Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-02-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The DeLome Adair-May Have Effect on
Cuban Question.

The DeLome Afiair-May Have Effect on
Cuban Question.
President Mckinley has never justi-
fed the confidence reposed In him by
the American people to more marked
extent than since the publication OF the
grossly insulting letter written by
Senior DeLome, late Spanish Minister
to the United States. In that letter,
Senior DeLome personally insulted the
president as we'll as his own govern
ment. When Washington was in
ferment OF excitement and men OF
prominence who are usually cool head
ed were advising all sorts OF hot headed
steps on the part OF this government,
lost the GOODNESS which has always
marked his acts at critical periods,
although there isn't the slightest
doubt that his blood fairly boiled at
DeLome's insults. Like the true pa
triot that be is, he sunk his individual
ity and acted only as the country's
executive. He merely requested the
Spanish government, through the
American Minister at Madrid, TO recall
DeLome. Senior DeLome had antici-
pated that and cabled his resignation,
and it was accepted by his government
before the request for his recall was
presented The wisdom of this moder-
alton on the part of the president is
daily becoming more apparent. There
was another important feature OF
DeLome's letter. in which he declared
that autonomy for Cuba and negotia-
tions for a reciprocity treaty were
only shams. Had this letter been made
public in legitimate manner, its con-
tents would have justified the most
extreme measures upon the part Of this
government, but it was stolen. and that
fact was not mitigated in the least by
the wledgement of its authorship
by DeLome. The government of Spain,
by accepting DeLome's resignation has
relieved this government OF the dsa-
greeable contingency OF taking official
cognizance of stolen letter, and at
the same time has placed itself in a
position from which it cannot escape
without renouncing responsibility for
the contents of the letter and apologize
ing for its having been written, with
out losing the respect Of this and every
other civilized nation. In fact, the
Spanish government has either got to
call DeLome liar or acknowledge
itself to be both liar and hypocrite.
Surely there is nothing in this situa-
tion to cause any patriotic American
to feel otherwise than proud OF his
president.
No statement or apology from Spain
can remove the effect Of its minister's
assertions concerning autonomy and
reciprocity; therefore Senior DeLome's
letter is likely TO be factor in deter
mining the future relations of this gov
eminent toward Cuba. There is little
doubt that President Mckinley would
have taken steps before now to have
brought the war in Cuba to a close, b ad
it not been for SPANS autonomy
scheme. Although he did not proba-
bly, have more faith in the success or
failure to elapse before taking action.
Regardless of what Spain may do or
not do, DeLome's letter has changed
the whole situation, and it is not now
thought in Washington that anything
short Of SPANS developing an unex
pected ability to bring the war in Cuba
to an end herself will prevent early
action on the part Of this government.
Congress deserves credit for having
kept quiet and allowed the president
TO manage this affair.