The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-08


which will probably be the amount de-
cided upOn by this government. B0lu-
holders. while powerful. are not omnip0-
tent They will not he able to con'roi
the angry. excited and thoroughly anti
American populace Of Spain. The adhe-
rents of Don Carlos, the Republicans
who are seeking to accomplish the over
throw of the dynasty, the radicals VINO
are anxious to fOmCnt trouble on any
preteXt-all these elements would com
hinc to make Madrid, Barcelona ana
other Spanish cities the scenes of bloody
riots and wild disorder. The protest
against surrender to the desplSed ana
hated Yankees would be violent. III
would awe the government winch, ul-
less it is strangely unlike other govern
ments. will prefer to fight and retain
power than he 0vCrthrown in the effort
to preserve peace. Thus the demand
for indemnity, unless that demand Is
complied with. means war. The United
States must enforce its ultimatum with
Il movement of the fleet upon Havana
Neither can this government afford to
enter upon prolonged diplomatic corrP-
spondence. It's demand upon Spain will
bc in the nature of an ultimatum.
They do these things better i'll Eng
land. Twcnty-four hours is generally
long enough. i'll the estimation of British
authorities to bring matters to Il focus.
Occasionally they allow Il week This
was the case. it will bc remembered, in
TIL" Mason-Slidcll incident. Captain
Wilkes had taken these two Commits
SiOners from the Trent and had been
thanked by the Secretary of the Navy
and by the House of Representatives
and the press. and the people had echo
ed their cordial approval. Great Britain
made Il demand upon this government
for the release of the prisoners, and nOtl-
fed the British Minister in Washington
that if the request WAS not complied
with i'll seven days to demand his pass
ports and leave this country. He did
not 20. Avcrse to the breaking off of
diplomatic relations he quietly notified
Secretary Seward of the nature of the
demand and gave that official ample
time to prepare Il satisfactory answer.
There will be. or ought to be, some
thing of this spirit in the dealings of the
United States with Spain. y prolonged
controversy through the slow medium
of official correspondence will not be
welcomed.
Laying aside all these Speculati0ns,
and admitting that the United States
may skate successfully over the very
thin ice of disputed veracity and de
manded indemnity. there still remains
the most serious proposition Of all. Some
of these days. and the time cannot be
much longer postponed, the President
to 4 of rnt
respondence from our ConsulS in Cuba.
'Tht Sc official communications. sent
through the State Department channels,
and written by men who are responsible
to the government, will show a state
of affairs in Cuba which will Startle
the world. 1t will be found that the
stories of misery which have been oc-
casionally printed have not been exag-
gerated. The correspondence will, in
short. make three facts clear:
Tens and hundreds of thousands of
Cubans have been literally starved to
death.
The plan of autonomy for Cuba is Il
complete failure.
Anarchy and lawlessness reign in the
islands outside of Havana.
What will Congress do when this in
formation is laid before it with all the
Endorsement of governmental origin! If
Speaker Reed can have his way the
House will continue patiently quiescent.
lie believes that the condition of Il
Spanish colony is of no concern to the
United States. 1t is extremely doubtful
whether he can dominate the House
with this view. Purely sentimental
though it may be. the American spirit
is not the Indifferent, calloIBs, unbrOther-
~ philosophy of Cain. The devastation
of beautiful island Mt the very TIRES
hold of the United States. the deliber-
ate starvation of thousands of human
beings because they have committed the
crime Of seeking their liberty. will not
be- tolerated by people whose hearts are
not yet stone.
And yet what can Congress do? In
tcrvcne? Intervention means war.
The crisis that confronts the President
is a grave one. No one doubts that he
will meet it with camncss and with
courage.
1t would be unfortunate for the Prcsi-
dent, from a purely political point of
view. if. after the indemnity shall be
have been demanded. Spain should agrc
TO pay it, Over the country would sweep
an indignant protest against settling for
the lives of American seamen on the
cold and calculating ba ssi Osm ATOM
cold and calculating basis of so many
dollars for every corpse. Even i'll the
face of popular sentiment, however,
the President would do his unpleasant
duty Of receiving, shOpkeeper like, the
dollars which Spain might pay over our
national counter as an offset to human
life sacrificed and national honor insult
ed. In all international usage and law.
in all justice and right, there would be
40 other course for him to pursue.
Bitter as it might be, it would be more
iustifiablo than was hagrantly declared
over an occurrence for which Spain ;
official responsibility could not be proven
and all participation in which she had
frankly disayowed
Two paths only seem to lead to peace
the court may find the explosion an
accident, or. if otherwise, Spain may pay
fine indemnity. If these two things do
occur. it is difficult to see how the situa-
ton il to be relieved.
HENRY LITCHFIELD WEST.
ftpr VparS Of 1lntoId ca, Efar;nO from