Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-28
Transformation and Information.


Transformation and Information.
1t is too late in the day to fool the
reading public with such nonsense as
is being printed in the form of an in
terview with prominent member or
the diplomatic corps" to the enect
that Spain has treated Cuba as fairly
as she could. that Spain has not been
the brutal tyrant in Cuba pictured by
many imaginatiOns, but has been a
kindly and loving mother" that all the
reforms promised have been executed
so far as the capacity of the people
member of the diplomatic corps" as
sumes that people have forgotten the
admissions of Gen. Campos or that they
are so stupid as not to recollect the fren-
zied reiterations of those broken Span
ish promises the moment it appeared
the Cubans were in revolt. 1t is of
such common knowledge that the
Spanish government in Cuba has been
corrupt in the extreme, that Cuba was
being bled to pay Spain's debts. that
denial at this time seems supremely
silly. If that sort of drivel is expected
to help defeat the Cameron resolution.
then is the opposition to that measure
decidedly weak.
nf kn 1nc nd
promises following it that were broken
Senator Lodge in his famous speech in
the Senate the goth of last February
said: THE moment the war of 1868
came to an end these promises were
cast aside They were all disregarded
punishment was melted out to those
who had been engaged in instruction
and the old system went on with all
it's injustice, with all its oppression.
with all its dishonesty" Moreover no
one then or since has thought Of sue
cessfully denying Senator Lodges
statements. They are known to be
true.
1t is not the transformation of
prominent members of the diplomatic
corps that is wanted, but rather the
information one member of that dis
tinguished service ought to have it in
his power to impart. We refer to Gen
Lee, consul general to Havana. The
first day Congress was assembled he
was in Washington and the foreign
committee of the Senate requested him
to appear and impart any information
that might be of service in arriving at
a full understanding of the true condi-
lions existing in Cuba. He left town
without replying. Why? To borrow
the genial gentlemans pet foil in fenc-
ing with reporters, "Quien sabe." 1t
was said he was to hasten back to
moreover has had ample opportunity
to give the foreign committee informal
ton if he has it and it is equally GER
tain that he doesn't intend to do so
and it is but fair to presume that in so
doing he is carrying out the wishes of
the President and Secretary Olney.
Perhaps Olney told the committee what
Lee had discovered in Havana, but
probably he didn't. There's nothing
in the Presidents message to show
that Lee told him anything and if
Lees reports are in perfect accord
with the position of the administration
on the matter why was he not per-
mitted to make a statement of facts
before the Senate committee? OF
course it is not difficult to guess why,
for have not both the President and
secretary of state assumed that the
war in Cuba, the destruction of Amer
lean property and liberty, the cost of
policing our coasts in the interests of
Spain, are none of the public's bust
ness and none of the business of the
popular branch of government?