The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-03-06
MUST BE SETTLED
Great Number of Serious Prob
lens Handed Down to This
Administration.
Some of Them Have Been Pend.
ing For Years, While Others
Are Fresh.
Cuban Affair, Hawaiian Annexa
tion, German Discrimination
and a Few Others.

WASHINGTON, March 6-Probably
never before in American history has
an administration been obliged to face
at the very beginning Of its assumption
of power so many and important ques-
tions affecting the foreign relations OF
the United States as confront President
Mckinley and his premier, Secretary
Sherman. All of these are important,
and while some Of them may be for
time kept in the background, others,
and those Of the utmost gravity, arc
likely to force them selves upon the at
tention Of the new administration i'll
such persistent manner that they
must be met promptly. In the list OF
open diplomatic issues are some old
veterans, questions that were running
along in diplomatic time killing fashion
when President Harrison turned over
the helm of the ship of state to Presi-
dent Cleveland, but the latter in his
time, and with the best of intentions
and in spite of the most heoric efforts,
was obliged to add to the list and make
new issues of his own that he was un-
able to bring to a conclusion before he
in turn gave way to President Nc
kinley.
Cuban Question Foremost.
Foremost and of the greatest interest
to the people of the United States, be-
cause of the strife that is being waged
under their very eyes. is the subject Of
our relations towards Cuba. For over
two years the insurrection on the ever
faithful isle has gone Oh and from the
confusion of reports that reach the de-
partment of state it is not possible to
accurately and surely ascertain the ex-
act conditions of this struggle, which,
as President Cleveland has stated in his
messages to congress, has involved in
itself interests Of enormous value to
derstood to be the policy Of the new
administration to deal with this matter
deliberately and not to undertake to
depart from the policy with which it
has so fur been treated until our more
important internal financial affairs are
adjusted. But the subject is of an ex-
plosive nature and it Is not safe to pre-.
dict that through some overt and out
rageous act of a subordinate among
either the Spanish forces, or in the in.
surgent lines (something like the Vir-
ginius affair for instance) the admins
tration will not be forced to depart from
its plans and directs attention at short
notice to this dangerous subject.
The Hawai- an Matter.
One of the issues that has carried
over from the Harrison administration,
but which now stands in very different
shape from that it held then, is the
subject of Hawaiian annexation. The
citizens of the little island republic
have come to look upon the Republi.
cans as their friends, and made ready
in advance for the inauguration OF
President Mckinley, they have begun
carefully prepared agitation to further
their ends in Washington. They will
seek, with tho aid of powerful friends
in and out of congress, to induce the
president to negotiate a new annexa'
ton treaty at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and while the desired annexa
ton may be attained in short order il
the epresident approves, to so ARRANGE
the details of the transaction as to avoit
raising unpleasant issues with Grea
Britain, France and Japan, and losing
all reputation for consistency, will re
quire the exhibition of diplomacy of ,
high order.
Relations with England.
With the mother country-England
our relations are SO founded on reas
enable and mutual consideration, tina
there is no matter under consider
alton which will not yield, il