The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-11
CUBA MUST wan.
President Mckinley WillSsttle the
! Ruiz Case First.

s'"ss WV
Washington June 10.-President Nc
kinley will notintervepe between the GOV.
Ell nment of Spain and the Cuban bellioer.
ents until he has first undertaken to set
tie the Ruiz case. Commissioners Calhoun
supplements the report of Consul Gene.
raj Lee bY declaring that DR.. Ruiz. an
american citizen, wss deprived of his
tional law; that he was held in solitary
confinement 243 hours beyond the
seventy. two hours limit, which was in
violation Of his .treaty rights, and that
80 hours after mis- arrest and incarcera-
ton he was dead. President MCKINLEY
has awaited the return of his special COM
missioner and the final report of the CON
sui general. He has been deliberatlye
and conservative. In due season It will
be demonstrated that there was sincerity
and genuine sympathy in the expressions
uttered by the President, and the Score.
tary of State 10 the widow of the unfor-
tuuate man.
1t will be remembered that Secretary
Sherman in fatherly manner took the
hand of the widow in both of his own,
placed his hands upon the heads of her
fatber'ess children and assured them all
that justice should be done. It will be re /.
called that the President received
Madame Ruiz at the White House and
gave her similar assurance in the same
whole hearted manner. The President
did not see the children, for the reason
thut he then expressed that he did not
want his feelings to be aroused by tho
presence of the little ones. He-feIt that
he should hear the story of the widow
from her own lips, without having his
Judgment turned aside by his sympathies
He heard the story calmly, although it
was delivered to him with heart. broken
sobs. lie gave the widow and mother and
fatnerless children his personal assurance
that justice should be done He will full
fill that promise.
Before any step is taken in the matter
of bringing the war in Cuba to IL conclu-
sion President Mckinley will take such
conservative action as may be deemed
necessary to secure indemnity for the out
rage rerpetrated in the murder of Or.
Ruiz. Whether the fair-minded man was
murdered by a blow from prison official
or whether he was made mad by his soli-
tary confinement and killed himself the
government OF Spain will be held ac-
countable for the outrage and for the
awful sufferings and tragic death of that
American citizen. This is the determi-
nation of President Mckinley. Upon this
case will rest the initiation of the pro-
| ceedings which are fast forthcoming to
bring about conclusion of the condition
of horror and humiliation which now en-
viron the people of Cuba.
| Tine PRESIDENT has formulated no decla
ration concerning the attitude which this
government shall take in the matter of
securing "peace with independence for
the Cuban insurgents. He has author.
lied no statement and will authorize no
statement concerning the. means to be
employed to conclude what Commissioner
Calhoun describes sas ''ceaseless war
fare" That he is determined and will
act with firmness nobody has reason to
doubt. But, first of all, the widow and
orphans of an American citizen are emit.
tied to an indemnity for their suffer ings
and their loss, and the Government of the
United States Is entitled to an apology
and reparation for the international
wrong which has been done.
After the Ruiz case shall have been
disposed of he will take action..concerning
the claims of the Cubans to belligerent
rights, or the recognition of their indie
pendence. 1t is understood that at first
the President will favor the recognition
of the helligerent rights of the insur-
gents. Later on something may be done
in the matter of the recognition of their
independence.
The widow OF DR.. Ruiz has filed with
the Department of State claim for $780,
0O0 indemnity. Secretary Sherman has
made no official statement concerning
this claim, but he has said to an official
of the departm over which he presides,
8 do not think that the amount is exces.
sive, under the circumstances"
1t is therefore believed that the Presi-
dent will receive from the Secretary of
State q favorable report of the case and
that demand for indemnity i'm that sum
viii he made upon the government of
Spain.