The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-22
TUESDAY. MARCH %, 1885.
Awaiting the End.

Except in the event Of some unex-
pected happening. the President Will
have the report Of the Maine Board Of
Inquiry in time for the Cabinet 10 con-
slider il this week. 1t may be here to-
day tomorrow. or Thursday. Then the
time for official action Will have come.
There should be not another hours de-
lay. Mr. Mckinley is already thor
oughly Informed as to all the material
evidence, and the conclusions from it,
and, If he had been a man like Gen.
Jackson" as the Chicago Tribune puts
Il, he would have acted sternly and Wig
oT0usly before now But he has chosen
10 shield himself behind the plea Of
waiting fun and official information,
and the country cannot help itself
Now. however. both Congress and
the nation will expect and exact i'm
mediate and patriotic action, and it is
understood that the Executive has
promised that to numerous deIega-
lions q Republican Representatives,
who, for days past, have been warning
him that any other course would rem
der il unnecessary for the party TO
make nominations in any part Of the
Union next Autumn.
Exactly what Mr. Mckinley may do
is yet shrouded in mystery. His opin-
ion has changed so frequently that il
may undergo still another alteration
< before he can bring his mind TO actu-
Ily send in a message. Just at pres
ent he is credited with an intention TO
Congress to express some wish as
10 what ought to be done in
the premises. it is true that
one or two Of the Administration
organs predict that he win first take
independent diplomatic action, and so
try to commit the Government to a
definite line Of policy in the settlement.
We hardly expect this, since such a
course would be certain TO precipitate
an outbreak in Congress which the Ad-
minisuation naturally wishes TO avoid.
Il would look too much like leaning in
the direction II SPANS scheme 10 bring
the question Of the Havana massacre
under the jurisdiction Of an interna-
tioual tribunal Of arbitration; a thing
neither Congress nor the people would
tolerate.
II must be remembered, though, that
the conservative members Of the Ad-
ministration." as one Of its Washington
organs observes. are much in favor Of
that kind Of solution. II would delay
everything until after the advent Of the
rainy season in cuba, and thus give
Spain and the Spanish-Cuban bond
thieves one more chance for success.
For that very reason we do not think
that the scheme could be worked No
European power would think Of press
ing such a proposition. except upon the
direct invitation Of the Administration.
All Of the continental states have quite
enough 10 do 10 attend TO their own en-
tanglements. In addition TO that, the
entire line Of their own precedents
would be against interference.
Before Germany sent her war vessels
to collect indemnity from Haiti, for the
arrest and Imprisonment Of a German
subject. the offending country asked
that the matter be referred to an in
ternatioual court. The kaiser answered
with unassailable pTopriety that out
RACES upon German subjects could
never be made a subject for arbitra-
tiont We are entitled To take the same
ground, and neither Germany nor any
other power Of Europe is disposed TO
object. All talk to the contrary is
sheer nonsense, manufactured either in
Madrid or Wall Street
Otherwise, the Administration press,