New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-13
SITTING SUPINELY BY.


that the time has now fully arrived when this
country should not only have currency Of its
own-wampum. if ii so pleases-ln spite or Old
World dictntion. but should put chip on It's
shoulder and defy any effete monarchy to knock
il off the conviction is hardening that 1t would
be a great shame to lis if we should sit supinely
by while the Old World is having a nice little
war racket over an island In the Mediterranean,
and neglect the opportunity to make a rumpus
of our own over an island similarly related and
within mailing distance of our own shores. Not
that they personally banker for fight If there
should be a war they would not go near 1t them
selves but they would talk about 1t in such an
earnest and imprisoned way that great many
other folks would go. and get all the glory They
are entirely unsellish in their patriotism. Their
idea is that this country has as good right to
have a war as any of the played-out monarches
and empires of the Old World: that they have
no monopoly of the game, and that while they
are playing IT, with the lives of their subjects
as the counters we ought 10 show them that we
have citizens 10 kill ourselves. That would go
far TO establish an equilibrium between the two
hemIspheres But if we 81. supinely by and
neglect the chance to get in on Cuba while the
Powers are having fun with Crete our flag Will
be no better than a rag and the Old World
will not only despise us but will presently come
over and walk on us.
There have been difficulties hitherto in the
way of pulling off''-to use a technical term
a war with Spain. The Tribune has already
advertpd to some of them. They have been
chiefly due TO what seems TO be fixed deter
minatiOn Of the most eXasperating character on
the part of Spain lot 10 give us any provocation.
The correspondents whom some Of our enter
prising newspapers. with selfsacrilicing patriot
ism that cannot be too highly commended, have
flung into the field between the contending
armies of Spain and the Cuban insurgents, in
the hope of coaxing the Spanish authorities into
the preparation of some sort Of bloodcurdling
atroclty. have been treated with provoking
courtesy and returned with thanks This has
been serious disappointment 10 the newspaper
prOprietors. who have counted on the success
of this method of arousng the spirit of patriot
ism and Increasing their daily circulation. In
these newspaper offices there is profound disgust
at the conduct of Spain. mingled with a sense
of shame at the behavior of Congress and the
Federal Administration, who, they say, are sit
ting supinely by.
But hope has not fed Another correspondent
ish authorities in Cuba. He was captured on
the Competitor about year ago, while that yes
sci was engaged in the peaceful pursuit of car
ryng arms and munitions Of war to the Cuban
insurgents And although the Spanish authori-
ties. instigated by perverse and malicious pur-
pose to thwart our patriotic endcavors in behalf
of Cuba. complied with the demand of our Gov
eminent for his trial by civil court instead Of
al hoc rala
1t is said, however that he soon will be, in pur-
suance of the same policy which has so exas-
perated our entcrprising newspapers and liberty
loving statesmen. But Spain is not TO get off so
easily The delay in his trial is considered by
such an eminent authority on international law
as Senator Morgan, of Alabama, sufficient
casus belli. That statesman has written a letter
in which he says that it makes his blood boil
Ito think that this great country has sat supinely
"by and permitted this outrage and that If he
was President of the United States or the Secre-
tary Of State the correspondent would be free
"in twenty-four hours or Havana would be bonn
"barded" He is so much worked up about II
that he says Sometimes I am ashamed OF
this Government" 1t may be said Of course
that Senator Morgan has fits OF being ashamed
of this Government: that he had one thirty six
years ago which lasted for years. but that
he got over II. But that is neither here nor
there. The important fact is that we have al
ready a sufficient cause for war, and that his
blood bos because we are sitting supinely by
without selling the opportunity.
The trouble about 1t all, Of course is that it
takes two to make a quarrel; and so long as
Spain keeps releasing the newspaper CORE
spOndents whom we send to Cuba in the hope of
their being matreated or shot the timld and
tme-serving majority Of our citizens whose cold
blood never-Or hardly ever-boils, will insist
that there Is no occasion for bOmbardlng Ha-
vana. even for the praiseworthy purpose Of set
ting off Cuba against Crete and keeping up the
equilibrium between the two hemspheres Still,
II Senator Morgan's blood continues to boil be-