The evening times., 1898-04-04

The atmosphere Of the National Cap
itaI is streaked with war Yet what the
day may bring forth no one knows.
One thing is likely TO be seen and
understood before night. and that is
the extent to which the Reed reconcen-
trados can Vet be influenced by the
demands Of Mr. Hanna's allied capital
lists. presented in the dispatches which
are wearing out the telegraph wires
today The movement. however, as
well as the effort TO bring a foreign
potentate into the situation. may prove
q boomerang. The Administration ap-
pears to be without a sincere friend
with the exception of a few senators
and members who, heretofore, have
been noted for their pro-Spanish SYM
pathies
The suppression of evidence by the
State Department that the Maine was
blown up by official Spanish design has
greatly incensed the Senate. and espe-
cially its Committee on Foreign ReIa-
tions. every member of it considering
the reservation as a personal affront.
That creates a difficulty of no small
Importance to the President.
The Spanish-Cuban bond deal, which
has been nearly choked TO death by
the events of the past ten days, is
gasping and struggling again for life
under the most sldllful medical at
tendance foreign and domestic. If
another delay can be secured, its
friends and hackers think it may stin
have a last chance along with Spanish
sovereignty and Cuban illegal "au-
tonOmy."
once more the Executive pendulum
swings toward that autonomy" hum
bug. This morning it was rumored
that the message, being prepared by
Attorney General Griggs, viii contain
an argument for more time based on
the uniform courtesy and forbearance
Of Spain throughout all this past un-
pleasantness; that il Will suggest"
that Congress wait until the "Auton-
omy COrtes" can meet in Havana next
month. We do not like To place much
credence in this forecast. Mr.. Griggs
is too good a lawyer to make himself
or the President ridiculous in that way
Both thoroughly understand that the
so-called autonomous government
patched up in Havana by an Gnconsti-
tutiOnal decree is nothing more than a
hypocritical subterfuge Of Spain. The
alleged Cuban Cortes viii be without
the shadow of right to exist. 1t could
only acquire such right by future legis-
latiOn Of the Spanish Cortes. follow
ed by acceptance on the part Of the free
people OF Cuba, and that they viii
never extend. cuba has its own re-
publican government has possession of
nine-tenths of the country, and an ar
my which cleaned out Gen. Pando.
commanding force of nineteen thou
sand Spanish regulars, with great
slaughter, only last week
But anything, no matter how disin-
genuous or foolish. may be resorted to
in order TO gain the delay that Hanna
and McCook are playing for with su-
perhuman energy. 1t is almost impos-
sible to believe that Mr. Mckinley
would lend himself willingly to such
a scheme. but remarks about his health
and hints at nervous prostration in the
inspired portion Of the press almost
tend to create a suspicion that if every
thing else shall fail he will be repre-
sented as i'll in bed, and Congress may
be asked to show him the courtesy of
non-action until he can get around
again.
That would be what we should fancy
the Glover Building would call good
politics" and sound business meth
DDS" i'm a case Of desperation