The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-22
iii Together for
Our NafIon'S FLAG
From the New York Sun.

J rom lnC New YORK sun.
n n n HATEN ER differences of ouinion
MANI there may have been concerning
lVNW the Cuhan question, whether in
WY the white house congress, or
GrOnE the people. tAey have
not touched its vital cs. encc, but the mere
manner of its treatment. President. con-
Srcss, ana people have agreed from the
first that the only possible settlement Cf
the question was The withdrawal Of Stain
from cuba ana the establishment OF lhe
independence Of the people Of the island
Ii has been obvious 10 the Judgment of
the whole world that there was no escape
for Spain from this necessity.
d
The differences Of opinion here and
abroad have related to the methods of
procedure conventionally proper for us
under the etiquette Of diplomatic inter-
course, and to the means requisite to the
accomplishment of the end. The terms
of the joint resolution of congress,
amounting practically to an ultimatum
to Spain, have been criticised as un-
necessarily provocative of war. The feel
ing has been entertained in quarters not
open to the accusation of treachery or
malicious hostility to American honor
and interests, by General Woodford, our
minister to Spain, and even President
Mckinley, for instance that the result
would be accomplished by diplomatic ne
gotiations without the consequence of an
armed conflict. The pope also nour!shed
that hope, and undoubtedly a similar eX-
pcctation prevailed at all the great flnan-
cal circles of the world. The obvious
certainty that Spain would lose Cuba in
any event, coupled with the desperate
financial straits Of the kingdom and it's
liability to withstand internal revolu-
tionary commOtion, encouraged the belief
that with such Grace as it could it would
yield TO the demands of the United States
and of reasonable policy by abandoning
its futile attempt to coerce Cuba into
yielding to its domination.
PeremptOry as were the tone and terms
| of the joint resolution Of congress, they
! were, after ALL not more percmptory than
! the implication of the unanimous appro-
/ priatiOn by congress, with the unanimous
| applause Of the American people, of fifty
! millions of dollars to be used by the pres
ident in making a warlke demonstration
against Spain through the most impress
sve military preparations. That step,
| taken long ago, was a distinct warning,
| even positive threat 1t meant that we
were determined to enforce our demands
violently ii they were not yielded ia
peacefully That of itself was virtually
an ultimatum, and the joint resolution
lation of that practical threat into sharp
| words. Both served notice on Spain that
she must leave Cuba of her own motion
or risk a war with us. The joint resolu-
| tion merely put it in the form of words
and required that the answer be imme-
diate, that the question might be set
tied forthwith.
| Such a decision was demanded undoubt-
| edly by the business interests of this
| country and was requisite to the most
| effective use of our military prepara-
tions in case of war. The further and in
| definite continuance of suspense would
have been no less injurious to us than
can be the precipitation of actual hos.
| tilities, nay, would have been of greater
evil consequence. 1t would have tended
to paralyze still more all enterprise and
to demoralize our wa ing navy, already
| strained to almost the last point OF en-.
durance. 1t was necessary that the agony
should be ended, for it had continued un,
interruptedly from the day of the blow
ing up of the Maine and had been made
the moro intense by preparations foi
war such as had never been approached
In magnitude in our history, for no such
preparations had preceded the civil war
Either they were vain and utterly un