El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-29
A LEGACY TO M'KINLEY.
He Will Have the Cuban Problem
to Face.
CLEVELAND HOPED TO SETTLE 1T.
But 1T VIII Go Over to the New Admin
istration, Which VIII Have to Proceed
With Great Caution-That Spanish Bride.
A Possible Contingency.

With Great Caution-That Spanish Bride.
A Possible Contingency.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-I Special What
will President Mckinley do with the Gu
ban question? is great conundrum in
Washington. 1t is generally conceded the
Cuban problem will be passed over to the
next administration. President Cleveland
has been very anxious to do something be-
fore going out of office. He has hoped all
along to be able to close this troublesome
matter up, or at least to make some prog
ress toward a termination of the war. His
favorite scheme has been treaty between
the Spanish authorities and the insurgents
on the basis of home rule, or what Spain
would call home rule. But at the present
time there does not seem to be any prospect
that this plan can be carried out Major
Mckinley will have to deal with the whole
matter
An Embarrassing Question.
What President Mckinley will do no one
knows. am sure he will come into office
without clear determination on that
point. He wishes TO study the matter for
himself to take it up in a careful and Sc
rious way and find what the facts are and
where the justice of the affair lies. But,
at the same time, 1 think l am in position
to lay down few general principles which
will contol President Mckinley in his ap-
IIOSlCu " tilIo ql6SIIOn
In the first place, / do not believe Mr.
Mckinley will ever consent to guarantee
of the United States government being
given to any compact which maintains q
monarchy on American soil. If Spain and
the insurgents can come to terms, there
will be objection from the president.
But from what 1 have been told am sure
the idea of the ma csty of the United States
being called in to guarantee monarchy is
Ii Ii
there can be no doubt, to lend his assist
ance to Il plan which should secure indie
pendence, or a perfect measure of home
rule, corresponding to the autonomy which
Canada possesses, which is almost as good
as independence itself That there will be
found this radical difference between the
policies of Cleveland and Mckinley have
no doubt.
In the second place, do not believe Pres
ident Mckinley or his secretary of state
will attempt to set the executive branch of
the government above the congress in deal
ing with these matterS-that is to say, if
congress concludes that it wishes to recog-
nize the belligerency or the independence
of Cuba it will not be like Mr.. Mckinley
to say them nay and to interpose either
his veto or the ipse dixit which Secretary
Olney presented when the senate talked of
extending recognition. President Mckin-
ley in all probability will seek to co operate
with congress in any policy toward Cuba
which it may choose to adopt.
The Tariff First.
But there is every reason to believe the
new president will proceed in the Cuban
matter with great caution. 1t must be re-
membercd that Major Mckinley comes to
the White House with a firm conviction
that his first and greatest duty to his
country is to restore prosperity. I know
hn haS hpnv1 ID1-+ J,o
ings of his countrymen during the last
three years of industrial depression. He
hopes the policy of the government will
assist natural conditions to bring about a
speedy recovery from this low level of ac-
tivity, and in the end to restore prosperity
as we knew it five or six years ago. 1t is
to this Major Mckinley is bending all his
energies at the present time. 1t is for this
he has arranged his administration policy,
caused a tariff bill to be prepared during
the winter and decided to call a special
session of congress to meet almost imme-
diately after his Inauguration.
But there must be a limit to the patience
of this country and to the patience of the
president. If the war in Cuba goes on for
several months as it has gone on for the
past two years without either side gaining
much advantage and with terrible destruc-
ton of property and great loss of life
will have to be done about it
The United States will have duty to per
form, and Il duty which cannot lie neglect
cd. In this connection l heard from Il SEN
ator the other day suggestion which is
but which seems to me to be
too cold bloodcd to deserve crcdcnce.
One Way to Bring Prosperity.
president Mckinley will do his best to
avoid war with Spain for a year or two,"
said this senator. He wants to put into
operation, first of all, his patent process for
prosperity. He has been so wide |
ly heraldCd as the advance agent of pros
perity that he must bring prosperity to the |
country or he will be failure Now, let |
us suppose that the country does get pros
perity under the new tariff law. Why, then |
we shall not need a war. But suppose, on |
the other hand, that prosperity does not |
come. Trade languishes, men are out of |
banks fail, the hard times |
continue, despite all the efforts of the Nc |
kinley administration and the Republican |
party to bring about better era. Why, |
then we shall have to have a war. Then
5he personal fortunes of the president and |
5he success of the Republican party will |
need war in order to cover up the failure |
20 restore prosperity to Il suffering coun-
ry.'
1t is not necessary for me to add that
his suggestion was made 10y Il silver soma
or, by one who does not believe the Re
publican party or any other party can bring
to this country as long as the
gold standard is maintained. l do not in
lorsc his suggestion at all. I simply give
t for what it is worth.
There is one thing am glad to be able
o report, and that is that the Spanish
cheme to bride the United States into an
arrangement to SPANS advantage has not
net with success. As the Cuban tariff |
low stands, many articles which we could
ell to the people Of tho island are kept out
# the market because of high customs du-
les imposed by spain, while Spanish prod
lcts of the same sort are admitted at much
over rates. The result is that Spain takes
he market which in the natural order of
Kings belongs to this country. In order
o curry favor with this country and to
ain advantage in her dealings with the
evolUtiunists Spain proposed to take down
most of this advantage enjoyed by her cx-
orters and TO give American exporters
lore liberal tariffs 1t was Il tempting
ribc, and for time our state department.
allied with it. Efforts were even made to
Drmulate new commercial treaty. Now, |
apply, the whole scheme has been aban-
onod. WALTER WELLMAN