New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-17
REASONABLE TERMS or PEACE.

Spain Is reported to be AT the point Of SUNG
/ for peace and tho report may well be true. AS
we have hitherto pointed out. the opportunity Is
both favorable and urgent. Spain has assurcdly
accomplished. as fully as she can hope 10 do.
the vindcaton Of her honor. That is 10 say.
she has not yielded without blow. but has
fought for the preservation Of her empire stub
bornly and sometimes with distinguished gal
lan,r,. against overwhelming force. To con
fess herself beaten in such strife would not he
dishonorable nor humlliating As for the ur-
gent need Of making peace. II is to he seen IN
the facts that Spains navy Is destroyed. her
army powerless. her coast cities menaced ny
a powerful American feet. her treasury de-
pletpd her people on the verge of revolution.
To have Tough. thus far may have been heroic;
to prolong the hopeless conflict would be SUI
cidal madness.
In seeking peace Spain seems. however. to he
in danger Of being handicapped by som" Old
World notions which do not obtain here. This
Is indicated in the tentative suggestions made
nj Madrid by the Minister of War and others
II seems to be thought that terms OF peace VIII
br settled by "A congress Of the Powers. mat
has been the practice in many European wars
including some in which Spain was involved.
But this is not n European war II Is war
with a nation that has no regard for any "haI-
ance of power" or concert Of Europe ana
tina, insists upon settling It's controversies with
others without the interference OF any third
party. That may not be European doctrine.
1t is American doctrine. and IT Is with America
that Spain has now to deal.
Equally fallacions is the idea. put forward
by the Spanish Minister OF War. that peac" Is Ia
be restored on the basis of the status quo ante
bcllum. That, too. has at times been European
practice. though not in recent times. III the
Middle Ages in which Spain still largely lives
wars were often fought apparently just for the
sake Of lighting Countries were ravagcd ana
armies slaughtered. and then everything left. or
put back Just the same as before. But that is
not the American rule or practice. We do not
love war for wars SAKE. We do not hgnt. "X
ccptinc 10 gain some specific and heneilcent Oh
ject. TO suggest. rs 'he Spanish Minister OF
War has done. that we should rclinQuish all IN"
results of the war. and even abandon me one
supreme object for which we interviewed in
Cuba Is simply to suggest the impossible.
Our objec, in Intervention was TO put an end
to tie horrors of unCvilizcd .nrfarc In Cuba
to secure for that island peace. justice and good
government. and 10 rid ourselves OF the intol'r-
able menace. annoyance and material damage
the disturbed state Of Cuba was causing. Had
Spain granted our reasonable demands we
should have gone no further, and should nave
required nothing more. But she did not. she
refused our demands and made war against us.
From that moment the whole aspect OF the case
was changed. II then became tho duty OF this
Nation 10 strik" at Spain nj every possible"
point. whether in Cuba or Porto Rico whether
I'm the Philippines or on the lbcran Peninsula;
and II became the unquestionable right OF this
Nation. on winning the victory. To rcquir" from
Spain indemnity for the loss OF life and treasure
Spain has caused us and substantial hostages
against any further hostile conduct on the part
Of Spain.
The Spanish Government speaks ~ reason
oblc" terms of peace Doubtless I; VIII get
them But the terms suggested by H. or 10y one
OF It's responsible Minister'S are tho very height
of unreasonnbeness That shall grant in
any circumstances possibility Of Spanish rule
being continued in Cubn is ont of the question;
It would be to stutify ourselves In all our pro
ceedlngs In behalf OF that islard. That we
should let Spain keep Porto Rico Is unreason-
able II would be TO leave this country sub
ject to the same annoyance and menace 1t has
suffered In the case Of Cuba That we should
put the Philippines back under her tyrannous
control Is unreasonable; IL would he 10 set
up one standard OF humanity In the West In
dies and another In the East Indies. That we
should restore 10 her the Mariana Islands Is
unreasonable we have already taken possession
OF them, and they are legitimate spoils OF war
Whit terms of peace will finally he prescribed
by this Government we do NOT presume 10 say
But 1t must be evident TO all, excepting those
who are perversely unwilling or constitutionally
unable 10 see Alright. that they must be such ~
are satisfactory to the United States, and not
such as any sclf-stylcd concert Of Powers may
devise. and that they must also be such as will
establish Ind safeguard the benefcent objects
Of our intervention in Cuba, and Will repay us, !
as far possible. for the loss and suffering we ,
have been put TO through the pcrversity Of /
Spain. Those the reasonable terms which R
Spain Will do well TO consider