New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-06
FACING THE FINAL ISSUE.

FACING THE FINAL ISSl f.
To-day the President speaks the final words
that will make for peace or war. They will
he weighted with all the dellberation due to
50 mOmentous n matter. No one will ever be
able to charge that they were uttered hastily.
hccdeJs'y or in TT OF passion. Through long
days OF labor and nights devoid Of ease the
Chief Magistrate has for weeks and months
toilcd at the mighty task Of bringing forth JUS
tcc from oppression and peace from amid war
and rumOrs Of war. Never was effort more
patient Never did such labor command more
fully the confidence and loyal support Of The
nation concerned and the sympathy OF the
civilized world Whatever the issuc 1t Will
not have been IN vain. The work done by the
President in these last few weeks for peace
and honor must cnt!tla him TO n high rank not
only among tho Chief Magistrates Of this Ma
ton. bat among all rulers and benefac;ors Of
the human race.
At this hour the scale seems to have changed
from peaceful 10 warllke indications. The fore
cast OF the forthcoming message made In our
special Washington correspondence this morning
Is decidedly warllkr The President. 1t Ia in
tlmated. Will report fully upon the negotiations
which he has conducted for the abatement OF
the horrors Of the Cuban war and for the re-
dress Of ;he unquestionablc grievances OF the
United States in that unhappy island He will
also repor; that. because of the obs,inacy Of the
Spanish Government. those negotiations have
practically failed. There Is. then. only one
course left open 10 this Nation compatible with
its honor and with It's obligations TO humanity
as a civilized Power That course is intorvcn-
tion. The President will It IS said, be author
lied by Congress TO issue an rltlmatum to
Spain. requiring the withdrawal OF her troops
and administration from the island which she
has so grossly msgoverned IN which she has
so abused the rights and the patience or the
American people. and which she has 50 signaily
failed 10 reduce TO order. II Spain accedes to
this demand war Will be averted. II she re-
fuses. as It Is feared she WILL the President
Will be authorized 10 employ the military and
naval forces Of the United States 10 enforce
her compliance. That will mean war And
how close the Nation is to that resort Is 10 be
seen IN the fact that, as announced IN The
Trlbunes dispatches, Consul-General Lee has
been recalled from Havana in order TO insure
his personal safety. and the departure OF the
American Minister from Madrid Is almost hour
ly expected
people with serenity and confidence. They have
not sought It. but they DO not fear II and they
will not shrink from II. They have been pa
tient while the aspirations OF a neighbor!ng
people for freedom have been cruelty crushed
and thousands of helpless non-combatants have
been done to death with every refinement OF
savage horror. They have restrained their just
wrath while orc Of their ships on friendly or
rand was destroyed through Spanish trcachery
and hundreds Of her crew sent 10 untimely
graves These things cry aloud for redress, for
such redress as nothing can give but n radical
rghtlng Of the wrongs OF which they are the
outcome Such redress the Government OF tho
United States is now determined to obtain
without further delay. The time for patient
wait,cg has been we'll employed. IT is now
past The hour for action is come. And ms The
waiting was patient, the action will he decisive
The whole Cuban question must be settled now
cncc and for all time ard II cen thus be settled
only By settling It right. That the President
has decided TO do and in that decision he will
have the united support OF the American people
and, II is confidently believed. the approval Of
the civilized word.