The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-27
The European View.

In the May number of the Cosmopolis
M. Francois de Pressense, a French
Journalist Of acuteness and renown,
considers our war with Spain from a
standpoint that should interest us,
since it is the point Of view held by
many thoughtful and conscientious
European Observers. 1t aims to be fair
and avoids insulting us but cannot
avoid the tone Of cynicism.
This war appears to NJ. de Pressense
as zone of those explosions of SYM
pathy so dear to the Christianity of to-
day" in which interest is subtly
welded to the most disinterested ideal
ISM" Though our enthusiasm for Gu
ban freedom may perhaps be inspired
to some extent (why should it notO by
unpaid bills and interrupted trade"
he thinks it would be well to remember
that Armenia, Greece and Crete We're
not altogether without their monetary
hackers who had something to do with
the outbreak Of sympathy in their be-
half; and that with this lamentable
flasco Of our own hypocritical philan-
thropy before our eyes, we have no
right to condemn the bellicose and ag-
gressive humanitarianism of the Amer
lean lingo"
NJ. de PFessenee cordially praises the
wise, patient and well-poised attitude
of President Mckinley, recognizes our
military and naval superiority, scouts
the idea Of effective intervention unless
at our invitation, and says as to the
proper course Of France: II under
stand, and even share in, a certain in
stinctive sympathy with Spain; but
my reason and my conscience warn me
not to range myself like a fool under
the flag Of a nation that has lost its
colonial patrimony, and which lives
rather on the glorious recollections. of
glorious past than on the actualities
Of a wretched present. After all, our
first duty is to ourselves. Let us be
Frenchmen, Frenchmen OF today, be-
fore being Spaniards, and let US leave
it to Providence to deal with con-
flict which is no business of ours"
Nevertheless this foreign critic can
not resist the opportunity to throw one
stone at US. Grave accusations as to
the origin and sustenance Of the Cuban
war of independence can, he thinks
be brought against the United States
Creoles have neither the vigor nor the
money to carry on so arduous a strug.
gle unasSisted. 1T has been on the
soil of the great republic that insur-
formed, that expeditions have been fit.
ted out that provisions and ammunI.
tion have been collected. 1t is from the
ports Of the American littoral that
bands of filibusters have started tC
land in Cuoa, and to form the nuc!cu,
Of the revolutionary army. l}y lhC
side of the junta. a shadow of govern,
ment residing in New ork. there ha!
been the incessant action of syndicat t
Of business men. The almighty dollal
Jetains its supremacy even in realm;
that Cne would have thought beyond III
dominion" NJ. de ITesscnse evidCntl,
fnrGets that Parts, too. has its CuhaI
Junta, not less active in helping alon!
the Gomez insurrection than is tn,
1unta in New York, and that neither II
the United States nor in France can
law be enacted or enforced whicl
would make it possible for public sym
pathy for a revolt against tyranny t,
b repressed or for the agents of tina
revolt to be imprisoned or banished ol
mere suspicion OF law-breaking.
When a law of neutrality has beer
broken in this country the offenders. a
soon as caught, have been punished
When there was suspicion that such
fracture Of the law was being planned
our authorities took due precautlon I
prevent 1t. No government based o.
justice could do more