Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-01-01

bankers VIII doubtless be more reluc-
tant to loan money next year than they
have been this year. It is a desperate
plight that the proud old bation is in
and it Is the irony of fate hat her finan-
cial distress, and perhaps ruin, should
be effected in the very quarter of the
globe from which she formerly drew her
marvellous treasures of silver and gold.
New York Tribune.
SENATOR FROM SPAIN.
Whether the administration is working
In the interests of American dignity and
truly constitutional procedure, or merely
in the interest of Spain, the oppressor of
Cuba, is a question about which some
people still seem to be in doubt.
We should say that a satisfactory ans
wer might be reached by considering the
present attitude of the Hon. Eugene
Hale, formerly regarded as the senior
senator from Maine, but now universally
known as the senior senator from Spain.
What does the Hon. Eugene Hale want
done? What view does he take of the
powers of the executive with reference
to the recognition of the independence of
new republics? Does he stand with his
brother senators in defence of the
supremacy of the law-making power in
the making of laws, or is he inclined to
agree with Secretary Olney in the theory
that the President may at will defy con-
gress and nullify laws which do not suit
him? Is the Hon. Eugene Hale in favor
of a square and speedy settlement of this
question or does he desire to hold up the
Cameron resolutions until Gen. Weyler
has had a chance to butcher a few more
Cubans?
Study the position and the wishes of
the Hon. Eugene Hale, formerly of
Maine, but now of Valencia, and Judge
accordingly of the significance of any
nov of the Cleveland administration
which is likely to interest Madrid.-TNew
York Sun.
oLNEY's DEFIANCE Of CONGRESS-.
Mr.. Olney's interview is necessarily
construed as an insolent notification to
congress that if it passes the Cameron
resolution the administration will ignore
its action and refuse TO obey its behests,
even though they come in the form of
law, duly enacted in accordance with the
constitution.
A threat of this kind is naturally I'M
welcome to congress, particularly when,
as in this case, Senator Davis and other
constitutional lawyers of quite equal re-
pute with Mr.. Olney utterly repudiate
his view of the constitutional point in
volved and are able to cite precedents in
plenty to show its invalidity.
But there is something involved that
is above and behind all this technicality
The American people love liberty. They
believe in the right of self-government.
They recognize in the case of the Cubans
precisely the principle set forth in our
own declaration of independence. They
are disguised and outraged by the
~butcheries of women, children, wounded
eAAANA 9lN lLiNh III OlllCl lOn-COluDdldnlS
in Cuba. Their wrath is aroused by the
spectacle of American citizens held as
prisoners for weary months without
trial, and even subjected to secret in
QUESTION for no other offense than an
attempt to carry on al entirely lawful
and legitimate trade with the dominions
of a power with which we are at peace.
They are weary of seeing our laws
perverted, our courts misused and our
power as a nation employed to aid the
oppressor and to deny legitimate assis-
lance to the oppressed.
The Cameron resolution expresses the
thought, the feeling and the desire of
the American people that Cuba shall be
free, and especially that the power of
the United States shall no longer be used
to aid Spain in making its oppression
permanent in the island.
If congress passes this resolution it
will not rebound to the credit of any adj
ministration to ignore 1t. The people
will not patiently listen to the wire
drawn sophistries of a trust attorney in
Justification of a course that negatives
their will and puts the country on the
side of tyrants in opposition to a brave
and devoted people struggling for lib
erty.
The American people constitute the
tribunal before which this issue is ulti.
mately to be tried.-[New York World.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFICIT.
1t is much more important to find a
remedy for the national deficiency In
revenue than to fix the responsibility toI
it. And yet Senator Sherman's charge
that 1t is due to the Wilson bill ought
not to pass unchallenged.
Senator Sherman's memory may not
be so good as it once was, but he car
easily verify the fact that there was a
deficiency in the last three months of the