Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-27
A Legacy Left Over to the
Incoming Administration.
Cleveland Hoped to Settle It, But
Leaves It for Mckinley.
1arin May Come First-Cuban Bribe from
Spain Fails in Purpose.

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 ut least to make some prog
ress toward a termination of the war. His
faycritc scheme has been Il 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 bc carried out Major
Mckinley will have to deal with the whole
matter.
An Embarrassing Question.
What President Mckinley will do no one
knows. l nm sure he viii come into Office
without a clear determination on that
point. He wishes to study the matter for
himself, to take it up in a careful and Sc
rious way ard find what the facts are and
where the justice Of the affair lies. But,
ut the same time, th.lk / am in position
to lay down few general principles which
will contol President Mckinley in his ap-
proach to this embarrassing question.
In the first place, I do not believe Mr..
Mckinley will ever consent TO guarantee
of the United States government being
given to any cCmract which maintains a
monarchy on American st& If Spain and
the insurgents can come to terms, there
will be no objection from the president.
But from what | have been told l am sure
the idea of the majesty of the United States
being called in to guarantee IL monarchy is
repugnant to him. He would be willing.
there can be no doubt, to lend his assist
ancc to plan which should secure indie
pcndence, or Il 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 douEt.
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 tiixit which Secretary
Olrey 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-
membered 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. l know
he has been deeply touched by the suffer
ings of his countrymen during the last
three years of industrial depression. He
hopes the policy of the government will
assist natural ambitions to bring about u
speedy recovery from this low level of &C.
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 ut the present time. 1t is for this
he has arranged his administration policy,
caused tariff bill to be prepared during
the winter and decided to cell special
session of congress to meet almost imme-
diately after his Inauguration.
But there must be 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 siGc gaining
much advantage and with terrible dcstruc-
ton of property and great loss Of life
something will have to be done about it
The United States will have duty TO Fer
form, and q duty which cannot be neglect
ed. In this connection | beard from a SEN
ator the other day suggestion which is
interesting, but which seems 80 me to he
too cold bloodcd TO deserve crcdcncc.
One Way to Firing Prosperity.
president Mckinley win do his best to
avoid war with Spain for Il year or two, -
said this senator. He wants 10 put into
operation, first of all, his patent process for
restoring 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 a failure. Now, let
lis suppose that the country does get pros
pcrity under the new tariff law. Why then
we shall not reed a war But suppose, on
the other hand, that prosperity does not
come Trade languishes, men are out of
employment, 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
the personal fortunes of the president and
the success OF the Republican party will
need war in order to cover up the failure
to restore prosperity TO q suffering coun-
try"
1t is not necessary for me to add that
this suggestion was made by a silver sena-
tor, by one who does not believe the Re-
publican party or any other party can bring
prosperity to this country as long as the
gold standard is maintained. l do not in
dorse his suggestion at all, l simply give
it for what it is worth.
There is one thing am glad to be able
to report. and that is that the Spanish
scheme to bride the United States into an
arrangement to Spain advantage has not
met with success. AS the Cuban tariff
now stands, many articles which we could
sell to the people of tie island are kept out
of the market because of high customs du-
ties imposed by Spain, while Spanish prod
ucts of the same sort are admitted at much
lower rates. Tho result is that Spain takes
the market which in the natural order of
things belongs TO this country In order
to curry favor with this country and to
gain advantage in her dealings with the
rcyolntionists spain proposed to take down
most Of this advantage enjoyed by her ex-
portcrS and to give American exporters
more liberal tariffS IT. WAC >. tan,ptinr