Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-12
TUESDAY MARCH u, 1898
rup PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The Presidents message TO congress
on the Cuban question has at last ueeh
submitted to that body, and we are not
surprised TO learn that the verdict IN
Washington is that it is disappointing
II is a distinct disappointment to US II
consists of a vast deal Of preamble ana
very little resolution" The preamble
recites practically nothing new-nothns
with which the public was not already
acquainted. The resolution" is Of the
milk-and-water character in that 1t neu-
tralizes itself.
Up TO this time we have been disposed
10 take the side of the President in what
has been termed his controversy with
Congress. We have been Tor peace with
honor. and we would still fain hope for
that contamination. We had trusted and
believed that the President would enun-
ciate "a definite ana vigorous policy that
would prove him master of the situation
within the scope Of his preroSauve ana
give Congress 10 excuse 10 take Inc
matter out Of his hands, yet would at
the some time be such as that with the
endorsement Of Congress it would be an
,ltimatum 10 Spain. That is TO say, we
had hoped that the message would be oil
such a character as would call merely
for perfunctory endorsement by Con-
gress. and would make for peace because
OF bringing Spain to a realization OF the
absolute nrmness of the administration.
This those in the confidence Of the Presi-
dent led US to look for, despite the con-
nieting n wspaper reports as to the con-
tents Of she message.
But il cannot be slid that the Presi-
dent has presented any definite policy.
What are the salient points-if, indeed,
that term applies-in this deliverance
upon which the public has been waiting
with bated breath for some ten days?
The President see-saws. lie throws the
responsibility of dealing with the entire
matter upon Congress. Then he makes
an argument against the recognition OF
Cuban independence. Through this runs
a vague plea for armed Intervention, and
next he asks Congress to give him the
option of intervening option Of de-
claring war. In the 'body Of the
message he virtually comes out OF the
same hole ne went in. But to cap the
climax. he amends the whole thing by
intimating that the armistice Blanco has
been instructed 10 declare may lead to a
peaceful settlement Of the question and
the concession Of everything we have de-
manded This is a hedge that is calcu-
lated TO please Spain. Further it IS
calculated at this particular juncture tc
encourage her 10 attempt further tenn
porizing, and to stimulate extreme CON
gressional jingoism.
Even were II 10 be expected that Con-
eress would relinquish its constitutional
power 10 declare war and place It in the
hands Of one man. the message is not
such as 10 demonstrate that President
Mckinley Is the one man in whose hands
It would be advisable to place that power.
From beginning TO end the document
bears EVIDENCE of indecision OF character
on the part OF its author Such docu-
ment IN such a crisis as this is not a
credit to the Chief Magistrate Of the
nation. 1t Is not a credit TO the nation
The message took the regular course in
both houses of Congress, and went &c
committee. and we confess that we see
nothing for Congress to do but assume
the responsibility of dealing with the
entire matter" thus ignoring the Presi-
dent for the rest. This, We expect, vii
be its course Exactly what form ~
action will take cannot be predicted witt
certainty. but considering the feeling sale
10 have been engendered in congressional
circles BY the message, It Is fair TO ASSUME
that Il will be radical, unless in tn
next few hours Spain shall have made
apparent beyond the peradventure Of
doubt that the armistice proposition i
the beginning OF the end of absolute sur
render.