Middletown transcript., 1895-03-23

AW make what the
late HoraceGreely
would have called "mighty interesting"
reading, but as neither of the princi-
pals in that interview are likely to
tell what was said the country will
have to wag along without the know
ledge. 1t has leaked out, however,
that Mr. Cleveland thinks 1t would
have been just as well had Secretary
Gresham who is still far from we'll,
not been in such a hurry to prepare
and send that demand to the Govern
ment of Spain, and that he would have
been better engaged in trying to nurse
back his strength.
Allowing that the facts are as they
have been stated by the captain and
other officers of the alliance, the Ian
guage of Secretary Gresham's demand
for an apology from Spain and for the
issuing of such orders to the comman-
ders of Spanish warships as will make
it certain that no other vessel flying
the U. s. flag and engaged in a legiti-
mate business will be fired upon, was
all right, although unnecessarily strong
hut there was no occasion for such un-
iue haste. Americans with all their
nther faults are credited by all the
world with love of fair play. Il is
therefore, unfortunate hat an Ameri-
.:an Secretary of State has been guilty
,f threatening weaker nation upon
I'll ex parte statement of case, in the
face ,tno of an assurance from the Span
sh minister that he would present
4 statement of the other side as soon
IS the Spanish authorities in Cuba
could communicate with the gunboat
which is charged with having fired at
the Alliance; and of the further assur-
ance from the Spanish minister that
his country would apologize if the fir
ing had taken place as charged unless
could be justified in manner salts
factory to this government. While it
vas thoroughly undiplomatic for the
Spanish minister to have publicly
criticised Secretary Gresham's action,
in ignoring his assurances and
making direct demand, which
rrally is an ultimatum, upon Srain, it
certainly is not surprising. One does
not cease to be man upon becoming
diplomat, whether he be Spaniard
or an American.
1t is not difficult to put ones finger
On tfIe reason for Secretary Gresham's
hasty action. Nor is that reason credit
able to him from any pointof view. His
action is nothing more nor less than an
attempt to restore to the present i'd
ministration the popularity which it
has by its incompetence lost, by put
ting it in the position of championing
the American flag. He knew there
was no danger in sending buncombe
ultimatum to Spain, which would nee
essarily submit to any humiliation to
avoid war with the United States.
He acted hastily because he feared
that the opportunity to tickle the jim
goistic faculty (Which notwithstand-
ing their love of money is prominent
national trait) of the American peo-
pie, 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 syndicate of foreign bankers
to raid the U. S. Treasury. The peo-
pie of this country know what real
protection, at home and
abroad, is and they cannot be taken in
by any such rank counterfeit as that
now put forward by Secretary Gresham.
David B. Hill-not the senior Sena-
tor from New York, but tramp from
serving sentence of fif-
teen days in the Washington work
house, because he could pay a fine of
IS. which was imposed upon him in
he police court, for being drunk and
lisorderly and trying to make bed of
he sidewalk.
The Commissioner of Pensions has
net another defeat in court, and it is
he belief of lawyers that it furnishes
! precedent for the restoration of every
,ension which has been reduced or
stopped since Dec. II, 1898, until af-
er the pensioner has been served with
he legal thirty days notice contain
ng ''full and true statement of any
charges or allegations upon which it
Vas proposed to reduce, modify or
lrop his pension"
The case in which the Commissioner
Was defeated was that of Gen. Will
am Shakespeare, of Mich, whose
pension was reduced fir. m S72. 10 $50.
rh commissioner acknon ledged. in
lis answer, that the contention of
Ien. Shakesreare's counsel as to the
hir,y-day notice was correct, and
tated that the pension had been re-
,toIed.
WASHINGTON, March 18th, 1895.