Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-22
rNDrsCRETToY IN MON PLACES.

A report was sent out to Mondays
newspapers saying that it was ru-
mored at Washington that Spain had
offered to sell Cuba to Great Britain
and that negotiations for the cession
of the island to the British
crown were pending. In view
of the fact that the Spanish gov
eminent had just appointed a new COM
mandcr of it's forces in Cuba and n
more vigorous prosecution of the war
had been proclaimed, the prepostcrous
character of the report must have been
apparent to all who gave it a moments
intelligent consideration. Yet it APP
pears TO have been seriously regarded Ivy
some people and cven by men in public
positions which give Il certain author
ity and Importance to their views.
a newspaper tclegraphed to the gov
crnor of each state asking If he would
regard the purchase of Cuba by Eng
land an occasion for the assertion of
the Monroe Coetrine and received Il num-
Der of affirmative replies, together with
assurances that an army could be put
into the field on n weeks notice to en-
force the doctrine. Here we have an
example of that hasty and inconsiderate
utterance which is an unfortunate char
acteristic of our people and particu-
larly of public men whose expressions
have more or less weight and influence
upon popular opinion. There has been
Il great deal Of this sort Of thing during
the last two months, when the demand
was for calm and cool dcliberation and
the avoidance of everything calculated
to influence the passions Of the people
and excite sentiment hostile to foreign
powers. The private citizen is free to
be as ~thoughtless and indiscreet as he
pleases in his warlike utteranccs. There
is no restraint upon his freedom of
speech in this respect and he may pro-
claim from the lousetops every hour
of the day his readiness to go to war
with any nation on earth without doing
any harm or producing any other effect
thai to make himself ridiculous. But
it is n different matter when men in
prominent public positions. and espc-
cially governors of states, who are pre-
stunned to represent the sentiment of
ut least Il majority of the people of
their states. utter hostile talk against
another nation, or commit themselves to
II policy involving Il vital international
question. Such utterances are given
significance II exert Il measure of in
fiuence. 1t is easy to understand that
they ma be regarded abroad as having
much more Importance than they really
possess and thus Il misrepresentation oh
tain respecting the real sentiment of
the country.
1t is manifeStly most desirable that
at this time men in high places should
careful in forming and discreet in
giving public expression to their opin-
on all matters referring to. Il in
ternational relations. Apparently the
probabilities of an amicnblc adjustment
OF all complications grow steadily more
favorable and it should be the aim of
all who are in n position to exert any |
influence to promote this very desirable
tendency. ANY man who would seek to
it or attempt to divert popular
sentiment in another direction is an
enemy of the public welfare, whatever
he may make to patriotism.
The urgent demand of the time is that
spirit of jingoism shall take n rest.