The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-19
SdAAY SdBH
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH. Editor.
JUST ONE THING.

There is one thing, just one thing,
for the United States senate to do, If
1t would be in accord with the people
of this country. and with their presi-
dent, on this Cuban question, and that
one thing is to promptly recede' TO
Immediately back down from its prop
osition to recognize d government
which in fact does not exist and to
concur in the house resolution, which
embodies the demand only Of the
president that Spain mast eracuate
Cuba and leave the people OF that
island free to institute a government
of their own There are a limited
number of Republicans in the United
States senate who are afflicted with
worms, one or two of them. with the
presidential worm, others with the
free-coinage worm. ana half dozen
with a regular case disgruntled multi
grIbs. These Republicans think that
their radical demonstrations will be
taken by the people for pure patriot
ism. Not much. The people see the
selfish aims Of these gentlemen who
are playing double beneath the thin
disguise Of radicalisn. President Nc
Kinley has not made a mistake. He
has gone as rapidly and as far as the
people Of the country would permit
and remain a unit. He has not lost an
hour in preparation for the worst, and
he has crowded the claims of America |
as far as the world would admit their |
indisputable validity. The world is |
not convinced that the insurgent gov
eminent Of Cuba. commands the sym |
pathy of a majority of the people Of |
that island. The president himself |
does not seem to be entirely convinced /
as to the truth of that proposition. |
The United States senate assuming |
that the reconcentrados would be loyal |
to, or would accept the insurgent or
ganization as a de facto government
calls for its recognition. The house
simply responded to the desire Of the
chief executive in notifying Spain that
it must withdraw it's flag from the
island and it's navy from its waters.
The United States senate should con-
cur with the house in this resolve,
which simply and fully embodies the
requirements Of the presidents mes
sage.
General Fitzhugh Lee has fully sus-
tanned the position which the president
took in his message with respect to the
recognition Of the Cuban republic.
General Lee told the senate committee
on foreign relations that there was
no government among the insurgents
Of Cuba that was worthy Of recogni-
ton. That ought to settle the matter,
for nobody will deny that General Lee
has had plenty of opportunities to
study the Cuban situation, and it will
probably be conceded that he knows
the island than do the congressional
jingoes and Democratic demagogues
who have been trying to criticise the
presidents policy.
The confidence which the people Of
the United States have felt in the
and integrity of General Lee :
will be strengthened by what he has
done to sustain the presidents posi- {
ton. at the risk of humiliating his {
own political party. But General Lee {
has simply told the truth. He and {
everybody else who knows anything c
knows that the Cuban republic is not q
a stable government. and that it has d
no practical existence except upon pa I
per. General Lee has done his duty; e
that is all 7