The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-12
THE pREsID ENr AND HIS MEssAGE.

One thing is to be remembered in the trying and perplexing national situa- tion still pending, and that is the level head which President Mckinley has shown throughout all this crisis. His judgment has been admirable, likewise his patience, and that he has develop ed statesmanlike qualities is plainly apparent. He may be safely trusted with the guidance of our national af-
 fairs. Beset on all sides to change his course and plunge this country into war without due deliberation and un- seemly haste, he has stood like rock for peace with honor, if attainable. He stands there to-day. Overwhelming influences have been brought to bear upon him by senators and representa- tives. The jingo press and yellow jour nals have fairly screamed for war and reviled the President, but he has been
 unyielding. He is man of strong convictions and cannot be swerved from his sense of duty,-from adher- ence to his conception of what is best | for our nation. At no time has he he's itated to declare that war with Spain | must come, if all peaceful efforts to stop the war in Cuba should prove un- availing. War said Gen. Sherman, lis l he'll" Better by far to stop the war in l Cuba, with all it's horrors and barbar- ities than to start another. But over l and above all, the President is deter mined and in accord with the national | As the President says in his message 1 to congress, intervention is demanded in order to put an end to the barbar- ities, bloodshed, starvation and horri-
 ble miseries now existing in Cuba; and | with it the very serious injury to our commerce, trade and business, and the wanton destruction of property and I devastation of the island; and, further, 1 intervention is required because the
 present condition of affairs in Cuba is
 a constant menace to our peace, and
 entails upon this government an enor- dent says:
 1 with such conflict waged for years | in an island so near us and with which
 our people have such trade and busi- ness relations-when the lives and lib- erty of our citizens are in constant danger and their property destroyed and themselves ruined; where our trading vessels are lia5ie to seizure I and are seized at our very door by
 warships of a foreign nation, the expe- dition of filibustering that we are pow 1 erless altogether to prevent, and the | thus arising-all these and others that I need not mention, with the resulting 4 strained relations, are constant men, ace to our peace and compel us to keep on a semi-war footing with a war na- | tion with which we are at peace. These elements of danger and disorder al- | ready pointed out have been strikingly | illustrated by tragic event which has l deeply and justly moved the American people,"
 He then speaks of the destruction of
 the Maine in most appropriate words,
 hot that tragedy remains to be fixed, says
 Tn any event, the destruction of the l Maine, by whatever exterior cause, is a
 patent and impressive proof of state
 of things in Cuba that is intolerable | That condition is thus shown to be l such that the Spanish government can l not assure safety and security to a
 vessel of the American navy in the
 harbor of Havana on mission of
 peace and rightfully there"
 The President in concluding his mes- sage asks congress to authorize and tion to secure full and final termina- tion of hostilities in Cuba and to se- cure in the island a stable and respon-
 sible government; and to this end fur ther asks for power to use the military
 and naval forces of the country for
 this purpose as may be necessary. He
 then leaves the matter with congress,
 impressively adding: "I have exhaust
 ed every effort to relieve the intolera-
 ble condition of affairs which is at our
 doors. Prepared to execute every ob-
 ligation imposed upon me by the con-
 stitution and the law, await your ac- tion" His only reference to the ar-
 mistice matter is in the concluding
 words referring the subject to the just
 and careful attention of congress" and adding that If it attains a successful
 result, then our aspirations as Chris
 tian, peace-loving people will be real
 ized."
 |
 l IN THE SOUDAN.
 The recent notable and brilliant suc- I ooee of RritiSb arms in tho Nila