The times., 1897-05-11
In Defense of the President.

III DeJet1se Oh tDt
Among the signs of the times the indig
nantly critical tone of the Western Re-
publican press is particularly noticeable, in
connection with Mr.. McKinIey's peculiar
attitude regarding the Cuban question,
Leading exronents OF his party in Chicago
and elsewhere are complaining because he
allows the Spanards to shoot the prisoners
they do not chop in pieces at the time of
capture, permits them to machete the sick
and wounded in Cuban hospitals. and to
outrage, torture and butcher Cuban wcInen
and children, all without word of protest,
The position of The Times is so well
known on this subject, and our sympathy
aud Indignation have been 80 frequently
and strongly expressed that if we feel
called uron to say a word of excuse for
the President, our humane motive VIII not
be misunderstood.
Allowances should be made for both the
Western critics and the Executive. People
in occidental regions much given to silver
sentiment, who nevertheless helped to
elect protective tariff man ON the single
gold standard issue, did not sufficiently
appreciate what they were doing They
knew the candidate to have been afflicted
with protectioniosis for many lustru,Ds.
Perhaps they thought that Gle gation TO the
Presidency would broaden his mind and
make room within 1t for other things; mat
tiers and questions involving national honor.
and of our duty and his before God and
outraged humanity, for instancei
They did not make due allowance for
tarjff monomania. They should have
remembered that years ago, in the
Congress, Mr. McKinley's intellect, soul
and visible existence were bound up in
the tariff bill Of the same name 1t was
not enough glory for him to have CON
ceived, formulated and secured the en-
actment of that measure. He thought,
schemed, dreamed and walked the floor
against the great day when he believed
he would crown his career by signing
with his ow name, and thus making into
law, another bill OF like description only
more extreme than the first.
That monomania has filled his head
ever since. His impulses Of humanity and
duty are warm and good. He would con-
slider and do other things if only the
thought of them could find place in his
mer1ai processes: but he is helpless under
the affliction of an unappeased and un-
appeasable monomania Nothing can stir
him; nothing can reach his mind or his
heart until after the passage of the tariff
bill''
We do not wish to discourage Western
missionary effort in President McKinley's
case Indeed, it is necessary that some
thing heroic should be done to startle his
mind into activity In the face of that dis
honor TO which national inertia has sub
Jected US. If anything can do him good
it is Western pressure and criticism; be-
is sensitive to that. AFTER the passage
of the tariff bilr' Is an expression which
opens up long vista of discussion and
waiting 1t is possible that good advice
and counsel from the Western press might
yet brace him up to the point of speaking
that one word which would put an instant
stop to the frightful crimes In daily progress
under his eyes, without waiting until
after the passage of the tariff bill.' 1t
is but just possible; for monomania is
seldom controllable, and the sufferer from
it is entitled to charity and sympathy,
rather than TO the blame that would attach
TO one In normal condition