The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-11

Will hardly go the length or engaging In
war to attain that result.
MARCH 10.-The bill appropriating
$50, 900, 900 for the national defense and
placing it in the hands of the President
to be expended at his sole discretion is
now the law of the land. This great
sum is at the command of the President
untramelled, unhampered and unre-
stricted. Large as is the amount, it is
but 1.-THE of the sum that will be forth
coming in the event of necessity, or in
other words, if war comes.
Now that this superb exhibition of
patriotism has become history, now that
$50, 100000 has been placed at the sole
and absolute personal control of the Pres
ident, public men in Washington are
facing the future with renewed and
greater confidence, not that they have
ever doubted the patriotism of the poo
pie or their representatives in Congress,
but that they recognize the difference be-
tween proposed action and an accom-
plished fact. They are specializing on
the course of future events with greater
freedom than heretofore and are giving
voice to views which they have been
careful hitherto to hold in a state of re-
preston. A singular unanimity of
opinion as to what the President will do
has suddenly developed. The vague talk
about intervention which was heard a
few days ago has given way to the conf
dent prediction that the President will
intervene to bring the conflict in Cuba to
an end. This theory finds advocates and
believers in Cabinet officers whose views
are made public under cover of the
fathership of ''close friends of the Presi-
dent" There is little doubt felt IN
Washington now as to the Presidents
ultimate policy.
~
The incident as a whole marks an
epoch. 1t demonstrates, if demonstra-
ton of the fact were necessary, that the
American people, Nation of Shop
keepers as the dilettante of the Old
World sneeringly described us, people
given over to trade, to commerce, and to
business, a self-governing people, can act
as theoretically, can rise to as great
heights of self-sacrifice. can strike as
vigorously and as promptly as any peo-
pie the world has ever seen.
80
The question the Administration is
asking itself, and which gives the Presi.
dent and his official advisers the greatest
concern, is not what the United States
will do, but what will Spain do. How
will that government respond to sugges-
lions, limitations, overtures, or demands
by the United States. Everything will
depend on Spain's course and attitude.
The Naval Court of Inquiry investigat-
ing the Maine disaster has finished it's in
quiries in Havana and will soon report.
If that report should be that the explos-
ion was from external causes, this Cover
ment will make demand upon Spain for
large money indemnity, SIC, 900, 000
being the figure most commonly named,
disavowel, and PREPARATION. If Spain
should decline to acknowledge RESPONSE
bility and therefore refuse the demands
of this government, war would surely
result. If Spain should admit RESPONSE
bility and accede to the demands of this
government, asking only time in which
to pay the indemnity, reasonable delay
would be granted, at the end of which
if the indemnity were paid and the Other
conditions complied with, the incident
would be closed. If the indemnity were
not paid, war would surely result
! Therefore what the near future has in
4 store, whether peace or war, rests witt
Spain rather than with the United
States.
~
AS has been stated heretofore in this
correspondence, the Maine disaster is but
an incident in a greater question, the
greater question being the Cuban situa
ton. This is as well known in Spain al
in the United States. Recognizing thiI
fact the Spanish government understand
clearly that after the settlement of the
Maine controversy it would still have Il
face the prospect of intervention in Cubs
by the United States Realizing the
realities of the situation Spain may no
wait on us, but invite conflict by fatty
refusing an indemnity proposition, if one
is submitted, or If not, initiate hostilities
on some other score, hoping to gain an
advantage by striking the first blow.
This is thought to be the first rock ahead
and there appears to be no way by whieE
it can be avoided. In fact there is nc
disposition to avoid it by those il
authority, or by those out of authority
either, so far as that is concerned. Or
the contrary the general disposition is to
put the country in as good shape for wal
as possible and then calmly await what
the fates send us.
~
An entirely new factor in the situa-
ton has entered into this many sided
Cuban question. 1t is danger of yellow
fever being introduced into the United
States from that stricken island This
Government may therefore feel COMPEL
ed to interfere in Cuba for purely SAM
tary reasons and for the protection OF
the peopleof the United States from
the yellow scourge. Intervention on
this ground would probably be as
bitterly resented by Spain as on any
other. No matter therefore which
way one looks, the situation is dark
for the preservation of peace, but not
entirely hopeless. E. w. BRADY.
washington's Order on st. Patrick's Day
AS our next day of celebration is st
Patrick's day March III it is interesting