representative McCreary, chairman of the
last foreign affairs committee, also called
on the President and warmly Endorsed
what has been done.