Washington sentinel., 1898-03-19

No Adjournment Till Cuba is Free.
The indeiatigable stock jobbers
OF Wall Street have sprung a new
scheme to thwart the determination
Of the American people that Span
ish rule in Cuba shall come to an
immediate end. They propose
that Congress shall adjourn within
two weeks and leave the entire
management of our international
relations in the hands of the Pres
ident. They are confident that
with the assistance of Hanna they
can keep Mr.. Mckinley from do
ing anything rash.
There are certain partisan con-
siderations that favor this plan.
Some Republicans think that If
they can delay action until Sep
tember or October and then let
slip the dogs OF war at the begin
ming Of the Congressional cam
paign victory in the elections will
follow in the wake of victory IN
battle. Some Democrats think
that If Congress leaves the Presi-
dent to wrestle alone with Wall
Street he will become so entangled
with corrupt and cowardlY 6nan-
cial interests that he will make a
disgraceful failure OF his Cuban
policy and so leave the way clear
Tor the election of a two thirds
majority of Democrats in the next
Congress.
But the politicians and the
fnanciers are alike reckoning
without the American people.
The feelings OF the nation are too
profoundly stirred to tolerate the
intrusion Of any question of par
tisan or pecuniary advantage into
the great issue in which our Re
public stands as the guardian Of
liberty and civilization against the
powers OF darkness. The $780,
ooo, 900 defence fund was not in
trusted to President Mckinley as
a counter in a game OF politics or
speculation.
The request tor an adjournment
Of Congress while the fnanciers
and politicians concoct such set
Element Of the Cuban trouble as
may suit their interests must be
based on the theory that mem ory
has become extinct in the United
States. The country has had that
experience before. In 1896 con-
current resolution recognizing the
belligerency OF Cuba passed both
Houses by almost unanimous
votes, and when President Cleve-
land ignored il mandatory joint
resolution on the same lines was
about to be passed. Mr.. Cleveland.
alarmed, begged Congress to have
a little patience, intimated that he
was about to secure Cuban liberty
by executive action, and appealed
Tor an opportunity to settle the
matter without interference. Con-
gress incautiously trusted him and
adjourned, whereupon his friends
gleefully announced that he would
do nothing. And for the rest oil his
term Weyler and his Apaches hac
full swing.
President Mckinley has had oVei
a year for the restoration of peace
in Cuba, and the net result OF hi!
efforts has been the death by tor
ture of half a million non-combat.
ants, the ruin Of the island, to-
gether with all the American trade
and property interests connected
with It, and the destruction OF ar
American battleship with the live.
Of aso American seamen.
The country has had enough o
Executive mysteries, and it propo
ses to remain in position to exer
some little influence on the man
agement Of its own affairs. Wher
the Maine was destroyed the Ad
ministration promised to take th'
people into its confidence and giv'
them every scrap oi information i
possessed itself. It's chief anxiety
ever since has seemed to be to sup
press the facts. 1t has delayed th'
report Of the Board OF Inquiry 70
a month, and is slid to be irving
to devise some means Of kecpinI
It from the public altogether. /