The evening times., 1898-03-19
SATURDAY. MARCH 1s, 1898.
The Crowning Infamy.

The American people and the cause OF
liberty in the Western Hemisphere have
been betrayed and sold out deliberately
and wickedly to Spain. IL remains 10 be
seen if the goods can be delivered That
rests with Congress. If a sufficient num-
Der Of votes can be influenced or pur-
chased in advance. then new infamy VIII
be practiced. the like of which no Ameri-
can ever before could have believed posi-
BILE.
All the friends. agencies and organs Of
the Administration are at work TO cajole
the public into thinking that, after all,
il is a mistake to accuse Mr.. Mckinley Of
completely in the bond deal. That con-
spiracy is represented as having come to
naught and ii is alleged that the Presi-
dent told John ]. McCook that he would
have nothing more to do with it. Not
withstanding these inspired stories. the
bond deal is as much alive and active
as it ever was, and the entire force and
facilities OF the Administration are being
used with avaricious vigor and persist
ence to make il successful. The con-
spirators have not given it up. as the Ad-
ministration press is trying TO convince
the country. They have only shifted their
ground.
When the unceasing exposure of the
plot by The Times had sufficiently i'm
pressed public sentiment 10 bring ques-
tfons and political interviewers to the
White House, il did not take Mr.. McKin-
ley long to discover that any proposition.
TO have the American Government in
dorse the Spanish-Cuban bonds for the
benefit of the international syndicate
would be rejected with indignation by
Congress. So that plan was dropped as
something too hot to handle. Then the al
tentative of syndicate purchase without
guarantee was adopted, and that would
have gone through swimmingly if it had
not quickly appeared that Sagasta did not
and never would dare to lend ii his coun-
tenance. This brings us to the present
situation. There is nothing left to save
the profits of the damnable conspiracy
but preservation Of the sovereignty of
Spain over Cuba.
So once more we find our godly Ad-
ministration in an ecstasy Of admiration
for autonomy" II matters not that
the Cuban patriots have fairly won their
practical independence. The sacredness
of the debt incurred by Spain in the at
tempt to re-enslave or eXterminate them.
viii not permit Mr.. Mckinley or his
council Of state to allow them to enjoy
il. The independence Of Cuba. without
assumption Of the Spanish debt. would
wipe out both profits and principal Of the
most attractive bond speculation in all
history. Hence. there is to be autono-
my forced upon the Cubans. whether
they will or no. Spain viii pretend TO
concede any plan of home rule which Mr..
Hanna may think sufficient to placate
American anger; but. that having been
done, II is to be enforced by Mr.. McKin-
ley. The government of the Cuban Re
public is to be demolished. its army dis
armed and disbanded and its surviving
population is to be set at work to pay
the interest and sinking fund upon a debt
of $3.50 O90000
It matters not that the devoted patri-
OTIS Of the island declare they viii die
to the last man rather than submit to
such an outrage. With Congress out Of
the way, Mr.. Hanna will order Mr. Nc
Kinley to use the American Army and
Navy as a Spanish posse, and to subdue
them. in the name of the new Goddess of
Liberty. and true religion. Listen TO the
pathetic words of Gen. Tomas Estrada
Palma, Cuban delegate to America, in
his appeal to civilization:
IT, unfortunately this incredible proposal be
carried into effect, and American hayonets are
srrayod against us in our struggle for freedom
and in aid Of the Spanish monarchy, we will fight
on sadly. but determined, and let history Judge
whether the vanquished had not purer ideal of
free institutions than the yictors.
If we may judge from the tone Of Ad-
ministration organs today, and particu-
larly the Spanish Heraldo. of New
York the "unholy war" against free
dom will be begun by indirection. Mr..
Mckinley does not take kindly to the
idea of assuming the whole responsible
fly. much as he may desire TO meet the
wishes OF Hanna, Rothschild, Hirsch
Bleichroder and the rest of the syndi-
cate. He will solicit the good offices of
Congress, and his associates have much
faith in their persuasive ability to ar
range a majority for him, before the
matter shall be sprung upon the Ma
tional Legislature.
When the time for action comes ii is
the present intention to refer the whole
matter to Congress. and allow the ap-
propriate committees of the two Houses
70 prepare the desired legislation. We
may be sure that nothing will be sug-
gested as to Cuban unwillingness to be