Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-20
THE uLTIMATUM.

President McKinley's ultimatum to
the Spanish government was dispatched
to Madrid this morning. The Spanish
minister at Washington, on being
handed copy OF the document.
promptly asked for his passports. I'M
doubtedly the United States minister
at Madrid will demand his passports,
as soon ms he is given to understand
that Spain refuses to comply with the
| terms of the ultimatum. This cuts off
| all diplomatic relations between the
two countries. The next step viii be
formal declaration OF war, or the COM
menceinent OF hostilities without such
formality. The precise language of the
ultimatum has not yet been published
but 1t Is undoubtedly an embodiment
of the resolutions passed by Congress,
and Spain is given until midnight on
Saturday to formulate her reply.
There Is much speculation now as to
the course the government of the queen
regent is going TO pursue. 1t has been
| conjectured that Spaln's program is to
keep her warships and torpedo boats
on the other side of the Atlantic. aban-
don Cuba without a struggle and leave
the island to be overrun by the United
States troops, and finally to turn to
| Europe for sympathy and Justice" 1t
is more than probable that such policy
would satisfy the patriotism of Span
iards for the time being. and that
afterwards. when Cuba is de facto lost
to the Spanish crown. the wrath of the
mob would exhaust Itself on the Sa-
gasta ministry In some way or another.
| 1t has also been thought probable that
| Spain. after cuba has been occupied
would refuse to sign any treaty of
peace and continue. by privateerlng, to
do all the harm possible to the Ameri-
can shipping, thereby inviting the
United States to send an invading force
| to the Spanish peninsula In order to
| compel cessation OF hostilities. The lat
ter policy would present n most grave
| situation. Not only would 1t compel
| this country to carry on war thou
| sands of miles from the base of sup
plies, but II would so.sly tempt some
| European powers To come 10 the aid
| OF Spain. The war would then assume
gigantic dimensions. Whatever spaln's
policy in detail is, speaking generally
It seems to be 10 play for intervention
of the European powers, and in view of
| all that is at stake, 1t would create no
surprise, Il the plan ultimately sue
cecded, To Spain the Cuban question
| involves the fall or salvation Of the
regnng dynasty: the existence of the
bank of the realm and the financial
status of the wealthy classes in Spain;
the problem is how to save the country
from going to pieces in the hands of the
revolutionlsts, and this matter Is not
| indifferent to some of the country's
mighty nelEhbors.
The die is cast, howaver. Cuba ia
about to be tree. on this point there Is
no doubt on either side of the Allan
| tic Whether Spain decldcs to fight Or
run makes no difference. The principle
| of government by the people and for
the people is about to be applied to a
population that for years AMI yedgo
| have fought, bled and died In order to
obtain freedom. II will be a supreme
test of the truth of the PRINCIPLES that
| undcrlie the American form Of govern
ment Are Cubans, reeared In OPP
preston fur centuries, ripe fer self
| government? Is there in this form of
| government power enough II save Il
race from degradation ana elevate 1t To
4 higher level, or Will perfect liberty
prove the destruction of the race? This
Is the test 10 be made President Ne
| Klnley is authorized to take military
possession of Cuba and. us a matter of
course, to hold 1t until in his judgment
he object is attained. When that Is
lone 1t Will be turned over to the people