The times., 1897-05-20
A Policy of Infamy.


Friends of the Administration, as well MS
press eXponents usually representing the
views OF the Spanish bondholders. and the
Anglo-American Cuban Sugar Trust, con
tinue to talk IN a way To justify the pre-
dictions OF The Times during the pa st four
weeks, in regard to the real Cuban policy of
the A administration. The Spanish Min
is.er's Washington organ announced yes
terday morning that after receiving Mr.
Calhoun's report. the President would send
II note 10 Spain suggesting that Cuba be
allowed to purchase her independence In
the same announcement il was limited that
in case Spain should refuse to treat, the
United States might take the initiative
and intervene to stop the war, in the in
terests OF tie English-Spanish bondholders
aud the ABglo-American sugar syndicate
Nobody need bother about any resistance
TO such a proposal on the part of Spain,
because the matter is thoroughly under
stood between the Administration and the
HaIes, Atldnses, Olneys, Havemeyers, Hel-
monts and Pierpont Morgans on this side
and De LONE and Canovas on the other.
The situation is a simple ONE Spain Is
oOnvinced that her case in Cuba is 7ope-
less; that the present rainy season cam
paign promises to clean the troops fl
naily out OF the island. II she can shift
the debt incurred in attempting TO con-
cuer the two Cuban revolutions to The
shoulders OF the Cubans themselves she
will be glad enough to quit. Then, in the
koly cause of humanity and to stop tie
cries OF outraged innocence, dying Under
the butcher knife OF the fiend, Weyier,
this Government will step in and order
Cisneros, Gomez and all the patriot band
to lay down their arms and surrender to
the Spanish bondholders and the Anglo
American syndicate, represented by the
United states.
This is the policy of the Administrator,
based upon the plea of the business IN
terests," and of Spain, Hale, Hoar, Oiney,
Atkins, Belmont, and the rest, that if
the Cubans are not arrested they will
drive the Spaniards out Of the island,
establish their government in Havana, and
snap their fingers at the British bond
holders and the British American sugar
syndicate. The plea is effective. The
moral and physical forces of govern
ment deaf and blind to the murders,
outrages and butcheries of defen seless
men, women and children, or the decreed
starvation of two hun dred thousandcountry
people, will rush wildly TO the rescue OF
foreigners whose Spanish investments are
threatened.
1t is an infamous propositionl 1t is
flagranly SO, in the face OF repeated
declarations by all the Cuban leaders, t:;at
their people will never submit to buy
the liberty they have won with their
swords and with the blood, honor and
tears of outraged, murdered innoceGce.
Who are we, that, after witnessing The
wrongs, tortures and butcheries peIpetr1ted
upon them without lifting hand TO telp
y
thing in the power of our Government
to aid their oppressor, now should step
in, and, 10y force and arms, compel them
to choose between a perpetuation of the
horrible conditions existent, OF submit TO
the hopeless. endless slavery of a debt
the mere interest upon which they could
not hone to earn for a generation 10
conner
1t is q scheme of infamy to which the
Congress and the people Of the United
States ought not and must not submit
shrewdly being prepared for We are TO
be told that the Cubans are anxious for
Intervention on such terms. 1t is possible
that some individual Cubans, considered
to he representative in a greater or less
degree, may regard the project with a
complacency born Of personal views.
But noneof the great leaders in the field;
none of the men who even now are gather
ing for day of vengeance upon Weyler
in his stronghold, will he found of the
number; and they, and only they, ere
the people qualified to speak for the IA
triot cause There Is hardly any room
for doubt that the real purpose Of the
Calhoun mission / s the furtherance of this
scheme
Representatives of both Houses OF Con-
gress will be recreant to their duty il they
do not speedily prepare themselves to meet
this new and deadly assault upon the oaase
OF human liberty