The times., 1898-03-06

it would be an injury to ourselves, as 1t
would prevent American citizens from
the collection of claims against the
Spanish government for damages under
present treaty stipulations. To intervene
by force would mean war. There are,
therefore, only two other methods to ac-
complish anything through action on the
part of our Government. One is for the
insurgents to buy Cuba and pay therefor
by an issue of bonds to be guaranteed by
the United States Government. The
other is through a friendly intervention
on the part of our Government to obtain
the most liberal measures possible from
the Spanish government in behalf OF
Cuba, in giving the island home rule un-
der the supervision of Spain; and after
obtaining a liberal and. satisfactory com
mercial treaty with Spain. including all
her colonies, then this Government should
take the stand that peace must come in
Cuba, and urge IN the strongest possible
manner that the Insurgents lay down
their arms and accept the new form of
government. This appears now to be the
best solution of the Cuban question
The inspiration of this article as well
as that of many that are now appearing
with great frequency in the organs of the
Administration and its hackers may be
traced directly to a meeting of capitalists
and others at the Waldorf-Astoria one
night over a week ago, several times al
Iuded to in The Times This meeting is
destined to become famous in the history
of crime in this country.
When the news of the Maine disaster
startled the world the country thrilled as
one man with the thought of war, and
the stern punishment of the nation that
had been responsible for the tragedy. The
only man in the world in that first mo-
ment that thought of peace at any price
was Mr.. Hanna, He thought of it, and
! Immediately began to lay his plans. Be
fore the night of the 18th OF February, the
night after the accident" he had con-
vinced several heavy capitalists that the
one great and overpowering calamity that
threatened the country was war. A meet
ing was held that night and plans were
| formed. II was decided that there should
be no war even if Spain was found to be
officially responsible for the crime. 1t
was also decided that Mr.. Mckinley must
he seen Immediately and convinced that
virtue lay only in peace at any price Mr..
Hanna did not feel equal to this delicate
matter. He does not consider himself a
diplomatist except only to the extent that
money talks.
high church official was chosen to
put the affair before the President In the
only sensible and humane light that any
one should consider 1t for a moment He
came to Washington. Mr.. Mckinley, of
course. up to that time had been enthusi-
astic for war, if it We're found the only
honorable course to pursue. The Presi-
dent had gone to Philadelphia. The high
| church dignitary hurried after him, and
| finally succeeded in securing the inter-
| view and the hour of entire quiet that he
needed.
| Before the gentlemen parted company
Mr. Mckinley was as enthusiastic for
| peace at any price as Mr.. Hanna. He
| may not have known it but that was all
! that he worked for from that time for
! ward. He may have thought that in case
| the Spanish government We're found di-
| rectly guilty he would have had war but
| hc WAS mistaken.
Then came the great meeting at the
! Waldorf Astoria. The high church Off
! cial hurried back TO New York and the
| milliOnaires were gathered. There were
/ a number of the most wealthy and least
/ Scrupulous men in the world a the meet
! ing.
! The results have been developing since
! that time. The peace-at-any- price policy
: was first announced in The Times. The
! dismissal of the Maine disaster as a mat
| ter of minor Importance that could be
| submitted to arbitration was also an
nounced in The Times before any other
| paper had discovered this plan. The
| peaceful Intervention of the United
| States the purchase of Cuba by the peo-
| pie who already own it, and the posi-
bility that autonomy might still be tried
| by the Hanna Government are familiar
But this publication of the whole de
testablh scheme by anyone friendly to it
is first made by Mr.. Clews. Others have
| suggested it under pleasanter names.