The times., 1898-04-12
Remember the Maine!
The responsibility of Congress.

The message is in the hands of Con-
gress, and the responsibility it involves
is for Congress also. 1t is a message
which has startled and surprised the
most active critics of the Adminstra-
ton, and flayed alive its friends.
Instead of being, as promised, an
American battle song. it comes out as
an apology and an absolution for Spain.
This We may understand, because, al
though the message does not say it, the
communication was an Easter offering
of Mr. Mckinley and his envoy extra
ordinary to the Vatican, Mgr Ireland.
But it does not matter whether the
American President counted upon Pope,
Kaiser. or Hanna. he has rested his
case in the hands Of the American Con-
gress. The American people no longer
trust him. They are waiting to see
whether or not they can trust Con-
gress. God help both if the answer
shall be in the negative.
Let US see what this communication
is. concerning which the nation has
J been held in suspense for weeks. Con-
sidered generally, it will be found to
belong to the domain of Executive apol-
/ ogetics, and by no means to that Of
state papers. The message, indeed,
may be accepted for what it is. an at
! tempt to excuse the Administration for
its misdemeanors and crimes in toler-
ating the atrocities of Spain in Cuba.
and an argument for Congressional per-
mission to permit more things of the
same kind, fol. the purpose of thereby
promoting and protecting the interests
of the Spanish bond conspiracy.
Mr.. Mckinley begins his essay by re-
verting to the many revolutions that,
in the past, have distracted Cuba. He
speaks with the boldness of conviction
when he says that they have interfered
with commerce. He fails to make one
remark upon the fact that every one
1
reason, upon the principles which forced
the American people to strike for their
| independence Throughout his mes
sage it will be observed that there is
not a single word of sympathy for the
struggle for political independence.
while there are many platitudes calcu-
lated to give aid and comfort to the
Tory bond sharks,
Even when reciting the horrors of
the Spanish war rule in Cuba, and call
ing attention TO the cruelty sof recon
centration," Mr.. Mckinley fails, and
we think purposely. to write one SEN
tence concerning the arrest, torture
and butchery of the American citizen,
DIR. Ruiz, and he does not refer in the
least to the young American corre-
spondent, Mr.. Gown, who was tied to
a tree and hacked to death with ma
chetes. Such things would be better
left unmentioned, because, among civ
nized nations, they would have been
cause for instant war.
But Mr.. Mckinley does disclose with
almost brutal frankness the eternal de-
sire Of his Administration to tolerate
anything, the slaughter of the innocents
in which he has negatively assisted in
| cluded, in order that the deal of the
international bond syndicate should be
promoted and succeed. He declares
that his whole course has been guided
by a desire TO bring the war TO an end
by enforcing terms Of peace upon both
belligerents. always having in mind
the vested interests of his friends, and
never for moment considering the in
terests or wishes of the gallant people
who have erected the Republic of Cuba
In this spirit Mr.. Mckinley asked that
the order of Recommendation" should
be revoked, and it was revoked. He
plumes himself upon this diplomatic