The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-01
NO TINE FOR CHIN choPPINd.

4
termed diplomacy in shirt sleeves"
would seem to he desirable in dealing
with Spain II advance notices OF the
purposes of Spain's peace commission
ers are 10 be relied upon. re Stt
1t appears that the Ave Dons in Paris
fancy that they are oabe participants
in a meeting of a debating club. Th9ir
government knows in advance what the
demands of the American peace com
missioners are TO be. in a general way.
But. according to all accounts. they are
not going 10 discuss those demands Sc
riously. They will avoid the answer
Yes or NO" They win discuss the
great and grave questions at stake
point by point, beginning with the
smallest. Their attitude will be that of
one controversialist meeting another on
equal terms instead of that of the van
quished meeting the victor. No humble
PIC ltI lUpSt
Even the Frenchmen, who probably
sympathize a good deal with Spain, rec
ognize the absurdity and folly OF the
position which, It is said, the Spanish
commissioners are instructed to take.
Frenchmen remember what happened
to their country when Germany made
the terms. There was no chin chopping
peace conference then. The mighty
Bismarck drew up the terms and COM
manded the representatives of the de-
feated nation to adopt them and be
quick about it. Precious territory and
a vast indemnity were called for. And |
France consented. She couldn't help it. |
The terms We're cruelty severe, but |
France could not resist she could not
even discuss the matter. There was no
room for discussion.
Far different is the treatment so far
accorded to Spain by the victorious
United States OF America. Spain lies
helpless, and her foe is both honorable
and generous; more generous. If not
more honorable, than ever was victor
n all the world What is the response
II the Spanish government? If half
hat is reported Of the instructions car
led by SPANS peace commissioners to
Paris is true Spain misunderstands the
eniency accorded her. She mistakes
for weakness and delicacy
or half -heartedness. She takes the
'ankee nation for "A good thing" as
he did when the Maine was blown up.
Tow that the fighting is stopped she
elies upon her medieval diplomacy to
wirl our government around her
niger.
Spain will discover her mistake, of
curse. She has a record OF centuries
Z mistakes, and all of them discovered
fter 1t was too late to rectify them.
nd she has learned nothing from any
them. AS she repeated in Cuba the
deous errors that lost her continent
nd was brought to her present plight
ereby so she threatens 10 repeat the ;
istake that tempted her to engage i'm
ar with the United States by dilly- :,
Illying at Paris. She doesn't under
and this country yet, just as she has T.
yer understood 'anything until UNDER n
andng was pounded into her. Our
are not likely to fool -
1g with her representatives in Paris
the latter propose to follow their
ported instructions. Those instruc-
ms possess neither sincerity nor sense.
lie American nation is in no mood to
fooled with. The American people Y,
e not lacking in consideration for a IL
len foe, but they are In no mood to
jollied. If Spain hasn't had hard IL
ough licking she is welcome to more. .
ats the size OF IL. W
let us hope, however. that Spain will
me to her senses this time before IL Is
, late. 40 10