The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-03-27

vailed on the island for almost year
and has purposely kept the fact from
the knowledge OF the representatives
of the people"
The United States have in Cuba con-
suls at Raraeos, Cardenas, Cienfuegos,
Havana, MatOnzas, Sagus, San Juan
and Santiago. 1t Is their duty TO in
form their government OF every i'm
portant fact falling under their obser-
vation, not only facts relating to trade
and commerce, but those also bearing
upon the social and political condition
OF the people among whom they reside
officially IL such facts have bearing
on American relations With the island.
The Sc officers have not been remiss.
Their reports upon the distress, desc
lation, devastation wrought by the
cruel and awful conditions surround
ing them are known to be 10 the state
department, but they have never been
submitted TO congress, which has re.
quested that it be done.
II was doubtless upon the appalling
information contained in these reports
that the president, who was silent for
nearly year though he had his
party's orders TO free Cuba from OPP
preston, acted when he made an APP
peal to the American public, whom he
would not trust with the knowledge
possessed by himself, to aid starving
Cuhans with bread. That the re-
sponse, though liberal, was insu HI cient
and by no means general, is due TO
the studied concealment by the presi'
dent OF the portentous facts in stu-
alton not fully known to a humane
people until the calm but damnatory
statement OF Senator Proctor, the re-
suit OF patient personal investig CATION,
WAS made 10 the body OF which he is q
mem Der. For more than year off
ciAl information OF this character has
been presumably in the possession ol
the president OF the United States and
through motives OF his own has been
suppressed Terrible responsibility
rests upon him for this concealment
While he did endeAvor to aid Cuba, yet
he asked donations without disclosing
the pressing need therefor lest h,
should inflsme our own people and Of
fend Spain, the fruitful cause o
misery it has done nothing to relieve
When the request OF congress that th'
consular reports bs given to that bodl
was on his desk he was guided by The
inhuman, time-serving suggestion o
Gage that such reports must be with
held in the interest OF business com
munity, which he wronged in fancy
ing would be into lerant, in his opin
ion, OF any interruption OF money-mak
ing.
The president who would not trus
his own countrymen whose generosit,
he invoked for starving foreigners, tn
extent OF whose star wing he woul,
not disclose, acted promptly upon tn
suggestion OF Spain that succor to it
miserable subjects must not be sent Il
vessels OF war. The bounty OF grea
continent must bs borne to q stricke
island in merchant vessels or not a
all. II was not an insult to Spain t
feed starving Cubans. American
might do that and welcome. Th
gravamen OF the tffense to Spanis
susceptibility lay in the selection c
an armored vessel floating the Amer
can Glg to transport succor to tn
stricken shores. Let oompassionat at
Americ Ins be mighty careful how thei
Samaritans touched on Spanish terr
tor. n eY might fiji it1mAchs, bu
they must not, even in the perform
anc Il an errAnd OF mercy, often
Spanish pride.
American aid end relief for Cub
would have been I r. more general an
geuerou, il PRECEDENT Mckinley ha
frank y laid before the people th
oil ;isl information OF the need whic
he has jsAlCusly and timidly keI
under LEX and key, though the pee
pie through their representatives hav
said in substance: "Surely the pre-,
has exaggerated; give us the ofiiciall
reported iAeta." This coneealment hl
been one OF many presidential blur