The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-21
M'KINLEY BUSY.
Concluded from First Pace.

Spanish troops, with independence surely
following.
One or the other of these nations. now
glartng at each other from behind squad
rons and glistening guns, must sooner or
later beat a retreat If war is to be averted
The United States the stronger power,
as the power with moral right and the APP
prevail of the world behind it. will not yield
Unless Spain yields there will be war. The
crisis Will soon be upon us. In few hours
PRESIDENT Mckinley will be face to face
with a most complex and difficult prob
lem and the country with a crisis in it's in
ternational relations
1t is believed the report of the naval court
OF inquiry, upon which such momentous is
sues depends, has already left Key West for
TINS city Immediately upon its receipt
VIII start game of diplomacy in which
nerve and flrmness and art and all the re-
sources of nations will play parts. and
whose issue is war or peace This week will
without any doubt be the most anxious and
critical week in the history of the United
states since the rebellion.
am glad to be able to say that the
American government approaches this Pc
Rod OF crisis and strain without fear ana
with consciousness of being master of the
SITUATION. So far as the President and his
ADVISERS are concerned, they are ready for
the ordeal, and no sign of weakening is
found among them. If there is any change
in their attitude it is in the direction of in
creased firmness in dealing with the nation
that now confronts us, and a greater and
greater inclination to treat her less a
friendly and equal power and more to seize
an opportunity to bring about a sudden
even II violent evolution of the whole COM
pick and narrowing problem.
There is encouragement in the fact that
Spain has already shown signs Of hesitation.
Her offer to give up everything in Cuba but
a nominal sovereignty, handing over to the
island an actual home rule government, is
evidence of the desperation of her position
This proposal has been made to gov
eminent by Senior Polo, the Spanish minis
ter, in conference with Assistant Secretary
of the State Day, but by direction of the
President it has been rejected. 1t might
have been considered had the leaders of the
insurgent cause shown any inclination to ac-
cept it, but Estrada Palma, the spokesman
of the Cuban party in the United States,
promptly declined to consider it, and APP
pealed to the manhood and love of liberty
the United States to be used in aiding Spain
to force the insurgents into subsection. His
rejection of home rule would have had the
desired effect even without his eloquent APP
peal to our sentiment for the President had
no disposition to accept anything that would
force this government to join hands with
Spain in Subduing men who are fighting for
their liberty.
The significance of this futile effort on the
part of Spain to reach an accommodation
on the evening of the crisis is considered
very great In the first place it demon
strates the strongest desire on Spains part
to avert war. 1t indicates that the govern
ment at Madrid, like a man in desperate
situation, retreats an inch at a time, from
point to point yielding only under pressure,
rather than be overwhelmed in g hopeless
struggle against superior odds. This pro-
pOSal OF Spain to surrender everything out
nominal sovereignty is taken as indicating
at least a probability that even sovereignty
may be surrendered if the time comes when
a proper compensation can be offered for
it, or some other means found to let her
out without too great humiliation.
Again, the fact that President Mckinley
has rejected a proposal of this nature shows
the firmness of his attitude. 1t shows that
he is aware this great struggle of natural
causes in Cuba has reached a point where
the solution must be radical if it is to be
permanent. No halfway business will now
suffice What might have been solution
q year ago is now impossible.
All the signs of the times are that Cuba
must have absolute independence within the
near future as a result Of the present con-
ditions and complications. 1t is to this end
that events are now pressing forward, and
they are carrying both the governments of
Spain and the United States with them.
The only question is as to the means of Sc
curing the end whether by peace or war,
and as to the time, whether quietly OF
through narrowing delay.