The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-11
What the Nation Expects.

Notwithstanding the queerness Of
much of the present Administrations
diplomacy il may, we think. be fairly
assumed that the department of state
will take effectual steps to secure JUS
tice for the two Americans who were
on Saturday condemned to death at Ha-
vana upon the charge of tilibustering.
Conceding, as we apparently must the
general proposition that the admins
tration Is prejudiced in Spain's favor.
yet the fact that the particulars of the
farcical trial of these two citizens of
the United States have been communi
Gated through the newspapers to the
country will. we imagine, secure from
cur executive his prompt and decisive
interposition. For not even the obstin-
acy of Grover Cleveland could. with
congress in session, in our judgment,
suffice to withstand the public senti-
ment which will bear down upon Wash
ington with a demand for official action
in this now conspicuous instance.
Overriding the protest of Consul Cen
eral Williams-and the mere fact that
this aged and supine official should
for once have been aroused from his
lethargy and melted to activity gives
plausibility to each subsequent asser-
tion made in the dispatches from Ha-
vana-the Spanish authorities in the
Cuban capital have. 1t appears, rushed
these two Americans to trial, deprived
them of a knowledge of the charges
against them. denied them the selection
of their own counsel and refused to
permit them to call witnesses for their
defence. Seemingly the only evidence
introduced was the fact that these two
men, together with three companions,
were captured abroad the Competitor,
a vessel caught by the Spanish while
endeavoring to convey munitions of war
to the Cuban insurgents. The claim of
Owen Milton, the Kansan, that he
Joined the filibustering party as news
paper correspondent was disregarded,
as was that Of Alfredo Laborde. of
New Orleans, that he took passage in
ignorance of the ships mission. These
claims may both be false. The two
men may justly deserve punishment ac-
cording to the laws which govern expe-
ditions of this ones character. But 1t
cannot for one instant be admitted that
their lives, or the lives of any other
number of American citizens, may be
declared forfei! by Spain upon pro-
cess Of inquiry in which only the prose-
cutions case Is permitted to he pres
scnted.
Nor is the argument satisfactory that
we must not question the fairness of
the legal processes of another govern
ment. To all general principles OF i'll
ternational law there arc possible en-
ceptons: and if an exception may ever
be taken with the certainty that con-
science will approve. it may be taken in
a case like the present, where not Only
in this one instance, but III all instances
involving political considerations the
impartiality of Spanish judicial proce-
dure in Cuba is challenged by men
whose characters for truthfulness and
rectitude may not be ignored. In q case
like the present, the letter of intcrna-
tional law dissolves into unimportance
compared with its obvious and COM
manding spirit; and the consideration
that American citizenship shall be fully
and thoroughly protected rises para
mount to all the risks of criticism and
all the hazards even Of possible war;
That caution, too, is demanded needs
no assertion; but caution must not de-
generate into Indifference, nor circum-
spection move with 50 slow tread as
to be out run by foreign injustice revel-
ing in the softness Of American diplo-
acy.