Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-03-21
THE ALLIANCE AFFAIR.

The recent firing into an American
mail steamer by Spanish gun boat Oft
the coast of Cuba has called forth a
storm of patriotic protests from the
press throughout the country. The
leading papers talk as follows:
Philadelphia Press: If Secretary
Gresham does his duty more than apol-
ogy will be required.
Cleveland Plain Dealer: The idea of
the American flag being fired on and
Congressman Boutelle not i'll session.
New York Sun: All our available
war ships should be concentrated
where the treatment of the Alliance
shows them to be imperatiVely needed.
An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure.
New York Post: If the newspapers
make so much of this affair, with their
headlines, wood cuts. exploding shells
and rafting thunder we tremble to
think what Senator Lodge will say
about it when it comes hic turn.
Kansas City Times: 1t is gratifying
moreover, that these insolent and
ignorant Spaniards are to be taught a
lesson in manners as well as morals as
the result of this incident. They are
entirely to much given to Strutting.
indianapolis News: The facts in
this case may show that the Spanish
officer was guilty of an act for which
there is no excuse. And yet in view of
all the attendant circumstances we
think the secretary of state has acted,
not with too much prOmptness, but
with too much yigOr.
New York World: If the facts are
as reported there can be no doubt
about the law of the case. Spain has
neither proclaimed nor admitted the
existence of war in Cuba. Her navy IS
therefore not justified in treating with
hostility neutral vessels passing
through seas that are commonly used
as a highway of commerce.
Denver Republican: Concerning the
law of the case there is little doubt
that Secretary Gresham is right in tax
ing the position that in time of peace a
vessel cannot legally be interfered with
by foreign power, even though with
in three miles of the coast, provided
the necessities of its voyage compelled
it to go that close to the shore.
Detroit Free Press: AS the matter
now stands an insult has been offered
to the American flag, and an attempt
has been made to exercise upon the
high seas authority which no indepen-
dent power comedies, or can with self
respect, cOncede to any other power.
There is fine opportunity afforded
here for the vindlcatiOn of the rules
of international comfy, and the ad-
ministratiOn may be trusted to see that
the United States does not suffer in
dignity or prestige.
Buffalo Express: Spain is a hard
country to deal with automatically.
The Spaniards never acknowledge that
they have done wrong if they can help
it, and seldom repair an injury after
they have acknowledged it. The Span
ish government has not been especially
friendly toward the United States since
the pronounced encouragement which
the United States, alone of all the ma
tions in the world, gave to the Spanish
republic, in the formation of which our
minister, General Daniel E. Sickles,
took much more prominent part than
Minister Stevens did in the formation
of the Hawaiian republic.
New York Tribune: From the es-
Enlistment of American independence
the principle that has been upheld by
the United States government that in
time of peace vessel on the high seas
remains under the jurisdiction of the
country whose flag is rightfully carried;
and that any visitation, molestation or
detention of such vessel by force on
the part of any foreign power is dero-
gatOry to the sovereignty of the nation.
That principle was asserted early in
the century in controversies with
France and Great Britain, and its vail
dity has been recognized by those
powers. Spain is the only power which
ever ventures to trife with the dignity
of the United States by firing upon the
American flag and searching ships on
the high seas, and its government in
variably tenders its apologies whenever
a remonstrance is offered. The officials
in Cuba can have no reasonable excuse
for ignorance of the laws of nations in
this reSnRct