The evening times., 1898-02-09
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 9. 1898
The De LONE Incident


The DE LONE Incident.
We knew that this was going to be
Cuba Day. and were aware that eN-
teusive preparations had been made
for a grand celebration in the Senate;
but we certainly did not expect that
our friend and fellow-traveler to the
tomb. Senor Enrique Dupuy de LONE.
would join i'm the festivities, and in
fact open the proceedings Of the Slo-
rious day. with the adulatory toast TO
the President. which appears in
the letter to Editor Canalejas pub
lished all over the world this morn
ing. Here is the noble sentiment.
which must bring the blush Of graft
fled vanity to the adamantine cheek Of
Mr.. Mckinley: Besides the natural
and inevitable coarseness with which
he repeats all that the press and pub
lie opinion Of Spain has said of Wey-
Ter. il shows once more what Mckin-
ley is: weak and catering to the rab-
bic. and. besides. a low politician. who
desires to leave a door open to me and
to stand well with the jingoes of his
party" Surely the gayety of the oc-
Casion would be greatly less if this
precious Dupuy de LONE letter had
not bobbed up serenely on this day
of all days. specially selected for the
opening of the Spanish-Cuban fight in
the Senate.
The letter which viii be found
printed at length i'm another column.
hx- I.a
Spanish minister 10 Canaleias. after
the latter had visited this country and
had gone To Havana. Where the text
is not foully insulting to this country
and it's chief Magistrate. it is a rev
elation at once Of the dup~city and
EopelessneSs of the Spaniards De
LONE tells his friend that nothing can
be done without a military success in
Cuba. That was two months ago. and
since that time there have been a doz-
en- Spanish defeats. some Of them of
great military Importance. and not
single success except the betrayal and
cOwardly murder Of the boy General
Aranguren and his poor little sweet
heart. Dupuy de LONE wants Canale-
jas To send somebody to gabble with
Senators about a commercial treaty.
If only for effect" and he deprecates
the autonomy humbug. because that
has not been legalized by the Cortes.
He also opposes sending emissaries
10 the patriots as he does not believe
any good could come of il. His views
are not without evidence Of the deem
cunning with which he has play,d his
part in Washington. Their exposition
at this time and in this peculiar man
ner may produce warm results.
Ordinarily we should expect that the
letter would be denounced By the Span
ish envoy as a forgery. and that Mr..
Mckinley would accept that explana-
tion with tears of affection Dupuv de
LONE is one Of the ablest deniers in
Christendom. He has denied every
thing he has ever said uncompliment
AIRY to our public men. and his denials
have been taken at par I'm The White
House. The trouble with this new case
is that il is i'm the shape Of a written
document. and parole evidence is in
admissible To explain il. On the forgery
theory, there would be a question for
photographic experts. The New York
Journal publishes a facsimile of the
complete document There are plenty
of specimens Of the Spanish minister's
handwriting in the State Department.
II Mr.. Mckinley desires he can secure
a photograph of the letter. or. under
proper safeguards and pledges, he and
his experts can have a sight of the
original SuppOsing. as we do. that the
document is genuine. what will the
President do about it? Will he do what
any of his predecessors would have
done, and hand Dupuy de LONE his
passports today? OR will he wait until
Washington and Madrid have Jointly
and severally received the instruc-
tions of Rothschild, Hirsch and BIeich-
roder, and allow the offender to be re-
called with honor, or permitted to re-
main here according TO their interests
or wishes?
Whatever course Mr.. Mckinley may
elect to take. the Dupuy de LONE let
ter viii add condiments TO the dishes
which Senators Mason. Cannon and Al 1
len are preparing. and some one or
more of which are being served hot 4
and hot" in the Senate chamber this I
afternoon. The incident cannot fail to |
exert quite as much effect in compel 4
ling the President to show his hand as
any one thing Congress could do Add I
ed to what il will do. il is not difficult +.
to believe tha; the Administration is i'm
a fence corner, and the fence too high
done TO stem the tide Of American de-
termination and ire in the Senate that
would be useful in any way. 1t is true
that the little group of Senator's whose
hearts are lost to Spain, or whose
financial interests are involved in sup