The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-04-29
AN HISTORIC MOMENT.

erty loving ana liberty tralheu hd-
tions were being ranged against the
still strong and powerful families who
represent absolute rule and who hold
sway ever millions of subjects. For
the dweller in the world it is difficult
to see the proper proportion that
events enacted before his very eyes,
bear towards the great events of for
mer history, but the present situation
seems to be one of those which marks
an historical epoch..
Strip away all the blantant oratory,
strip away the sensational reports of
the time, and get down to the core of
the matter. View it in its true light,
and get rid of prejudice, which few
of us are, alas, capable of doing, and
one sees one of the grandest and most
unselfsh acts that the world has ev-
er seen, and in President Mckinley
one of those natural born leaders whui
fulfill the adagerof t'the hour and the
man
For years past the condition of Gu
ba has been going from bad to worse.
One of the fairest gardens upon this
earth, through misrule it has become
a pendemonium as bhE aid worse as
any under Moslem sway. We turn in
horror from Bulgarian and Armenian
atrocities, but only read the litera-
ture on the subject and atrocities just
as great have been committed in Gu
ba under the shadow of the cross and
the Christian religion.
At its very doors, not more than
eighty miles from a freedom loving
people. these atrocities have gone on.
Americans whose enterprise has talk
EN- them to Cuba have lost the accu-
mutations of years. Americans whose
love of liberty hns urged them to give
personal assistance TO the Cubans,
have been shot, Americans have. been
insulted Americans have been impris-
oned, by the Spanish authorities. and
finally one Of the finest of American
warships, while lying in friendly
harbor, was treacherously destroyed.
But it is not upon these grounds of
insult and wrong to Americans that
the United States intervenes in Cuba.
Following the precedent of European
powers, she might long ago have eN-
acted a heavy penalty for SPANS
wrong doing. The murder of some
German priests has given Germany "A
noble harbor in China, many and
many fair province of the British
Empire has been acquired as blood
money for some subjects slain or
some property contiscated. No!
what has brought about this crisis is
the continued misgovernment of Gu
ba. You may misgovern as you please
over in Europe, you may misgovern
in Asia, but in this Western Hemis-
phere you shall not misgovern, says
the Great Republic. If you chose to
do so, you will do it at your peril.
For long has the matter remained
in the balance. For long has Presi-
dent Mckinley striven to restrain his
countrymen and has labored to obtain
wrongs inflicted upon his own people.
But it was not to be. Working as he
did, he even incurred the emnity, not
only of those who were opposed to
him, but of many of his own support
ers. Yet he never swerved from his
course. When he sent his message
coolly reasoned. No one can say that
he strove to infiame the seething pas
sions of the nation. No one can say
but that he proved himself the care.
full and calm head of the state. II
would have been so easy to gain a
cheap popularity, to have become the
idol of the populace for the moment
But Mckinley showed himself the
true patriot and his fame mill rank
among the greatest in the United
States and in the world.
into TINS war the United States ha
gone as a paladin of old 1t is ne
war for gain of territory. 1t is M
war of revenge, though wrong will b,
avenged incidentally. 1t is war o
the spirit of freedom against tn
spirit Ct despotism and mrong.
will put laurels upon Columbia's broy
which will be imperishable, and whicl
every one who believes in free insti
buttons, every one who believes in ma
tional knightly prestige, will take {
pride in seeing her wear.
1t is inspiriting to see how gallant
ly the youth of the nation are flock
ing forward. 1t is inspiriting to SCI