The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-03-18

claring war over the Venezuela boundary
dispute. The Cuban resolution humbug-
Tery Is shot through the house with light
hing speed. Buncombe is a standing
special ORDER and has the undisputed
right of way" in the house proceedings.
Cleveland's cowardly foreign policy has
been vehemently denounced by both par
ties, but two opportunities for agrees
sive and courageous congressional action
has been lost by meaningless and frothy
campaign declarations. The Venezuela
episode has resulted in the emasculation
of the Monroe doctrine at a cost of ma
tional humiliation and Of hundreds OF
thousands of dollars to the taxpayers in
the creation of a commission. whose in
yestfgation will leave the disputed ques-
ton of British aggression just where it
has been for half century or more. Now
the Cuban question is pending. After
splitting hairs over ambiguous phrases
in the house and senate resolutions the
conclusion is reached that both resolu-
tons are meaningless. Consequently
they may be speedily adopted The hum
buggery Of the whole thing was exposed
by Senator Allen, the Populist leader in
the senate. He submitted joint resolu-
tion recognizing Cuban independence
Its adoption would have compelled i'm
mediate executive action. Thus the line
might have been drawn between dema-
gogery and honesty in dealing with this
question. The country is tired of lingo
ism" and public sentiment may yet COM
pei the adoption of the Allen declaration.
There is strong talk to that effect al
ready. The president has ignored the
concurrent resolution, just as Senator AL
len expected he would Possibly he will
continue to ignore it until the incident
can be utilized to aid his aspiration for
fourth term nomination. The object of
the republicans, of course, was to head
off, the president and prevent repe-
tition of the Venezuela war sensation.
They are under the same restraining in
f1uence that controls the administration
Speaking of the matter to Bureau rep
resentative today a leading republican
congressman said, ''if we grant belliger-
ent rights to the Cuban rebels we give
the Spaniards the right to board and
overhaul and capture on suspicion Amer
lean vessels anywhere outside a marine
league of our coast. The exercise of this
right would so exasperate our citizens
that 1t might lead to a war with Spain"
This illustrates the humiliating story of
selflShness, greed and pusalimimity that
has distinguished Clevelands foreign pol
icy. 1t remains to be seen whether repub-
licans will join Senator Allen in a manly
and honest declaration in favor of Cuban
independence or sustain the administra-
tion by meaningless protest in favor of
Cuban belligerency. Recognition of bel
ligerency is based on falsehood, because
it violates international law, and the ad-
ministration may ignore the action of
congress and escape public condemnation
by observing international obligations
1t is not question of originating cam
paign foreign policy-of trifling with the
patriotism and humanity of the Ameri-
can people-the Allen resolution should
be speedily adopted. Naturally the pres
ident may insist that recognition of bel
ligerency is exclusively an executive
function. Administration senator's assert
that the republican resolution is an usur-
patton of executive authority on the part
of congress. But they will promptly re-
cede from the position against mixing
Legislative and executive duties when the
vote is taken on the pending Dupont con-
tested election case. And so it goes.