New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-20
STEADY. NOWI

From various parts Of the country, chiefly the
West and Southwest, come reports OF public
meetings and other demonstrations in aid or
the struggling Cubans. and in several instances
we have accounts of the enlistment Of whole
companies completely organized and differed
whose services are offered as volunteers in the
Cuban cause. Doubtless the acton of the Sen
ate Committee on Foreign Affairs in agreeing TO
report the Cameron resolution will furnish a
new incentive to agitation. and we shall present
" hear that more men are enlistng and the ex
citement is spreading. All the more need there
is. and will continue to be. of coolness and the
exercise of discretion and sound judgment on
the part of levelheaded public men who have
regard for the business interests of the country
and are not easily carried off their feet by gusts
of popular excitement or the noisy clamor of
mischief making demagogues. Demonstrations
of sympathy with the Cubans in their desperate
struggle for independence are not unnatural
That they have been so cordial and so universal
is creditable TO the generous impulses or Inc
American people. But when they go to the cx-
tent Of enlisting volunteers TO fight in the cuban
cause they become plain violations of law for
which there is no justification. And when ii Is
taken into account that the Cuban Junta has
has no use for them. such action only serves as
n needless provocation of bad blood and mis-
chievous contribution 10 existing complications
The condition of affairs in the island, so FAR as
II can be learned from the confusing and con-
Trajectory reports appeals strongly to the SYM
nathes of lovers of liberty all over the world
But il is to be borne in mind that ii is a con-
dillon of which the lovers of strife and seekers
after notoriety. the professional demagogues
and habiiual mischief makers, are always first
70 avail themselves They find in it an occa-
sion to appeal 10 popular passion and prejudice
and the love of excitement. 1t Is not always
easy TO stay the wave of excitement they pro-
duce by counter appeals TO reason, judgment ana
sober sense But in this case we have the al
vantage of recent experience OF popular frenzy
from which we have derived wholesome lesson.
During the last six months the country has been
ON the edge of frghtful financial disaster. That
peril as everybody now sees. grew out or the
weakness of the public men who had not the
strength of purpose TO withstand at the outset
n popular delusiOn concerning finance which
seemed. from the sound and fury with which it
WINS proclaimed and preached. to have TOO strong
a hold to be COPIED with or dispelled. Through
their timidity and lack of stamina the deluson
grew and spread, taking in n swarm of kindred
heresies and fads in its progress. until, as we
have seen, it threatened TO bring ruin to the
credit of the Nation and disaster to all the bust
ness interests of the country. That lesson should
not be lost upon us. The patent fact that the
men who were most prominent in the promotion
of that foolhardy enterprise are most active in
feeding the present excitement should give the
lesson added force
What we need now is not haste but caution;
not passionate outbursts, but calm elaboration.
ON the part Of Congress Let no one be misled
by heated denunciations of outrages in Cuba
delivered by men whose feelings of humanity
failed to he shocked when year ago IN Texas
a negro was covered with Kerosene and burned
TO death on a public platform in the presence
of 1000 applauding citizens. The tears they
shed over the fate Of Maceo cannot be genuine