New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-09
BOOMERANG JINGOfSM.

The case Of General Lee affords m interest.
ing illustration Of the evil the hot gospellers
Of sensational jingoism do TO the very cause
they profess to have at heart General Lee has
been United States ConsulGeneral at Havana
for nearly two years. He has at critical time
and In most trying circumstances served his
country well; so well that, contrary to custom,
he has unhestatingly been retained in office by
another Administration than that by which he
was appointed and one OF different political
faith At the same time that he has been faith
full and energetic in conserving his own coun-
trys welfare and in keeping the trust which IT
reposed In him, he has with admirable discretion
kept himself void of offence toward the country
to which he was accredited, so that to not a
single act or word OF his can the Spanish Gov
eminent point as specific cause for deeming
him persona non grata. Yet that Government
has intimated that he Is persona non grata, and
has asked for his recall, and there was fear
that 1t might summary dismiss him. Why?
The answer Is without doubt largely TO be
found In what Is comprehensvely termed com
mon fame" The sensational press OF this coun-
try in its excess Of pretended patriotism, has
long been representing General Lee a man
who should be persona non grata TO Spain, and
has been doing its utmost to persuade the Ma
drid Government to withdraw his exequatur. 1t
has pictured him as a truculent and implacable
enemy Of Spain. the conndant and fellowcon-
spirator Of the Cuban insurgents the abettor
and patron Of fllbusters. 1t has again and
again reported alleged acts and words Of his
which If true would prove him to be such.
1t has had him recommending to the President
immediate intervention and war and prejudg-
ing the Maine case and fixing upon the Spanish
Government official completely in the destruc-
ton Of that ship Only the other day It de-
clared he had left Havana after urging all
Americans TO leave, to escape Immediately Inn
pending war. 1t has made him denounce Spain
and the Spanish officers with whom he daily
comes into intimate contact In the most intern
pcrate terms. 1t has, in brief, pictured him as
such n man as Spain should not for a moment
permit 10 exercise official functions within her
domain.
Lies, les les all Of these stories; as every
saneminded American must all along have
known. They have been wantonly and often
maciousy invented In the form OF special
dispatches" from Washington. Havana and Key
West, conceived and written within the home
offices Of the papers that gave them currency.
They have been put forward ostensibly as n
parade Of patriotism" but really to embarrass
the Government at Washington, to rig the
stock market and TO sell few more spurious
extras" And the Spanish Government the
other day saw fit to act as though it believed
them, or some OF them, to be true. Is it said
the Spanish Government had no right to do so,
no right TO base official action upon mere news
paper tales? Indeed! 1t had that right and
the best Of rights. 1t is under no compulslon
to believe American newspapers to be liars.
1t has a right 20 take for granted that Ameri-
can newspapers, however they may abuse for
eigners do not lampoon and libel American
public men. and especially those charged with
the Nations foreign service II has right TO
take this country AZ Its own estimate OF Itself
And 80 America Is discredited abroad and
threatened with the loss OF a snguarly vau-
able public servant. all IN the name OF "patr-
otlsm." 1t IS a patriotism" that hurls
hoomaraOQ