The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-12
n 'kINLEY AND his PROMISES.

New York Journal.
The government OF Spain having lost
control of Cuba. and being unable 10 pro-
tect the property or lives OF resident Amer
lean citizens. or to comply with its treaty
obligations, We believe that the govern
nent Of the United States should actively
use its influences and good offices to re-
store peace and give Independence TO the
sland.-Republican platform on which
William Mckinley WAS elected 10 the oresi-
dency.
The platform adopted by the republican
National convention has received my care
full consideration, and has my unqualified
approval-Wfliam McKinleys speech OF
acceptance. June 30, 1896,
1t is honestly due 10 Spain aud to our
friendly relations with spain that she
should be given a reasonable chance ~
realize her expectations and 10 prove tina
efficacy of the new order OF things TO which
she stands irrevocably committed. w H.
liam McKinley's message TO congress. De-
cember 6, 1897.
Eighteen months ago the republican Ma
tional convention declared thot Spain had
lost control Of Cuba. and that it was the
duty of our government to exert its in
fluenee actively to restore peace and give
independence to the island Yesterday the
president elected on that platform, to
which he had personally pledged his IL
deity, informed congress that we ought
TO give Spain a reasonable chance TO real
lie her expectations ct cOnquering the pec-
PIE 10 whose support he was committed
by every consideration CT National partv
and individual honor.
The apology offered for this amazing
breach oi faith is that there is a new min
| istry In Spain, and that this ministry has
| undertaken 20 mitigate tho jnhuman meth
eds by which the war has been carried
on heretofore. as well as 10 Introduce 4
scheme OF home rule in Cuba under Span
tsh sovereignty. The president unjforinv
! speaks Of this cabinet as Spain" Snain
I does this; Spain Is committed TO that; spatn
has changed her methods and her charac
! ter.
OF course. Mr.. Mckinley knows that the
/ sagasta ministry is not really spala-that
( l, Is rot even stable Spanish government
( resting on a friendly parliamentary ma
! 1ority Sasastas title to office is the bullet
| OF an assassin. The pr sent certes is con
/ trolled by men elected as supporters Of
! Csncvas. and 1t is Sagasts's announced In
! 'Nhti'A w ulSSViNe II as tOOn as ne - rc1S-
/ sured about President McKirleys m saga
aud order new elections, How the new ,c-Ies
may feel about Cuban autonomy nobody
can tell--it is pretty certain that the pres
| ent one would have nothing TO do with IL
The president furnishes the interesting
information that the trumpeted Spanish
reforms" in Cuba, far from having any
constitutional or legislative sanction. ara
not even embodied 10 self executing ad-
ministrative decree. The schsme OF au-
tonomy is formulated in decree 10 be-
come effective upon ratification by the
eortes." Thus, 10 maintain despotism in
Cuba II will not be necessary even for
the cortes TO vote 10 cancel the decree. II
WIN merely have 10 do nothiag. and the
sasasta reforms will fall s,illborn. And
even II the scheme should be put into Oh.
Grafton, the Cubans would remain POWER
| less 10 do anything Of Importance under
| ", BY tie appointive character q half NJ
,he upper house OF the proposed Cuban
legislature, by the right reserved to the
| spanish cortes TO interfere in the settle
ment OF the debt and In the regulation oS
all duties in which Spain is inter ssted ana
by the power of the captain gengral to sus-
pend the whole charter at his pleasure and
introduce martial law, the Spanish COW
wise. :"
Will President Mckinley or any OF the
apoiogists of the policy OF inaction candid
ny suggest reason why the gallant troops
OF the Cuban republic should lay down
| tneir arms on such n prospect ms that,
rnere have been revolutions in Cuba he
tote and pacihcations, snd promises that
nave not been kept Now Whist cuarsr,v
I