The Press., 1897-05-20
Ispringneld Republicanl. The FarsSideant f.aiina and the P

When President Mckinley entered office 1t was clear that he would have to face difficult questions in foreign affairs without any option on the time for con- sidering them. While the struggle to enact new tariff law is progressing and business interests wait on the conclusion of government interference in industrial affairs, it would be great blessing to the country if the Cuban question could be kept in the background but the con- ferences at the white house during the past few days, and the sudden increase of interest in the insurrection displayed by bankers and merchants in New York, the very center of business conservatism, indicate that the administration may be compelled very soon to settle upon def mite policy.
 It is gratifying that the president is handling the matter himself. The special commissioner to Cuba, Mir. Calhoun, is MT. McKinley's personal friend and his personal choice for the mission. We ob- serve, too, that the members of the senate committee on foreign relations consulted directly with the president recently with regard to the situation j; and that again last week the president was closeted over two hours with a Bos- tonian, an intimate friend of Secretary Long, who is we'll versed in Cuban con- ditions at the present time. MT. Sher- manls secretary of state, but the president is himself in immediate charge of our Spanish and Cuban relations. In this fact there Is much to be thankful for, inas- much as MT. Mckinley, before coming president, never exploited himself as a jingo, and since entering office he has shown cautious spirit entirely irreproach- able. He bears the full burden of re- sponsibility, and may be counted on not to make any new departure without careful consideration. Action may be deferred some time, but, unless the situation in Cuba changes, the people must prepare for change of atti- tude by our government. Here is the National Review, the British conservative monthly, saying editorially in the May number:-
 There is incomparably more suffering in Cuba than in Crete, Spain has demon strated her incapacity to subdue the insur- rection, and has thereby forfeited all moral right to hold the island. The United States has had perfectly free hand to suppress a scandal at her very doors which she declares that no other nation Ehas any right to interfere In. Moreover, | it's continuance Is odious to the over. whelming majority of her citizens. But their government has never attempted to Intervene America is the best judge of her own interests, and there is no want of profound humanity in the \ American people; but, under the circum- stances, onB would imagine that some charity should temper their comment on the ''infamy" of European policy on the eastern question. At any rate, we sug- gest that some American writer should be at pains to distinguish between the cease of the American Crete and the European Cuba.
 If that be an opinion held abroad, 1t Is not impossible that some ground for in- terference exists. It Is the governments duty to determine from the known facts what is required of it, and then to remain passive, or to take more definite stand. In the mean time, the less congress med dies with the affair the better. Leave the Cuban question to President Mckinley. Give him time to formulate policy. And if he decides to intervene in the belief that commerce and humanity demand 1t, we fancy that the American people will be solidly at his back.