The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-15
The President Should Stop 1t.

The President Should Stop 1t.
The Importance of getting rid of
Blanco at Havana has been recognized
by the President and the public ever
since the signing of the protocol, when
he surprised reasonable mankind by
maintaining the attitude he had as
sumed when he took control there.
Blanco's utmost concession was
TO permit the Red Cross and
Government contributions to the
starving people to be landed
and distributed on the payment of
an enormous and impossible sum into
the bankrupt treasury of Spain. The
President was Indignant and announced
his purpose to end this intolerable con-
dition under which people We're con-
demned to starvation. But on investi-
CATION he discovered that the terms of
the protocol were too loosely made, and
were not specific enough, TO compel the
Spanish commander to more liberal
course. There was nothing to do but
wait for the Commissioners to arrange
for the evacuation of the island as
quickly as possible.
Although human lives depend on the
expeditions work of the American
Commissioners. every days delay be-
ing paid for by the deaths of innocents,
! the Commissioners show no disposition
to hasten the end. On the contrary
/ they have themselves, under the dead
ening influence of SIMPSONS bureau
methods, devised the plan that will
postpone the evacuation to the latest
possible day. They have decided to do
| all the simple business by correspon-
dence. Several days ago they reached
Havana By this time their work
should have been virtually completed.
1t has only begun. After days of pre-
liminaries. they have sent their first
| communication to the Spanish repre-
sentatives and will now go to Florida,
to return Monday, when it is thought
there win be a Spanish answer to this
first document. At the pace they have
set it will be we'll along in 1899 before
the arrangements for Spanish eyacua-
ton will be made.
The slow-moving Cubans are taking
dizzy pace by comparison. They
have begun political campaign for the
independence of the island. and long
before the American Commissioners
have achieved a single thing they will
have held convention and elected a
provisional government. Blanco and
his associates are not inclined to hurry
matters. The longer the delay the
larger the revenues of Spain from the
high customs duties. Blanco, himself
will become a blooming multi-million-
aire by the sale of government prop
erty to business men and others. He
has already transferred to a Havana
club very choice bit of real
estate, apparently as a gift. though il
is safe to say his commission as agent
is a nice sum.
1t is already time for the President to
interfere and stop this nonsense. The
selection of Sampson as one of the
| Commissioners is the same old mis-
| take but as he is used TO being prod
ded by the President it is not necessary
TO hesitate on his account That it is
his influence that has caused the Com
| missioners to adopt their time killing
method is obvious. The Cuban Com
mission has assumed all the airs and
red-tape methods of a diplomatic body
with great questions of state before il.
AS a matter of fact, its proper business
is simply TO set a date for Bianco to get
| out, and to see that he gets out II
the President does not notify the mem
| bers to do up the work in a week he
will have reason to call them home and
| appoint business men for the duty 10
the course Of the next four months.
i