The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-11
Sane Review OF The
ESeCdtiVe's Policy
From the Philadelphia Press.

GP lie president, on Monday. transmits
10 congress and the country mes
sage both will approve. With il
III the country enters on policy Just,
bold, vigorous and at ell points de-
fenslble by law and by precedent The
nation now propCscs-peaCcfully If IL can,
forCibly If IL must-to right the long
wrong of Cuba, cxpel the Spanish garri-
son, restore peace and order and in the
end leave a free Cuba TO work out its
own salvation. If Spain accepts, az now
seems likely, the work will he done in
peace. If Spain resists, on her own head
be the war she brings Eight months
ago President Mckinley addressed him
self TO this great task. For two years
and a half of the Cuban rebellion the
United states had maintained a scrupu-
lous, rigorous and silent neutrality. our
trade was destroyed, our citizens were in
Spanish jails. our treaty rights were
daily disregarded Spanish rule had sunk
to massacre and was fast passing to its
last stage of slow starvation for hun
dreds of thousands. Worse this century
has not seen than Spain had wrought on
this rich and fertile island, ninety miles
from our coast.
A change from this policy was en-
vironed with peril Neither our fleet nor
our army was provided with munitions
OF war. No man who knew the condition
and contents of forts and arscnals, ships
and magazines but was appalled, at the
prospect of hostile collision, even with
Spain, The ministry in Spain, the gov
ernor general in Madrid and the army in
Cuba, one-third larger than today. were
lcagued and united in a ruthless policy
of repression, massacre and slew eXhaus-
tion, interference with which had then
serious perils, The first shock and threat
Of war would destroy prosperity. Just
dawning. The first hostile encounter in
the condition of last summer might end
IN opening defeat. Lastly. final victory,
IL war were wagcd might end in the
conquest, annexation ana acquisition OF
cuba. Il burden of debt and disorga MIA
tion no prudent American desires today,
These difficulties fronted President Nc.
Kinley, when, the tariff passed and in
dustry reViNing. he addressed himself to
the Cuban question, recalling Hannis
Taylor and aCcrediting General Woodtord
TO Spain. Eight months have passed and
the nation is brought today by President
MCkinloy's splendid and successful policy
10 the threshold of action without incur
ring q single danger visible last Sep
tembcr. ana after having faithfully at
tempted to dc all that peaceful means
could do. II Spain today forces war this
nation is prepared and the verdict of Eu-
rope. of England and of the civilized
world, the conscience Of this country and
the moral sense OF mankind approves the
action Of the United States.
This magnificent triumph. moral. mate
rial, military and diplomatic, which places
the United States in an unChHllenged po-
sition, untrammcled by the recognition
of a republic unable to stand alone. and
itself alone arbiter Of the destinies Of
Cuba. has been won step by step with
out collision abroad and without dis
turbanCe at home. At the close Of six
months of delicate. difficult and danger
Gus negotiation the level Of the stock
market is higher than ii was a year ago
by fifth and railroad earnings larger
by sixth: the consumption of iron-that
most delicate and infallble barometer
of active trade--is one-third larger than
in last September; business failures are
less by the week, month and quarter and
the whole current and course of business
has expanded for a year unarrested.
d
A result like this has only been accom-
plshed by a slow, patient, masterfui pol
icy, which has won the confidence and
commanded the admiration of the country
and led congress 10 support and approval.
until today President Mckinley dominates
the situation. lie began by insisting on
the liberation Of every American. All
were freed. He gave Spain one last trial,
whose failure would leave her without
an advocate in the civilized world. AS
one last experiment he insisted on a
change in Spanish policy. Ministry, gov
ernOr general and the law and letter Of
local Spanish policy were changed In
Cuba. II was too late and the wholesale
starvation of roconCentrados both demon
strated the character of past Spanish
administration and the impossiblity Of
change at Spanish hands.
Just as this grew plain to all the world
in February the cup of Span's iniQuity
was filled by the destruction of the Maine.
Be the precise history and responsibility
of the mine which blew up the Maine
what it may, its deadly work proved the
collapse Of Spanish administration in
Cuba Nothing remained but to end a
rule which starved its subjects by thou
sands and could not keep its own harbor
safe from treacherous violence only pos
sihle to those officially IN command and
control of government arsenals and mag
azines. Grave danger still existed that
the nation under the spur and stimulus
of this treachcrous disaster would spring
to arms Cnprcpared and invoke the shock
Of war when the solemn pressure of ir-
resistble force-akin to the trial, sem
Ionce and eSeCutiOr OF court. Judge and
hargman-.Uas the I'll answer 10 SPAN
and the long record of crime in Cuba,
o
Two months will round in a week since
the Maine exploded and eight months
have passed since President tIcKinlev
began his great task. The nation is
armed ami ready. The neglect of years
has been retrieved. No single mlsStep has
been made. Spain stands convicted be-
fore the world. The United States.
backed by Irresistible force, faces the
guilty power. The Spanish fleet has left
Cuba. The Spanish garrison will fol-
low. If war q mes IL will cCme by the act
Of Spain beginning futile conflict
doomed to defeat. Avoiding all aggres-
sion, approved by all the world, the Cnit-
ed States stands forth ready not to wage
war but TO execute mercy, to do justice
and to punish crime.