The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-11
WHAT OTHERS SAY.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN A BLUFF.

Washington Post.
We shall not stop to consider whether
our threat of bombarding Cadiz, BARGE
Iona and other Spanish seaport towns
was, or was not. a bluff. 1t is hardly
worth while to waste time in such a
speculation. The news comes that Ca
mara's fleet has been ordered back from
the SueZ Canal. and, whatever may be
the facts in the case, the popular i'm
preston is that the incident will now
close. In other words, we have offered
a menace and Spain has acted upon it
just as we expected. She has recalled
her ships that were Ell route to the Phil
ippines and our purpose, If we ever had
any in that direction, is accomplished.
1t is difficult to believe that the gov
eminent ever had a serious idea of car
rying the war into European waters and
making the western end of the Mediter-
ranean the scene of our military opera
tons. The chances all are that, even
if we had meant to embark upon so un-
necessarily perlouS an enterprise, the
authorities would never have proclaimed
it to the world. On the contrary, the
mere fact that it was so proclaimed seem
ed proof enough that the expedient was
not actually contemplated. To make
such an expedition successful. it was in
dispensable to surround it with secrecy.
The European powers are in no humor to
have us invade their territory and set
fire to 4 situation already inflammable
enough. We have not the slightest
doubt that the appearance of one of our
squadrons off the coast of Spain proper
would be the signal for Il hostile demon
stration on the part of all the great con
tinental powers and the provocation Of
an extremely critical state of affairs.
1t is true that such prospect would
not deter us for a moment if either policy
or honor pointed in that direction. There
is no reason why we should fear either
Germany or France-Austria and Italy
do not count-and nothing is more Ger
tain than that the United States would
not consider them for a moment if our
interests led the way. The fact is, how
ever, that our sending a fleet to the
Spanish coast would be the height of
folly. In doing that we should repudiate
every solemn declaration with which
Congress explained and fortified its
course in authorizing war. We should
then admit that our professions were
hypocritical and our pledges void. We
set out. avowedly, to put an end to in
tolerable conditions in Cuba, to restore
civilization to Il territory plunged in the
most odious form of barbarism. Ours
was a mission of humanity and rescue
We dedicated ourselves to the redemp-
ton of Cuba from Spanish misrule, and
we expressly repudiated the idea of con-
quest or territorial acquisition. To what
end, therefore. shall we pass by Havana,
the stronghold and the guarantee of
Spanish tyranny in Cuba? The bonn
bardment of Cadiz and Barcelona will
not bring us any nearer to the goal we
have ourselves defined. If we are pledg
ed to anything it is to the reduction of
Havana and the liberation of the Gu
ban people. If we have assumed any
obligation that will justly us to the civ
ilized world in preciptating this bloody
tragedy, that obligation can be dis
charged only by the occupation of the
Cuban capital and the overthrow of
Spanish authority in the island.
We do not believe that our fleet is
going to the Spanish coast. Such a
policy would amount to an admission
that the Havana problem is too much for
us 1t would be to confess that we are
deliberately avoiding the issue we our
selves have raised.