Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-02
FATE HAS DRIVEN AMERICA.
war Has Developed Many New oompii-
cations 20 Solve.

| ANNsfVF"fA
cations to Solve.
WARRINGTON, May al.-IIenry Nor
man, editor OF the London Daily Chron-
icle, whose letters from this city dur
Ing the Venezuelan boundary dispute
attracted such widespread attention, IL
IN Washington again az war cores
pondent Of his paper. Last night no
cabled the following 10 the Chronicle
and through his courtesy the Associ-
ated press Ia able 10 present the mat
ter from this aidei
Neither In the White house nor the
state department Is there any definite
conviction or determination concern
Ing the future direction OF the national
policy with regurd 10 the disposal of
those oyer.sea possessions over which
the American flag will be flying when
the war Is over, ThiB may sound like
n hostile criticism. Nothing Ia further
from my mind.
The United States has drlfted stead-
lily toward its new fate, II tho Maine
had not been blown up war would not
exist to-day. Tho neutrality OF Eng
land forced Admiral Dewey's squadron
10 sea. To smash the Spanish Asiatic
squadron and seize Manila was his only
course. This accomplished, II became
instantly imperative TO send him rein
forcements, and these had TO be strong
enough to defeat twenty Spanish reg.
lments and occupy the principal
islands.
The Same Ia true Of tho Atlantic.
When war was declared Il was believed
that the insurgents were capable OF
taking the field against the Spanish II
supplied with arms, ammunition and
food. II Is now known that they are
wholly incapable Of this, and the mill
tary authorities have become deeply
averse TO any cooperation with tho in
surgents, holding the view that tho
American army should act with com.
plete Independence, 80 as to be free to
face whatever situation may arise after
the Spanish are expelled.
To President Mckinley alone Is due
the escape Of this country FROM the fa-
tai blunder of recognizing the insurg-
gents as belligerents, and for this
every thinking American to-day Is pro-
foundly grateful, Again, there was
originally no intention OF bombarding
or SELLING Porto Rico. Admiral samp-
sons bombardment was failure; 1t
should have been sooner and final or
not at all. That mistake ia not to be
repeated and tho second Spanish fleet
will not find base there.
Moreover, nobody could have fore
seen the extraordinary change of pub
lie opinion after Admiral Dewey's vic.
tory. Between April 30 and May
revolution took place. On one day the
idea OF keeping the Philippines had
not occurred to anybody; on the next
few people thought Of giving them up.
Now also 1t 10 appreciated that IL Is
impossible to dispose of them to any
other power without the gravest COM
plications, while public sentiment is
intollerant Of the idea of restoring
them to Spanish misrule. -
Thus in every direction events have
moved and the administration has fol-
lowed. In Ambassador Hays words, it
has been case of imposition of in.
position Of invisible hands. The NOV
ing finger has written and it can not
be lurcd back to cancel half line"
The question Is, will the United
States, when peace is signed, withdraw
within its old limits, abide by its old
traditions and rest the temptation of
empire, or will 1t accept boldly what
the fortunes of war have brought and
turn Its face toward n new destiny?
The struggle will be long and bitter.