Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-09
A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS.

A dispatch which appears conspicuous
ly in the telegraphlc columns OF to
days News Is one of the most i'm
portant we have had since the presen
Americo-Spanish trouble began. If 1
shall be permitted to deviate from th'
course which so many OF It's predeces
sors have taken. and not be- denied nl
modified to the condition of emascula'
tlon before the forms reach the press
It is a news item which means u grea,
deal for the United States, great deal
more for Spain. 1t Is in effect thlsi
The five powers which rendered medi-
alton to this government having he
come satisfied that their friendly ofi-
ccs cannot and will not he accepted
have changed front entirely and
brought all OF their mighty pressure to
bear upon Spain They show her that
1t Is absolutely necessary that she
yield to the United States and make
the supreme concession which our gov
eminent demands-thc evacuation and
surrender of Cuba. this alone being the
thing that viii bring and likely main
tain peace. To do such a thing would
mean, In the present temper of the
Spanish populace. the ending of trou-
Bile across the Atlantic only to have
It In an accentuated form at home and
would seriously threaten the present
dynasty. This will be anticipated by
the Austrian government. which will.
II necessary. maintain domestic tram
guilty and preserve the quasi rule OF
the Hapsburg sovereign by means OF
armed force.
Whether this shall all be consummat-
cd or not, there is still, II the dispatch
is authentic. much to feel gratifed
over. In the first place. it will be the
means of shifting the onus from our
country and placing 1t on Spain, where
properly 1t belongs. II things had
gone on as previously arranged and
war had begun without other pro-
cedure after our refusal to accept the
nations tender, the moral responsible
~ would have attached to us with per-
haps misfortunes OF a much more sub.
stantal character. The offer beine
voluntarily withdrawn, 1t matters not
from what cause. and Spain substitute
ed for the United States as the part,
TO make concessions. changes all that,
and the change has come in the twin.
king OF an eye. Whether there shall
now be war or peace, this country il
In the right shane and on a proper
footing from n diplomatic point OF
view, and the right minded citizen can
contemplate the situation with Il much
greater degree of satisfaction than he
fore.
1t may be asked, as It often has
been, what PREPARATION this government
is TO have for the destruction of the
Maine and the greater part of ITS
crew. 1t having been established at
least by abundant clrcumstantlal evil
dence, that the awful tragedy was the
work of Spanish officials, with malice
aforethought. how will the surrender
of Cuba to the insurgents and the ter
mination OF hostllities In the island
help us any? Those who ask such
questions must keep in mind that there
are some things which money cannot
pay Tor nor rightful acts mitigate.
Lucretia could never have recovered
from the dIshonor brought upon her
by the loathsome Tarquin, and thus
slew herself. This was a tragedy he
yond all hope of repatation. but II
eventuated t..a downfall OF the Tar
quin dynasty, the Punishment of the
despised family and the establishment
OF a rule based upon virtue Honesty
and justice, whereby. while one was
an Innocent sacrifice and many mourn-
ed an entire race was disinthralled.
While this was not compensation, 1t
was retributive justice and thus tho
nearest thing to the other. So with
cuba. The Spanish could not If they
would pay us for the Internal work
done in blowing up the Maine. II
treacherously conceived and executed.
hut though we may accept OF nothing
we can sternly aud solemnly demand
that they lose somethlng-somothin
that will be a greater blow to them
than the mere payment of money In
however great sums would be, some
thing that will wound that pride
which to them Is sacred heritage.
that will wound their cultivated dig
nifty, that will cripple their mower
everywhere and drive them in shame
and dishonor from this part of the
Western Hemisphpre