Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-22
BRITISH sly PATTY
High Praise for the Presidents Course in the
Cuban Crisis.
More Ground for War Of Intervention
Than History Usually
Affords.

military defenses, besides furnishing proof
of the patriotic unanimity upon which any
President can always count with certainty,
brings us long step nearer the inevitable
solution of the long tension between Amer
lea and Spain President McKinIeys ac-
ton through all the recent difficult phases
of the dispute has been model of states
| manship-absolutely determined and act
ing instantly and firmly when action was
necessary, as in the cases of Senior de LONE
ard Consul General Lee while at the same
time avoiding scrupulously an attitude of
provocation or a word of offense, and
steadily refusing to be ''jngoed'' into pre-
cipitancy. We wish we could say as much
of the conduct of our own foreign affairs
during the past year In particular, the
action of the American government in co'i-
nection with the loss of the Maine deserves
the highest recognition. OF late, of course,
the naval preparations of Spain and the
ever-increasing horrors of the Cuban sys-
tenn have darkened the situation gravely.
The vote of f10,O00OG0 is a due recognition
of this, and President Mckinley is un-
doubtedly right in believing that its effect
will be to prevent, or at least postpone, war
rather than to prec.pitate it. Moreover.
the words of Mr.. Cannon, who speaking
obviously the Presidents mouthpiece,
declared ''the United States would not, if
they could, intrench upon the rights of any
ration on EARTH struck a note which will
win universal sympathy. Whether or not
all the other statements about flying
squadron, tn purchase of quick-firing guns
and the options on warships now building
are correct or not, there can be no doubt
whatever about the main fact. The United
States regard war as possibly imminent,
they are making every preparation for it,
and they have no intention whatever of
abating their efforts to bring to an end
that hell upon earth to which the rule of
Spain has reduced Cuba.
1t will. therefore; in all human probable
he
show upon which side it's sympathies lie.
Officially, of course, We shall be In the
position of neutrals, but nationally there
is no such thing as neutrality in such
struggle. Fer our own part we are con-
WINGED that by an overwhelming majority
the PEOPLE of Great Britain will wish
Americans God-speed in the work they
nave undertaken. They are not acting
from any selfish motive, except SO far as
the perfectly legitimate desire to protect
American commerce and safeguard Ameri-
can interests may be said to be selfish.
We do not believe there is any body of re-
f1ecting citizens who wish to see Cuba an
neXed to the United States. Nobody can
show where the United States are going
to reap any direct benefit President Nc
Kinley'S government would recall its ships
tomorrow, restore its yards and arsenals 20
peace footing, and leave its f10000.DG in
the treasury. ii only Spain would take, for
good and all, the steps necessary to bring
about peace, good government and pros
perity in Cuba. That being So it seems to
us there can be no question of the essential
purity of American motives, in Snite OF
the words and acts of a group of irrespon-
sible and INSCRIPTIONS citizens. And we
held. therefore, that to sympathize with
Spain in the coming struggle would simply
be to range ourselves on the side of dis
order as aga inst order, of ruin as against
v'eIl-being, of barbarism as against civili-
Zation. of wrong as against right What
right has America to interfere?" To that
question we can only reply better right
than has Keen put forward as the juStifca-
ton of two out of every three wars In ms
tory. America has precisely the same right
to stop the horrors of Cuba as Europe has
to stop the horrors of Armenia and Crete.
The difference Is that in the one case there
is one power concerned, single-handed and
clear-eyed while in the other half a dozen
powers neutraliZe one another through
jealousy and fear.
These are cases in which might literally
makes right: to be strong enough to de-
stroy the evil thing is to be morally called
upon to do so. Cuba freed from the domf-
nation of Spanish officials and priests, her
industries restored and her people given
a chance to show what they can do for
their island and themselves. with oppor-
tunties similar to those enjoyed by every
other civilized country, VIII mark chap
ter of American history which no citizen
is ever likely to read with regret. And we
hope that Great Britain will not only go
as far officially the furthest limits of
international law permit. but that public
opinion will declare itself openly and I'M
mistakably, in the teeth Of all Europe, If
need be. as synpathizing heartily with the
motives which are impelling the American
government at last to a step which it has
SO naturally and SO long hesitated to take
But it Is impossible not to sympathize
too, with Spain. The acts done in her
name do not. we feel sure, correspond
to the best instincts of her people. In
deed We do not believe that the Spanish
people, living In comparative secular and
religious freedom. realize what Spanish
colony is. and why revolution there is
always so near the surface. Spain is ruin
ed financially, many thousands of her
young men have gone out to die miserably
for what they believed was a righteous
and a patriotic cause and now certain
defeat stares her in the face. with terri
Bile uncertainties at home to follow it.
The proud spirit of her people may force
them to a hopeless war; holding that only
thereby can their honor be saved. We
wish it were possible to persuade them that
even at the eleventh hour their honor
and Cuba might be saved by recognition
of the inevitable facts. The spirit of Gen.
Weyler and the torturers Of Montjuich can
only lead to certain loss Of the remnants
Of that Spain which was once great and
noble. To bid Cuba be free would be, of
course, a hard task, but it would be not
only the safest, but the most dignified
course.
Prisoner With Many Aliases.