The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-27


Toronto Globe.
A great. enlightened and progressive
nation Is about TO grappse with less en-
Mghsened, somewhat cruel-tempsred but
proud and spirited people. 1t Is pro-
foundly melancholy reflection that taas
quarrel can be solved by no other process
than the hard and primitive logic Of force.
We who speak the English language. UNI
der Whatever nag. under whatever skies.
we dwell. cannot but believe the United
States right In the grand point az issue.
cannot but assent TO the righteousness OF
the decision to use force to put an end 10
biocdshed and barharity when all other
methods have failed But it is SOLDERING.
now that brute force Is called upon. to
reflect that it is but an accident that the
superiority Of force is on the side OF the.
Americans. The continental powers OF
Europe are making no secret Of the aver
sion with which they behold coercion OF
an old country by new country. OF
monarchy by a republic. Had circum-
stances obliged Britain to stand aside
from such a complication, combination
might easily have been formed command
ing fleets formidable enough TO seal up the
United States navy in its ewn ports from
the moment OF the firing of the first gun.
Right would not have been might In SUCH
q case. and the logic OF strength would
have ruled remorselessiy against the peo-
pie who are anxious to put down outrage.
and in favor of the people who are COM
hitting IT,
In entering upon this course the United
States are making sacrifices of most Sc
- r~x,% lass
war. Let US dismiss cynicism in this mat
ter as useless and periiously misleading.
1t may be that some individuals have
formed plan to riyet American influence
over the southern and central American
states. It may be that some Americans
most of them very foolish and thought
less ones-wish to see Cuba annexed to
the United States. 1t may be that some
persons are actuated by desire to try
the new navy, are consumed by morbid
wish for sensational news about the clas.s
OF bat;leships and the killing OF fellow
creatures But thu nation of 600 can
hardly be actuated by deep-laid schemes
of commercial expansion. which of neces-
Sity can affect comparatively few OF Its
citizens and its localities. What benefit
would the United States derive from the
possession Of ruined. wretched Cuba, with
a population divorced by years of rapine
and massacre from habits OF industry,
divided into sections which hate each
other with vitriolic bitterness, largely COM
posed of negro and mixed races? 1t will
improve the straget.o position of the
United States in relation to the control of
the great canal which will some day be
cut across the isthmus. enormously in
ribhean sea. This would undoubtedly be .
great advantage. But what other gain
would accrue? Have the United States
no southern problems. no race hatreds, Of
their own to deal with? Are they SO well
supplied with constitutional expedients
that they need be anxious to rush into
the task of tutoring a race at once un-
used to freedom and impatient Of re-
straint? Have they so few corrupt and
venal politicians that the accession to
Washington of a contingent Of senators
and congressman of the stamp Of the
Cuban junta need be viewed with indif-
ference? And finally. while 1t might be
argued with some force that good deal
of the earlier war fever was due to SEN
sationalism. ever since the Maine disaster
an air Of great sobriety has characterized
the treatment Of the question by all ex-
cept some congressman and some news
papers. II nothing else would tend to curb
the eagerness for war for idleness' sake,
the war revenue measures taken by con-
gress, which win impose taxes Of q pecu-
Harry direct burdenaome and irritating
character, should do the work.
The threatened struggle Is thus singu-
lariy devoid OF advantages. But 1t will
be prolific of evils. 1t will set back civic
progress for years The crying need OF
the United States is reform of nature
which will lead the average citizen to
take such an interest in the administra-
ton of his public affairs as will lead to
greater efficiency In public service NIL
niclpal politics needs to be improved In this
respect, the civil service needs 10 be puri-
fed the scandaious pension list needs to
be dealt with. the indifference OF the citi-
zen to the encroachment of entrenched
monopoly needs to be combatted. The
forces are well In line for the fray when
this disturbing side-issue is thrust upon
the country. and public attention bids fair
to be fixed on the manoeuvres OF warships
and the marchings OF battaiions instead
of upon the emancipation OF the citizen
from the extraordinary number OF har-
pies who prey upon him. The circum-
stances could hardly he more perilous
from this standpoint. The foeman is not
really worthy of the steel OF the United
States. The pacific footing upon which
the forces OF the country have been kept
Is making 1t difficult for It to put forth In
a moment even a fractiou OF itS strength,
but the ultimate issue is so certain as
to rob the conflict OF ia heroic aspect and
to reduce IL to the level OF a particularly
unpleasant, even somewhat hazardous, Bit
Of police work.
There il one lining 10 this cloud The
cause OF the solidarity OF .he English
speaking nations has received definite
and, We may hone, enormous .nnpetuS
Americans can hardly soon forget ,he
quiet. Unosten,atous but resoluts and
most effective aid which they have re-
ceived from Great Britain. Asking 70
return, making no bargain, exactlng no
rricp The mother fs,f,pfrv exu,s.~s ~