New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-20
A CONSISTENT JOKER.

That dear old Joker, "The London Saturday
Review" has given a new turn to his humor.
There Is nothing nc likes better than to stand
on his head and hear the persons who take him
seriously wonder how so respectable an appear
ing old gentleman can consent to make himself
so ridiculous. But he long ago learned from
Mr. Barnum that the people like to be hum
plugged. and he knows no better way 70 hum
bug them and excite their interest than by
turning his somersauls with solemn assurance
that his exercises are really dgni0ed Olym-
plan professions.
few days ago wc called attention 10 one
OF 1.-THE Saturday Revew's' braln-knotting
engmas about the Cuban question. In which
It wound the innocent render up In mnzes OF
contradiction. asking him to believe that the
buccaneers who looted Spanish treasure-shps
in the sixteenth century were workers for hui
mainly. while the Americans were DULLES for
interfering with n repetition of the cruet!es Of
old inflicted on the CarIbs In the case Of the
Spaniards' own descendants. the Cubans Then
It said IL sympathIzed with the Spanlard in
spite Of his sins. ESPECIALLY since the bully.
mot content with thrashlng his feeble old op.
"poncnt and stripping him OF his valuables.
bellows ont with tears and protestatlons that
che does It unwllllngly and with the highest
moral purpose" Since then n double hand
spring has been turned. The acrobat who
thought our Intervention was the most wicked
aggression, undertaken with the most hypocrit-
teal motives, row comes UP with judicial mir
to say that we werc indeed somewhat undlgn!-
ncd-thls solemn Joker lays much stress on dig
nlty-but that we had ample and long existing
justification for intervention IN Cuba" He de-
clarcs:
Criticism can only quarrel with the American
manner which Is sOrltwhat lacking in courtesy
and dignity. for the broad facts remain that
Spain unable to pacify the Island. whose
unfortunate inhabitants II had harried out
ragged and oppressed for years. Tho inhuman
methods adopted rs the Spaniards 10 crush n
people rightly struggling 20 be free were a dis
grace 20 civilization. and We're moreover fall
urc. II America IL TO he blamed. IT Is because
she ala not interfere long before. MS IL IL very
certain England would have done in the Eame
circumstances.
Now. one OF The funniest things about this
old tumblcr Is that he tries 10 make all the rest
OF the world think that he has been standing
still while they have been twrllng heels over
head. He calmly assures all England that the
newspapers which were at the start friendly TO
the United States are coming around TO his
critical point OF view and beginning TO sym
pathlze with Spain. He lectures them for not
cmulatlng his wisdom and tells them that, had
they taken his cue. they woud have been able
10 follow consistent course. Then he gives
n flop, looks severely Mt the puzzled audience
and remarks. II said tho Americans were bull
"llcs for beating the poor old Spaniard and
"claimlng 10 do II with good motives, and they
fought TO have beaten him long ago. rs Eng
"land or anybody else but n bully would have
done I'm the interests OF civilization Sec how
consistent l ann