The times., 1898-09-23
The Quinn Commission.

The Times has been alone in urging
haste in the proceedings of the languid
Evacuation Commission at Havana
Immediately after the signing of the
protocol, Gen. Blanco defined his atti-
tude by refusing to admit supplies pro-
vided by the Red Cross Society for the
succor of the starving Cubans He is
sued manifesto, in which he covertIy
attacked his own government for its
surrender and heaped insults on Amer
lea, with the obvious purpose of en-
couraging a sentiment of animositv
that must add to the natural difficult
ties of American administration The
Importance of getting rid of Blanco as
soon as practicable was urged When
the Commissioners who should expe-
dite the evacuation adopted the red
tape, dilatory methods of diplomacy,
The Times was alone in appealing to
the President to intervene which he
did and with some effect. But not even
the President could spur up the Com
missioners, who seem to be dominated
by Sampson, to reasonable zeal. They
have announced that il will be the last
of February before the Spaniards are
out of Cuba This is seven months
after the signing of the protocol. Now
the New York Tribune realizes the seri
BUSINESS of the situation. 1t cannot be
said that the Tribune is ever hyper
critical or rash in its comments on
official action. 1t says:
he ic Iio+al
Spanish Commission in Cuba acts with authority
be completed until the end of February, it dis
regards in letter and spirit the protocol bv
which the Spanish government has bound itself
to evacuate Cuba Immediately About minor
matters there need be little trouble Whether
the Spanish army takes its flags and arms,
whether the Spanish military and government
records are left not are questions which may
much concern the convenience of the two govern
ments, but not their execution of the terms of
peace. The protocol bound Spain to evacuate,
but not TO surrender her army its flags or IFS
weapons. But immediate evacuation is not occu-
patton of the island or any considerable part
Of il for seven months while inhabitants are be-
ing starved to death and estates ruined
The Tribune purposely ignores the
fact that il is not the Spanish Commits
sion that is responsible for this The
American Commissioners accepted Gen
Blanco's statement as TO the time he
would require and readily, even cor
daily, approved it. The Tribune sees
what our Commissioners have refused
to see, or at least to consider, when it
says:
The root of the matter is that relief for the
inhabitants must come quickly or it will be of
no avail. Every day that Spain retains its hold
upon the fortified places and the lines of COM
muncation, shuts ports against all supplies that
do not pay revenue for the support of the army
there and retains power 10 seize for the main
tenance of that army all supplies that may be
sent involves the starvation of inhabitants and
the wasting of the property. The time is fast ap-
preaching when the making and marketing of
crops for the coming year will require all the
peaceful industry, the freedom of access to ports
the security for capital, that can be obtained
through the establishment of American authority
Yet even now there are constantly coming ac.
counts of the destitute and helpless condition Of
the inhabitants and of starvation at many points,
which the United States cannot relieve because
free admission of food is refused by Spanish au-
thority, while the United States officials have
not the authority, if they had the will, to pay
duties to Spain for the privilege of feeding the
long-oppressed inhabitants
The Tribune is mistaken, too, in MAX
ing its appeal for an earlier evacuation
to the Spanish government. The Amer