Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-04-21
1T WILL BE WAR.

IL Is To be deplored the Struggle is
on and where the end will
terminate no human agency can forsee.
Congress is for war, President McKin-
ley in accord with its action has signed
the resolutions and issued an ultima
tum to Spain to withdraw her troops
from the island of Cuba, giving her
until Saturday at midnight to do so.
The Spanish minister l.. Polo De Ber-
nebe called for his passports and left
Washington last night. Every indica.
tion points to the fact that the Spanish
government will not yield. Premier
Sagasta made a speech yesterday TO
both houses OF parliament stating that
the insult offered by the United States
was most Infamous. that Spain would
not allow parcel of her territory to
be taken from her with impunity. The
Queen regent with her son, the young
King by her side, addressed them and
called upon the Spanish people to
gather behind her sons throne and de-
fend the honor and territory OF the
nation. She said in closing: 1--WE
trust In God that we shall overcome,
without stain on our honor, the base
less and unjust attacks made upon us. "
Next week will undoubtedly witness
the sad spectacle OF two great nations
plunged into bloody combat.
VIM. Alden Smith voted against the
proposition to recognize the indepen-
dence of the Cuban republic, and his
reasons for so doing justify the course
of the Republicans on the committee.
He says: "The Cuban constitution
as originally adopted provided that the
republic should exist for period OF
two years. At the end OF that period
a new constitution was drawn, which
provides that the republic shall cease
To exist upon the restoration Of peace
on the island. Ii, therefore, the United
States aids in restoration of peace it
will at the same time aid in bringing
to an end the present republic. The
idea of Marti and Gomez, when the
constitution was framed, was to first
free the island from Spanish rule and
then allow free Cuba TO build for itself
republic upon lines impossible under
circumstances which have existed dur
ing the past three years. The PROPOSE
tion advanced by the minority of the
committee was impossible for the rea-
sons l have cited. The only thing
this country can do is to aid in FIRE, log
Cuba and then to help the Cubans es-
tablish a republic upon firm and solid
ground" And this is just what the
president proposes to 10.
~.
One of the war developments is like.
ly to prove quite embarrassing TO the
financial arguments which the silver
men are preparing to trot out again
when the congressional campaign
opens. A natural inquiry as to the
method likely to be pursued in raising
funds for a war in case Of necessity has
brought out the fact that there is more
money in circulation In the United
States today than ever before in its
history, the total being $l,75e, 05S, 645.
in the Fl months since the Chicago
convention declared that the money OF
the country could not materially in
crease without the free coinage OF sill
yer, development which will be quite
embarrassing to the people who are
expecting to FURNISH up their campaign
arguments OF 1896 for use in 1898. A
steady increase OF the money in circu-
lation at the rate of nearly $l2,000,000
per month has a somewhat depressing
effect upon the silver arguments OF 1896.
~.
There is an impression among naval
officers that il Spain does not make an
abject surrender before the fighting be-
gins,lt will throw up the sponge before
we can get an opportunity to complete
ly destroy its navy, and call upon the
European powers to arrange some sort
OF peace for her. 1t is thought that
the distribution OF the Spanish navy
indicates that an attempt will be made
by her fastest ships TO attack some of
our sea coast cities and to avoid battle
with US unless they can catch some of
our ships in positions where they can
be overpowered and either sunk or
captured. Naval officers will be sur
prised II Spain places any portion OF
her navy where IL will come into con-
tact with the powerful fleet that we
will send to invest Cuba. Sixty days
is the outside guess OF our naval off,
GERS as TO the length OF the war.
Althouph rumOrs of war are an