The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-04-14
STILL UNCERTAIN.

Inc long looked IOf message Oh Ou0
President has gone to Congress and
that message advocates armed inter
vention if it is necessary to stop the
war In Cuba and establish a stable
there, and yet the situa-
ton remains clouded by uncertainty
as to whether or not there will be
war between Spain and the United
States, an uncertainty which it was
expected would be speedily dispelled
after the reception of the message by
Congress, but which, it now appears,
may linger for an indefinite period,
because of the shrewdness of Spanish
diplomacy in her latest pretence of a
purpose to establish a satisfactory
government upon the island.
The responsibility of the situation
is now upon Congress, in which body
there have been many warlike
declarations, much fighting by word
of mouth. That was when the re
sponsibility was upon the President.
How will that body act now that the
opportunity for action has arrived?
Will it take the bull by the horns, or
will it yield to the Presidents request
and again place the responsibility
upon the Chief Executive by trans
ferring to him the power to declare
war when, in his judgment, the neces
sity for such action arises?
There may be some friction be-
tween the President and Congress
upon two points in his message.
Some think that Intervention and in
dependence should go hand in hand
and some think that the time for
dilly ,dallying has passed and that
Congress should authorize the Presi-
dent to use armed intervention at
once. 1t is expected, however, that
a majority in Congress will give sup
port to the recommendations of the
President, which means an endorse
ment of his view that the war il
Cuba shall stop and that the United
States will use armed force to stop
it, if it cannot be stopped otherwise,
and that it will be left to the Presi.
dent to say whether force shall be
used and when. This will probably
mean further diplomatic negotia-
lions before the final crisis is reached
in view of Spain's latest move. Time
may be taken to investigate the true
meaning of her proposition, although
before this was sprung the President
declared that he had exhausted
every effort to relieve the intolerable
condition of affairs which is at oul
DOORS" and although the majority
of the American people have no con
fdence in anything that Spain may
propose and think that the time fo
action has fully arrived.
The proceedings Of Congress fo
the next day or two will be o
supreme interest and it's action upol
the Presidents message is awaited
most anxiously. 1t seems tina
delay is probable and yet the event
Of the next day or two may clearl.
define the course of the controversy
We base our opinion of delay upol
the superstition that the majority @
Congress, the Presidents own party
will accede to the request of tn
message that the war-declarini
power be entrusted to him and upol
the Presidents brief reference t,
Spain's order for cessation of hostil
tiles in Cuba, upon which he make
this comment: eff this measure al
tains a successful result, then GU
aspirations as a Christian, peace
loving people, will be realized. If
fails, then the fact will be only an
other Justification of our conten
plated action"
This, of course, implies the idea {
time for Spain to show that her las
movement is success or g failure.
Doubtless, the Democrats will e
on record as favoriDg immediat
armed Intervention with the recogn
ton of the independence~of Cuba.
short time ago there was an intima
ton that enough Republicans woul
join them to pass such resolution
but past experience indicates tina
Reeds whip will manage the Reput
| cans.