The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-31
Conservative Words
OF Timely Import

VI AltAkAhy AlikHSAA
CD HE Philadelphia Ledger perhaps
III the most careful, judiciOus and con-
III serNative newspap per in the United
III States, said in It's leading editorial
yesterday: "The United States
does not want war with Spain, nor with
any nation, and it will do whatever it
may or can dc to avert war if it shall be
permitted to do it with honor dignity
and regard for the supreme claims of hu-
manity. If these things shall not be per-
mitted then our people will not shrink
from the alternative of peace and they
will accept war with so few and low dis
sentng voices that the opposition will
be unheard in the general demand for the
upholding of national honor and the as
surance Of justice for the oppressed.
"It is declared that Spain proposes,
first that there shall be deCreed a pro-
longed armistice in Cuba, lasting until
October; second, Spain will concede TO the
United States the privilege of sending
food and medicine to the starving and
disease stricken reconcentrados on the
| island, but only in merchant vessels. un-
accompanied by ships of war; third,
| Spain is willing to grant TO the Cubans
a scheme of autonomy more liberal and
| comprehensive than that previously Of
| fered and rejected but which shall reCog-
| nize in practically every essential ele-
| ment the continued sovereignty of Spain
| over Cuba. Whether or not these are the
| exact provisions of Spains proposals can
| be at present only surmised from COM
| monty accepted report. Assuming their
| general accuracy, however, it is unlikely,
| incredible, even, that they will prove ac-
| ceptable to the intelligence and integrity
| of our government or people. Neither
| government nor people can be ignorant
! of Spanish policy.
| 1T is an old story, and it Is not dis
tnguished for good faith one recent ex-
| ample of 1t may be found in the letter of
| Senior De LONE to Senor Canalejas. Both
| the author and the recipient of this now
| famous document We're high diplomatic
| agents of Spain The first was her minis
ter to the United States; the other, a spe-
cial commissioner to Washington and
| Cuba, accredited not to our government
| but to his own. Senior de LONE wrote to
his associate diplomat that Spains plan
| of autonomy for Cuba was a trick and de-
| vice of Spanish diplomacy; a scheme hav-
ing no other purpose than that of gaining
| time for preparation to defeat the policy
| of the United States. The letter similarly
| suggested that 1t would be a good time
for the further begulement of our eov-
| ernment to exploit the idea of entering
!
| commercial treaty between Spain and
| this country. The dishonesty and insin-
| cerity of the Spanish government i'm its
pretended efforts to tranquilize Cuba by
| granting wise, just concessions to it's
oppressed people, and to effect a CONNER
cial treaty with us, were confessed by De
| LONE and fully established subsequently
by the publication of his insolent missive
to his diplomatic coadjutor
o
"In view of this recent revelation of
Spanish insincerity, Spain having now
the same motive for delay as she then
had, why should she again be trusted
and granted the further time for prepa-
ration, which she needs and seeks? Why
should her later scheme of autonomy be
confidently accepted when her own MN
lister has told us that her former one
was sham and fraud? Why, of all in
comprehensive and inconsistent things,
should this country feed the multitudes
of men, women and children who, ny
| Spain's deliberate policy, are being given
over to the horrors of starvation, or TO
disease and death? Spain drove them
from their homes, burned their houses,
barns and crops; desolated their fields.
deprived them of all and every means OF
bare existence, and now condescends u
say that We may be permitted to feed
them, rebuild their houses and barns, sup
|
and afford them, from our stocks and
store, in every way, with the means oi
living?
"These means should and must be fur
, nished them, if not by Spain, by us
Their rescue is duty which we cannot
put from them or us, which is owing tC
God and humanity. If they will not dc
it we must and will do it. But why
! should this country not say to Spain
Feed your people, whom you are starv.
ing, or let them go free? Why should
this country not say to Spain, at any
: risk If necessary, You shall cease your
, cruel barbarities, your policy of inhumar
. massacre, of deviish starvation in Cuba
, Why ask Spain, if we intend to send the
| bread and medicines, in what sort OF shiI
we shall send them? Who made SpaiT
the arbiter of Gods laws and the law:
of humanity? There are worse thing,
than war, and they are to be daily seen in
; Spain's Cuban policy. Even in the battl,
!. din said Lowell, there may be diyineC
A some text of Gods, and it is as true nov
, as ever before it was. that th,
: sheathed blade Tay rust with darker sin
than that of blood shed in the cause o
a oppressed humanity and national honor,
o
1.-THE country wants peace, and 1t want
> the assurance of IL. The present condi
| tlOn is not one OF peace Inc WnOle Ian'
I rings with the clamor of preparations TO
!. ! war. Business IL paralyzed by uncer
r tainty; enterprise mas been halted an
. fears TO advance The condition Is m
y tolerable it is disastrous and ruinous
a Our government will be unwise to prolonI
n it by granting Spain more months Il
which to increase her warike strength
1t cannot afford to palter with opportun
. ity; with the honor and dignity of tn
nation; with the claims OF humanity
Peace. all Intelligent, patriotic men want
: but they do not want 1t as the price 0
national dishonor. The spirit of peace
$ of fair compromise. of Just concessio
d should prevail in the councils OF the gov
ernment in all its dealings with Spain
but the spirit CT Justice and humanit
should not be surrendered to that OF sor
q did and cowardly expediency."