The times., 1898-04-07
The unn in the white House.

w nen MT. Mckinney promised 10 SuS-
tain the platform upon which he was
elected. and thereby declared that he
dependence of Cuba, the country be-
lieved him. But everybody knows that
to this day, the whole policy of his ad-
ministration has been to deny inde-
pendence, or even belligerent rights, TO
the Cubans. and that its consistent ef-
fort has been to defeat both and to re-
store the sovereignty of Spain! For
what reason the country knows only too
We'll
When he promised to act vigorously
in relation to the Maine massacre, if
only Congress and the country would
give him time to ascertain the facts.
once more he was trusted and the ma
ton waited The unhappy and callous
message of March 2S was all that re-
suited
When, on Wednesday of last week,
the Republican Committee of Eleven
waited on him, and told him that Con-
gress and the American public would
not brook longer delay, he pleaded for
sixty hours grace, and affirmed that
if that were given him and Spain did
not concede our demands before Fri
day, he would ask Congress to recog-
/ nize Cuban independence.
On Friday last he begged for time
until Monday. On Monday he wept
( for time until yesterday. He must
have delay until he could prepare his
message, the physical labor of which,
4 represented by the toll of Hanna,
/ Griggs, Day and Adee, was breaking
+ him down. Yesterday, every paper in
the country published the forecast of
the message which had been given out
/ from the White House. and it did not
take many minutes after the Wash
ington and New York papers had
reached the kitchen cabinet to ascer-
tain that the Executive policy had
raised a storm Of indignation from the
Canadian frontier to the gulf, and from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Then Mr.. Mckinley began promising
again First it was that the message
would not go in until 1 o'clock. Then
that the White House was waiting fol
news from Gen. Lee. Next. that il
might be o'clock. Later. that the
message would not go in during the
day; and. finally, that the Senate hat
consented to let it go over until Mon.
day.
The latest deception was on humanita-
rian grounds;-we must not do oanythine
to fmDeril Gen. Lee and the Ameri-
cans in Cuba, who are represented as
being unable to get away until Sunday
Yet. Mr., Mckinley knew three week!
ago that this crisis would come. Why
did he not arrange to recall the consul!
and citizens in time? The answer i!
that the continued presence of Gen
Lee in Havana was next to the las
card which could be played for delay
Not the last, because there are Wood
ford, the consuls and some private cit
izens in Spain.
On next Monday. Gen. Lee and hi
companions being safe. we shall b
told that it would be unholy and inhu
man for Congress to do anything unit
all the Americans in Spain have beer
conveyed to places of safety. Tha
may involve delay for another week
Why have not all these people beer
withdrawn weeks ago? The Times ma
foreseen this last play and has dali
begged the Administration to proyid
for the succor Of its Representatives
. But no, that would have seriously inter
. fered with the club which Mr. Hann
is suH able to hold over Congress an
the people
Now Mr.. Mckinley enjoys the un
earned increment Of another four days
f grace, during which time the lemoi
squeezer Of political and financial coer
cion win be put upon Republicans i
Congress. and the New York stock mar
ket 'rigged" to make it interesting 70
senators and members who can b
t reached in that way.
In the meantime the pope, acting j
concert with the Austrian emperor an
the French premier, may be able t
, concoct a scheme which viii bring a
Europe about our ears in case Amer
= lean Jingoes should finally get the up
= per hand. and take the control Of Amer
lean affairs and honor away from tn
ace-at-any-pr President.
Oh, for just one day of Washington
, Jackson or Lincoln-or even Benjami
T Harrison,