New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-18
STICK TO THE POINT.

pretence of Spain, and of some people IN THIS
country that this Nation Is going to war with
Spon on account of the Maine disaster. In the
first place this Nation is not going TO war
with Spain at all if it can help II honorabiy
and # Spain does not force war upon It, lis
policy is not war but intervention, and inter
yention may be peaceful. In the second place,
II is going 10 intervene. and may fight not prl-
marllv ON account Of the Maine, but on other
and entirely separate grounds which existed
long before the Maine was sent to Havana.
That Is a fact which Americans should keep
constantly in mind. and which the nations OF
IN, world should remember in making up their
Judgment upon us.
President Cleveland. in his last annual Mes
sage to Congress. indicated the true grounds
of the intervention which he then deemed we'll
nigh inevitable. as follows:
when the inability OF Spain to deal success
fully with the insurrection has become mani
fest and il Is demonstrated that her sover-
eighty Is extinct in Cuba for all purposes OF
its rightful existence. and when a hopeless
struggle for it's re-establishment has degen-
"erated into a strife which means nothing more
than the useless sacrifice OF human life and
1.-The utter destruction Of the very subject mat
ter Of the conflict. a situation VIII be present.
led in which our obligations to the sovereignty
''of Spain will be superseded by higher obliga-
"tions which we can hardly hesitate TO recognize
'~nd discharge"
President Mckinley. in his first annual Mes
sage TO Congress, restated the same principle.
thus:
The near future will demonstrate whether
"the Indispensable condition of a righteous
"peace tust alike to the Cubans and to Spain.
'as we'll as equitable to all our interests so in
"timately involved in the welfare Of Cuba. Is
further and other action by the United States
will remain TO be taken. When that time
comes. that action will be determined In the
Zine Of indisputable right and duty. 1t will be
faced without misgiving or hestancy, In the
light of the obligation this Government owes
Ito itself. 10 the people who have confided 10 II
and 20 humanity. Sure Of the right. keeping
free from all offence ourselves. actuated only
"by upright and patriotic considerations, moved
neither by passion nor sehshness the Govern
"ment will continue its watchful career over the
rights and property Of American citizens. and
will abate none of its efforts to bring about
"by peaceful agencies a peace which shall he
honorable and enduring. II II shall hereafter
appear TO be a duty imposed by our obliga-
"tions TO ourselves. TO civilization and to hui
"manity to intervene with force 1t shall be
without fault on our part and only because
the necessity for such action will be so clear
"as TO command the support and approval or the
civilized world.
Those authoritative utterances were made.
the one more than fourteen months. the other
more than two months. before the destruction
of the Maine Nor has the ground been shifted
since. In his latest message, Of Monday last.
nearly two months after the destruction Of the
Maine. President Mckinley said:
THE long trial has proved that the object for
(Which Spain has waged the war cannot be at
tanned The fire of insurrection may fame or
may shoulder with varying seasons, but II has
mot been. and 1t is plain that 1t cannot be. ex-
"tinguished by present methods. The only nope
"of relief and repOse from condition which can
no longer be endured Is the enforced pacfca-
of ('t1hQ N IN
"the name Of civilization, in behalf OF endan-
"gered American interests which give us the
right and the duty TO speak and to act the
war in Cuba must stop. In view OF these facts
"and Of these considerations, ask the Congress
ITO authorize and empower the President TO
take measures to secure full and final termi-
"nation OF hostilities between the Government
"of Spain and the people Of Cuba and to secure
"in the island the establishment OF a stable gov
"ernment capable of maintaining order and OBJ
Serving It's international obligations nsurng
peace and tranquility and the security OF us
citizens well as our own. and to use the
military and naval forces OF the United States
"as may be necessary for these purposes"
Those are the grounds Of intervention. The
House Of Representatives has exactly recog-
nzed them. The Senate will do well to do the
same, without regard to any extraneOus mat
tiers That, Of course, does not mean that the
Maine Is to be forgotten. In any case even il
we had not felt bound to intervene In the pres
ent struggle we should have exacted full and
exemplary satisfaction for what we believe the
treacherous destruction Of the noble battle-sh!p
In a peaceful harbor No; the Maine is to be
remembered TO the bitter end. and Is to be fully
atoned for From that determination there is
to be no recession But that Is not the cause
of intervention. The latter is to be based On
those other and antecedent grounds which we
have recalled from the State papers Of two
Presidents, and upon which we can 50 forward
without fear and without reproach, assured Of
the approval of the enlightened conscience Of
the world.