The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-14
Peace With PoIiteness.

On being presented to the President
Senior Polo y Bernabe, the new Span
ish minister, was gracious enough to
say:
The principal object OF my honorable mission
is 10 endeayor, 50 far As possible, TO maintain
and draw closer between our two countrie, the
most friendly relations. In order 10 attain this
end 50 much IN harmony with my personal
feelings. / am ready 10 omit effort whatsoever
on any part and doubt not | shall succeed IT,
As hope, ! shall be fortunate in gaining the
hcneyoencc OF your eNcellency and your efTec-
tive cooperation.
This is most satisfying. and ought
To be easy Of accomplishment To en-
courage the already bubbling feeling OF
fraternity, Senior Polo needs only to re-
mind US Of the varied but substantial
bases for those amicable sentiments
which animate the people of the two
governments. Some of these may be
briefly itemizeG
First, arrest. imprisonment and tor
ture Of the Competitor crew.
Second, arrest, repeated torture and
finally murder in his cell of DR.. Ruiz,
an American citizen, and formerly a
leading dentist in Philadelphia.
Third, tying young Gown, an Ameri-
can newspaper correspondent. to a tree,
and slicing and hacking him to death
with machetes.
Fourth. murder by starvation of four
hundred thousand peaceful country
people. and the wholesale butchery and
outrage of Cuban women and children.
Fifth. insult to the American Presi-
dent by Dupuy de LONE, former Span
ish minister in Washington
Sixth, destruction of the battleship
Maine, and massacre of two hundred
and sixty Of her crew by a Spanish
government mine, fired by order of said
government.
on the strength of such foundation
how could our Spanish relations be any
thing but cordial, although still open 10
some improyement-say to condition
of rapturous love? Mr. Mckinley must
have been of this opinion. for his re-
ply TO Senior Polo was couched in these
cheerful words:
1t is very gratifying 10 me to receive the as
suianccS you have Just made OF your purpose 10
endeaNGr 10 maintain and draw closer in all
possible ways the most friendly relations between
the two countries, and in response ! assure YOU
that my own efforts and those of this Government
VIII no les earnestly be directed toward the
same high end.
Inasmuch as the list of obligations
printed above has been so productive
Of the present blissfuI state, it follows
that it is only necessary to place Us
under some more Of the same sort to
complete the joy and happiness Of the
situation. If Mr.. Mckinley and Senior
Polo viii only cooperate. as they told
each other they would, a great load
viii be lifted off from the shoulders OF
shuddering mankind For instance
since the torture and assassination OF
DR. Ruiz and of Gown led to such
amiable international feelings, how
would it do to burn Gen. Lee alive OF
have him gored to death by a bull?
The Maine incident has been such g
satisfaction TO all classes that il
I Senior Polo could fix ii to have the whole
North Atlantic squadron done up in The
same manner. it might produce af
lection passing the love of brothers-in
law. We can see in his speech and il
the Presidents much evidence that hi.
mission to America presents many pos
sibiiities Of a more or less glitterinl
and pyrotechnical nature
We do not believe his stay viii
be very long. We shall weep to los,
him, but probably it cannot be helped