The San Francisco call., 1897-06-18
THE SPANISH MISSION.

1t is gratifying to know that the long
| delayed appointment of a Minister to
Spain by this administration has been
made at last and that the country is to be
represented at Madrid by so eminent a
citizen and so distinguished patriot as
General Stewart L. Woodford of New
York
IL is well understood that no American
diplomatist will have more difficult duties
to perform than the one who is intrusted
with the task of conducting our dealings
with Spain at this juncture. The Cuban
question is 10 Us what the Eastern ques-
ton is to Europe. Ii has been before the
country in one form or another almost
ever since the beginning OF the century,
and during the last twenty-five years has
been as irritating 20 public opinion as an
noying to diplomacy.
At the present time the almost universal
sentiment of the American people is favor
able to Cuban independence, but there is
nevertheless no desire of war with Spain.
The Cuhans have been fighting for free
dom for virtually thirteen years, and for
the last three years the Spaniards have
been powerless to maintain their suprem-
acy anywhere in the island outside the
fortified cities. AS a result of this pro-
longed war the people of the United States
have suffered largely in their trade, and
many OF our citizens residing in the island
and doing business there have been
despoiied OF their property, and in some
instances even deprived of their lives.
Our in terests in the affairs of Cuba are
so great that we have a just right to inter
vene and act as q mediator between the
warring parties. We have delayed to do
this as long as delay could be justified by
the reasona BILE hope that Spain would find
some means of restoring peace through
her own efforts. No reason for such a
hope any longer exists, and the time has
come for the United States 10 adopt some
thing more than policy of inactivity.
With the expectation of a policy of vigor
the people have waited for the new ad-
ministration 10 declare itself, and the ap-
pointme Mt OF General Woodford confirms
the hope that the expectation will be real
lied.
The new Minister TO Spain is not an un-
known man. He has distinguished him
self in war and in peace and been eminent
both in public and in private life. His
career bears witness to his character and
attests his fitness for the new position to
which be has been called. He has had
large administrative experience and is
practiced in the negotiation of great af-
fairs. He has tact. He has courage. He
will not make humiliating demands upon
Spain, nor will he yield any of the rights
of this country or those OF the Cubans.
Difficult as are the problems which con-
front the newly appointed Minister and
the administration which supports him,
there are reasons for believing they can
be solved in such way as to procure for
Cuba independence and peace. The Span
ish officials seem al last 10 be aware that
they cannot conquer the island, and that
to proiong the war is to make a useless
waste of wealth and life. They are there
fore more inclined than ever to give heed
to good counsel from a friendly Govern
ment and arrange for granting to Cuba
that liberty which is now the possession
OF all other Spanish countries.