The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-17
TWENTY PAGES.
SUNDAY, APRIL II. 1898.
Since Last Monday.

N.yHEN we attempt to measure
\N/ the work of last week in
Washington. we must first
take account of the relative position
held by the executive and the legisla-
tive branches Of our government at the
hour when the sending Of the presidents
message to congress called for a show
ing OF hands. Herein are distinctions
which many OF us do not keep In mind.
yet they must be so kept. and with dis
tinctness. IL we propose TO reach CON
clusions that can stand To- many of
us hastily assume hat the president
sent a war message TO a war congress,
yet that is not the fact. The message
went to a war congress-there is no
doubt about that-but IL was not a war
message. Had II been one, the presi-
lent would unquestionably nave sug-
gested or limited or recommended that
congress-. in virtue Of its right under
the constitution, declare war. The
president did nothing of the sort. The
message itself is evidence as plain as
day that the preside t had not aban-
doned hope Of peace. To be sure. he
said that the war on the island must
cease. and that he had exhausted his
resources. He asked congress to equip
him with added resources and the mill
tary backing he must have, not neces-
sarily to go to war. but in order TO Sc
cure the termination of bostilities be-
tween Spain m Cuba" Equipped
with the power which he thus asked
congress to vest in him. the president
would not have rushed into war:
he would la renewed negotiations.
He would have addressed the Madrid
ministry essentially with these words;
II have failed to enforce my demands
thus far. I come now with these de-
mands reinforced by action of congress.
and I am thus authorized 10 state that
II you persist in rejecting my request
for the end OF the war on the island OF
Cuba. military power stands pledged
to enforce the demand"
barred all thought OF the present ecog-
milton of Cuban independence. That
recognition once voted. the president
could not have conducted peaceful ne
go~tiations. Assuredly. he could not
have entered into a discussion with the
Madrid ministry as to the merit OF this
ccuntry's declaration that Cuba is free.
Had congress declared for ~independ-
cnce. Spain would have nothing to say
about Il and nothing to do. except to
clear out Of the island. That is pre-
cisely the course which congress
wanted Affairs to take. but that meant
war irrevocably. and. We repeat. the
presidents message did not want war.
Here II a distinction. 1t defines the
difference between the position held b.
congress. at noon last Monday, and by
the executive respecting the next step
IN tue (uUdu dudlE.
We say 1t was the position held last
Monday. The week witnessed changes
-as everybody knows congress has re-
publican members who, no matter what
the pressure was or how brought,
showed by their vote that they had
passed from the faction that was for
immediate and unconditional ~recogni-
tion Of Cuban independence TO the fac
tion that reflects the administrations
wish. This ~ h more unfortunate
because It tended TO draw the political
line. az. for instance. when the vote was
taken in the house OF representatives.
last Wednesday. The administration
forces were able at that J%uncture to
csnpel . majority vote which ignored
tsAepeadence asd which authorized