The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-07
The Outlook for Cuba-A Duty for
the President.

II
There is yet plenty of fighting in Cuba {;
the Cuban cause yet engages the attention
of Congress and the Administration Spain
Is yet perverse and Cuba yet inflexible; we
yet lave reports of WEYLERis deeds of
savagery; we hear again of SPANS sham
reforms and of Cuba's persistency in re-
jecting them we see no sign of success for
Spain, or of the pacifcation of Cuba by
Spain's long war upon her. Both of the
armies are yet in the field, and each of them
has the strength for further hostilities.
AS to the fighting feature of the revolu.
tion, it is to be said that, within a week, we
have had reports Of combats in all of the
provinces of the island. The Spanish troops
nav been assailed near the city of Havana
and the city of Matanzas they have had to
defend themselves in the west and in the
east they have been held at bay in Santa
Clara by GOMEZ, in Santiago by GARCIA. and
in Pinar del Rio by DUCAssE. 1t is proba-
BILE that as many as 5000 Cubans and
twice or thrice that number of Spaniards
have been engaged in the fights of which
we have heard during the past week. The
war Is yet going on under circumstances
similar to those that have existed ever
since 1t began. At no time in this year,
any more than in previous years, has there
been q great battle in Cuba.
AS to the Cuban question in Congress,
we are able to say that it is yet there.
Within a week Senator MORGAN has intro
duced a joint resolution providing that
this Government shall accord to each of the
contending parties in Cuba all the rights of
haIltyaHa~t. ~ tL4 ---to anI s-.----f
the United States. Within the same
time there have been two stirring de-
bates in the Senate upon Senator AL
LENS resolution, which was passed on
Monday without a dissenting vote, protest
ing against SPANS violation of the
rules Of civilized warfare in the case
of Gen. RIVERA. Other questions re-
lating to the Cuban war have re-
Gently been brought up in Congress. 1t
has been impossible to keep Cuba out of
sight even at an extra session called for a
special purpose.
AS to the Administration and Cuba, 1t is
to be said hat President MCKINLEY's
commissioner" to Cuba, the Hon. WILL
LIAM r. DAY, will doubtless search
for information about the Ruiz case,
II not about other matters also, after
his arrival at Havana. He ought to
make his report to the President as
sooD es possible, so that it may be
seen how far it is in agreement with Gen.
FrrzHUGH LEES reports, the contents of
which are known to the President. We
wait with interest President MCKINLEY's
disposition Of the Allen resolution Of pro-
test now in his hands. When he shall dis
pose of 1t we may be able to form an opin-
ion. 1t is a just and proper resolution.
p As to the attitude of the two belligerents
In Cuba, II looks as though there were. not
much change in IL; the revolutionists are
resolute az ever, and the monarchists are
more sullen than at other times. As to re.
form and pacilcation, nobody in Cuba
10 deceived. AS to WEyLER's savagery,
1t Is yet unchecked; he was killing
helpless people when last heard from, and
'banishing suspected Cubans to Spain's pes.
tilential settlements in Africa. Within a
week or two we have had approved de-
spatches from Havana that he had be-
come less savage than he has been for
forty years., and hat he had put a
check upon official spoliation, and that
he was DESTROYS of entering into nego-
iosiOu WIN thC iiibuikcuJs. lHcSe Ialbb
dispatches were got up for American con-
sumption, and more especially for the pur-
pose Of deceiving President MCKINLEY. |
The Spanish war upon Cuba is yet character
lied by deeds as shameful and shocking as
those Of past times, or as those that nave
marked all the other wars of cruel Spain.
We are sure that President MCKINLEY
Will receive confirmation Of all the state
ments here made about Cuba when he OBJ
tains the report of Commissioner DAY. Mean.
while, we cannot doubt that the President
will duly consider the resolution of Senator
ALLEN which passed the Senate without a
q negative vote on Monday last. Surely
this Government ought at least to enter a
protest against the violation of the rules OF
civilized warfare by Spain in Cuba.