The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-29
THE END OF THE WAR.


The agreement of the Spanish commission
ers yesterday to accept the terms proposed
by the President has ended the war be-
tween the United States and Spain. OF the
terms of the treaty, whether or not they
are the best, it is not necessary to speak
For the present it is enough that the pro-
visions of the treaty which has been nego-
tiated are those proposed by the President
representing the United States There has
been delay and other annoyances by the
Spanish almost to the limit of endurance
but the cool persistence of the Americans
has won over the buster and the oratorical
devices of the Spanish commissioners
While weeks were being wasted by the
Spaniards in urging the assumption of the
Cuban debt which was not a proper SUBJ
ject for consideration, people in this coun-
try became impatient and criticised the
Presidents representatives for allowing the
Spaniards to discuss questions which had
not been referred to the peace commission
But patience and firmness have borne fruit
Whatever may follow, the outcome of the
work of the peace commission is a signal
triumph for the President Indeed, it is the
browning triumph of a series of successes
which have not been broken by defeat. 1t
was the Presidents moral courage that pre-
vented war until the opportunity came; it
was the Presidents sagacity and the loyalty
of the Republican House which prevented
the preparation of the blunder Of recogniz-
ing the Republic of Cuba; it was the wis
dom of the President which caused the war
with Spain to rid Cuba of Spanish control
to be put on the ground of humanity, and
which foresaw the Importance of holding
sway in Cuba until a stable government
should be established; it was the statesman
ship of the President which dominated in
specifying the terms of the protocol which
would have given us the sovereignty Of
Cuba and Porto Rico without condition if
there had not been an agreement in regard
to ownership of the Philippines; it was the
recognition of the firnness of the President
that finally led the Spanish commissioners,
instructed by the Spanish Ministry, to yield
to the terms he proposed.
There are those who sharply criticise the
President for bringing the Philippines into
the controversy. They would not have con-
| SluGIeu lHeHl III the settlement. mat Is an
after thought on their part. If they will
recall the public sentiment at that time
they will remember that the country would
not have tolerated the idea of leaving those
islands to Spanish rule after taking Cuba
and Porto Rico from them on the ground
of the unfitness of Spain to have control
over colonies. Failure to have dispossessed
Spain of the Philippines after taking two
other colonies from her on the ground
that her rule has always been unjust and
cruel would have made us hypocrites in the
eyes of the world
What the Senate will do remains to be
seen. Just now it seems that the necessary
two-thirds cannot be secured in the present
Senate If the President shall submit the
treaty to this Senate the responsibility will
be with it and not with the President. 1t is
possible that if the treaty should be placed
before the present Senate it will see fit to
shift the responsibility upon the Senate
which, after March 4, will be Republican.
Be this as it may, the country knows that
the President has succeeded in carrying out
his plans regarding the war and the peace
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