The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-11

island by means of an evacuation, or in
any other manner which promises peace
full solution of the problem, the president
Will communicate that fact TO the con-
gress. He has courage 90 lead the coun-
try TO war, if war is necessary, and he
has also the courage to restrain it from
war. in spite of all criticisms and at
| tacks, if a reasonable opportunity TO free
| Cuba by peaceful means presents itself.
SPAIN WON'T STRIKE FIRST.
! In case it becomes necessary for the
United States to carry out the program
! of intervention it is well known 10 be
Spain's purpose to compel this government
to commit the first overt act All expec-
| tation that Spain vii declare war as soon
as congress passes the intervention reso-
! luton is said TO be groundless. Well au-
thenticated information reaches me that
Spain has definitely decided not to de-
clare war and not to make war unless she
is attacked. Her attitude VIII be to re-
main passive and await the action of
the United States. It IS perceived by
many public men here now that we are
apparently so near armed intervention
that our position after Monday will be
an anomalous one. Il is our contention
that we do not want war. and are not
making war. But if President Mckinley
calls upon Spain to evacuate the island.
and Spain refuses to do so. what then?
BUT ONE WAY TO GUST SPAIN.
Obviously It Will be the duty of the
president to proceed 70 put Spain out by
force Of arms. to evjct her civil and mil
itary authorities. There is only one way
TO do this. and that Is by making war
By bombarding Havana. or attacking the
Spanish fleets, or by landing an army
Of occupation. There is a theory in diplo-
matte circles here that SPANS resistance
to our efforts to evict her from Cuba is
TO be distlnctively passive. in the hope
that by maintaining such an attitude she
viii win the sympathy Of the world. In
naval circles a stiff fight is expected from
the start But until the guns begin to
roar it cannot be said that all hope of
peace IS gone. War is probable, but evac-
uation Of Cuba by Spain under pressure
from the European powers is a possibility.
WHEN CONGRESS WILL ACT.
Tonight the probability is that interven-
ton resolutions will be passed in the
house tomorrow and in the senate on
Tuesday.
This statement was made deliberately |
by a house leader after a careful conssd- |
Grafton of all the causes of delay and all |
the objections TO the form of the reso- |
buttons that might be raised on the floor. |
Said he:
''Who will dare obstruct the action Of |
congress whether it agrees with his ideas
or not? With a Spanish fleet on its way
across tho Atlantic, with every moment
the peril of its approach to our
shores, who viii venture to prevent action
for a longer time than is absolutely nee
essary? Any man who attempts it will
be denounced as a traitor from one end
IF the country to the other. No, if we
disagree we will vote on the disagreement
delay and settle our differences
n very few minutes
This view may be somewhat optimistic,
but it is believed to be nearly the truth.
COMPROMISE PROPOSED.
A compromise of the question Of the
of the Cuban republic is sug-
rested, and, it Is believed stands a good
chance Of being adopted. 1t is the recog-
lition of the independence of the people
Il Cuba, but not that Of the rebel govern
nent 1t is believed that those who are
insisting upon the recognition Of the Gu
Jan republic as now organized Will be
Wiling to accept this suggestion, and it
viii probably be acceptable to those VINO
10 not think the time has arrived for
he recognition of the republic.
The strongest plea for the recognition
f the republic in advance of inteven-
ion is that of the desirablity of remov-
ng the insurgents from the category of
spanish subjects. Many congressman
old that to make war upon Spain with ,
ut recognizing the Cubans would be to
lake war on them, as we would still hold d,
hat they are subjects of Spain. This,
f course. is mere sophistry, but it would
e idle to deny that it has weight with
ne hair-splitting lawyers in congress.
1t is held, therefore. that . recognition
{ beIIigerency would satisfy ell mecessi-
es and would not involve the bond prop
sition, so hateful TO congress and the