The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-30
THE PRESIDENT AND THE CRISIS.

the people to President Mckinley in his
treatment of the Cuban question thus far
The question has been a grave one for fully
Kinley came into office, and since the Maine
disaster one of overshadowing Importance
and consuming anxiety. Popular sympathy
has been strongly in favor of the insurgents
ever since the beginning of the war three
years ago, and since the destruction of the
Maine it has taken the form of a distinct
demand for the independence of Cuba. Two
people would have been well satisfied with
the ending of the war by the re-establish-
ment of Spanish rule; now they have lost
all faith in the ability of Spain to maintain
decent government on the island, or the dis
position to keep faith with the inhabitants
and they want to see Spanish rule in Cuba
ended. Since the Maine disaster this feeling
has grown very rapidly. No other event
except the attack on Fort Sumter, so fired
the American heart as did the destruction
of the Maine. The moment they heard of
the disaster the people believed in their
hearts that 1t was the work of Spaniards
but they suspended public Judgment. When
Congress voted $50000OOO for national de-
tense the people were in the mood to have
approved the recognition of Cuban indie
pendence or almost any other act by the
executive that would have forced the issue
but they still suspended judgment and stood
by the President. When the court of in
quiry, which it was at first thought would
report in week or ten days, sat two, three
four weeks, the people still suspended judg-
ment and stood by the President. At last,
after taking all the time necessary for a
thorough investigation, but not too much
the court has reported, practically confirm
ing the popular belief that the Maine was
blown up by the Spaniards, Congress and
the people are virtually asked to still sus-
pend Judgment and stand by the President
How long is this to continue? The Presi-
dent should be careful lest by policy of
inaction he exhaust the patience and loyal
ty with which Congress and the people have
stood by him thus far, and thereby lose the
support necessary to make any policy sue
eessful The reason of their solid and un-
swerving support has been their confidence
that when the proper time should come he
would not fail to take the proper action. If
he allows the time for action to pass he
may not be able to recall again the solid
and answering support that would have
made timely action irresistible.
The Journal feels in conscience bound to
say that the Presidents message to Con-
gress transmitting the report of the court
of inquiry was disappointing. 1t did not
meet the occasion nor the expectations of
the people. 1t was not such a message as
General Grant or General Jackson would
have sent to Congress under similar cir
cumstances. The report of the court was
somewhat disappointing in that it did not
positively fix the responsibility for the de-
struction of the Maine where the people be-
leve it belongs. Evidence on this point was
lacking, and the court could not find other
wise than it did. But the facts established
by the report amply sufficient to have
justified this government in taking stand
showing that it intended to have satisfac-
ton for the destruction of its battle ship
and 250 American citizens without diplomatic
fencing and with as little delay as possible.
1t is enough to know that the Maine
suspicious of danger and lying in a harbor
where it was entitled to friendly protection,
was blown up from the outside. That called
for positive demand on Spain of some kind
and ringing message to Congress. The
President did neither. He sent the report
to the Spanish government without any de-
mand whatever. and message to Congress
lation of facts. The President says he has
communicated the finding of the court to
her Majesty the Queen, land do not per-
nit myself to doubt that the sense of JUS
tice of the Spanish nation will dictate a
course of action suggested by honor and the
friendly relations of the two governments"
The time is past to talk about Spanish honor
or friendliness for the United States. One
is myth and the other a sham. The first
responsive action of the Spanish govern
ment is to send to washington the report
of the Spanish court of inquiry, and there
the matter rests. The American people will
not be satisfied to have the Maine disaster
permanently side-tracked by such an ex-
change of diplomatic blank cartridges as
l..
relief for starving Spanish subjects in Cuba
will not be a satisfactory substitute for a
demand on the Spanish government for
reparation for the destruction of the Maine
unless it can be clearly shown that the re-
lief policy will contribute to the early end
ing of the war on the basis of Cuban indie
pendence or home rule. The American peo-
ple will not approve of feeding hundreds
of thousands of Spanish subjects whom
Spain is starving for the purpose of Grip
pling other thousands whom she is trying
to sub1ugate, especially when there is rea-
son TO fear that it may strengthen rather
than weaken Spanish rule in Cuba.
The President is daAying with great
danger-the danger of compromising the ma
tionaI dignity and losing the support Of the
people and of other nations. Who can be-
lieve for a moment that England would.
under like circumstances, have adopted so
negative policy at the crucial moment of
acting on the courts report? How can 1t
be expected that the British or any other
European government win respect US If we
allow our, battle ships to be blown up in
foreign harbors by hostile hands and seek
only the Christian reparation of heaping
Goals Of fire on our enemy's head? If the
President fails to realize and act upon the