Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-04-29
ON WITH THE WAR.
OUR CORRESPONDENT IS i'll.
BllANT.

uS '.tliS Attention to Some His
torical Facts of the Near Pas,
t" Fix the Responsibility for
Delay of an Inevitable Result.
From our Regular Correspondent.
: WASHINGTON, April -, 1898.
Glory hallelujah. The scales hav,
dropped from Mckinley's eyes; Ameri.
cans are to have an opportunity tc
avenge the Maine, and Spain is to be
whipped out of Cuba. This was made
certain when Mr.. Mckinley signed the
JOINT resolution adopted by Congress
authorizing the use Of the L.. 5. army
and navy and the militia of the several
States to drive Spain out of Cuba, and
forwarded an ultimatum to Spain de-
manding the immediate evacuation of
Cuba, and giving notice that unless a
satisfactory answer was received by
Saturday he should proceed to carry
out the provisions of the resolution.
The nature OF the answer was made
known in advance by the Spanish
ministers demanding his passports
and leaving Washington. after notify
ing the Department of State that the
French Ambassador and the Austrian
Minister had been authorized to act
jointly in looking after Spanish in
terests in the United States. So that
no matter when or where the first
gun may be fired, the United States
and Spain will be considered by them
selves and the rest of the world as at
war with each other on and after Sun
day.
This is not the time to exploit
partisan politics. but it is only matter
of justice to the Democrats and Popu-
lists in Congress to keep the record
straight, by calling attention to the
Tact that the position occupied by Mr..
Mckinley and his administration and
party to-day has been that of the
Democrats and Populist in Congress
since the announcement of the blow.
ing up Of the Maine. The latter are
not asking any special credit for their
thoroughbred Americanism, which has
helped the people of the country to
force the administration into fight
ing humor. Like the brave marine
who reported to Capt. Sigsbee that his
ship had been blown up, and like
Capt. Sigsbee and Fitz Lee, they have
only done their duty; but on the
other hand. they should not be de-
prived of the credit due them, by those
who allowed themselves to be bam-
boozled by the trickery OF Spanish
diplomacy into believing that peace
full settlement OF the account between
the United States and Spain could be
arrived at, until an indignant and
aroused public sentiment opened their
eyes to the real situation, and who
now claim that the present situation
has been brought about by their policy,
when it exists in spite OF their policy.
Getting himself in a fighting humor is
not the only way in which Mr.. Nc
kinley has followed the Democrats.
Although he opposed the recognition
of the independence of the present
government of Cuba with so much
vehemence that he succeeded in hav.
ing it struck out of the resolution after
it had been adopted by the Senate, he
has since practically. if not officially,
recognized the Cuban republic by
treating with its officials, through Gen.
Miles
Owing to the late day in which Mr..
Mckinley abandoned hopes of peace
and the delay in ordering the troops
OF tile regular army south, and in
issuing the call for volunteers, the
most that this government can do un.
til it has succeeded in getting an in
vading army ready tor embarkation
at points adjacent to Cuba is to block
ade Cuba with our warships, and to
wait for the army to be got ready.
1t is too late to find fault now, but the
facts are stated in order that it NAV
be understood why Cuba is not at once
taken. 1t will be but waste of am.
munition for ships to batter down the
forts at Havana, until We have an
army on shore to see that the
Spaniards do not get away to the in.
terror OF the island. No halfway bust
ness is wanted. 1t is expected that
the orders to blockade Cuba will be
issued not later than Sunday, and
that the fleets in Hampton Roads and
at Key West will move at once
and begin the work. Meanwhile, tn
troops are being massed in the South
as fast as possible.
The old gold bond scheme cropped
up again this week. Those behind it
thought it possible to take advantage
OF the enthIsed patriotism of Congress
to rush through bill authorizing an
issue of gold bonds, but at the first
hint OF the scheme they discovered
their error. The Democrats would
not go so far as to support the reso-
luton offered by Senator Allen, ab-
solutely prohibiting any further in
crease in the bonded Indebtedness of
the country, but they will never allow
bill providing for an issue Of gold
bonds to pass, war or no war. They
can be counted upon to give the adj
ministration every legitimate support
in raising money to conduct the war,
just as they have done up to this time,
but they will never be tricked by any
gold bond scheme. Dem.