The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-12
WHERE ARE THE PATRIOTS.

For one week Mr.. Mckinley has been
president of the United States and Mr.
John Sherman secretary of state. Yet
we have heard nothing of any reversal
of the policy of infamy' which
has been ascribed to President Cleve-
land and Mr.. Olney for the last year
or two. Not a Republican newspaper
from highest to lowest, from calm to
feather-headed, not a partisan any
where has failed to denounce the at
titude Of the Cleveland administration
toward Cuba as unpatriOtic and I'M
American. This has been continued so
long and so ferociously that there is no
chance now to escape the record. From
end to end this country has lung with
republican r6proaches against the pres
ident and Safeguarding Of Mr. Obey
More than that, we were told that the
day Of Mr.. McKinley's inauguration
would be the dawning of liberty for
CUBA, and that no sooner would his
hands grasp the rudder of the ship of
state than we should see a new and
vigorous policy put in operation.
What, now, are the facts? They are
mat Mr.. Sherman is diligently engag-
ed with the representatives of Spain in
making new arrangement with that
monarchy, and not with Cuba, for re
moving causes Of irritation" He is nor
concerning himself in the least about
The fate of the Cuban insurgents He
says, on the contrary, that "everv eff
Tort VIII be made to enforce the neu-
trality laws" These neutrality laws
by the way, have been the target for
republican rhetoric and viIificatiOn
What force did neutrality laws have
we were asked by every lingo paper in
the country, from the New York SIM
TO the Pioneer Press, where neither in
dependence nor belligerency had been
acknowledged? Cuba, being a mere
dependency of Spain, and not recog-
nlzed by this country in any way. we
were not, they said, obliged to consider
the question of neutrality And now
Mr.. Sherman tells the same story as
MT. Olney, and we wait in vain for the
Republican chorus to break the silence
What is the sum total Of Mr. Sher-
mans proposition, as reported from
Washington? 1t is, we are told. a sup-
gestion that American citizens who
are suspected or convicted of connIic-
ity with the insurgents shall be imme-
ulately expelled from the island with
out Imprisonment or trial. unless they
snail voluntarily return and place them
selves in jeopardy" A Spirited foreign
polcy' this is, to be sure. If that val
orous defender Of American institu-
lions, John Sherman, is to have his
way, then Gen. Weyler may order every
American out of Cuba tomorrow with
out remonstrance on our part. All that
Is required is that an American citizen
IN Cuba shall be suspected" of COM
plcity in order that he may receive an
order to quit If he goes back. he will
De subject to imprisonment and trial
inns is change Of the present status
Tor the worse. Nearly all the Ameri-
cans who have been imprisoned in
Cuba, if not every one of them have
given cause for suspicion that they
We're acting with the insurgents, and
have either been ordered to leave the
island or have returned after being
sent away. Yet, under the Sherman
policy, an inOffensive American citizen
who had taken no part in the insurrec-
ton could be sent out of The country
with the approval and connivance of
our department of state. If he should
return to look after his property. then
he would be liable to Imprisonment and
trial
This is the vigorous foreign policy
of the state department That the pres
ident is fully in sympathy with it we
are not permitted to doubt. The same
report says: ut is evident that the
policy Of the new administration
toward Cuba will be as conservative as
that of President Cleveland" Where,
now, are the ripping, ranting, roaring
jingees Of the press? Where are the
cartoons and the lampoons that showed
Cleveland and Olney as the assistants
VI Spain in her tyrannous rule? What