New-York tribune., 1899-03-16
THE SPANISH STATUS.

Tho embarrassing effects of delay in ratify-
irr tbo Treaty Of Peace become daily more
onnarent. They are seen IN the matter ot thc
nccotlatlons for release Of the Spanish prison
or, in Luzon. The Spanish Government has
been trying to conduct such negotiations u''e'F
L. with thc bricands who hold the prisoners, on
the basis Of ransom. such as IS cus'oil'I! !"
dealing with bricands. But to this General OTIS
very properly objects. and he has taken steps
to make his objections effective. untiI the
troatv is ratified there is no peace, but merely
an armisticc between the United States ana
Spain. and the protocol under when lhe arms,
ticc was effected Is still in force. The United
States. therefore, is in sole authority AT Aahna'
and II alone is charged with power to deal with
rioters. and the Spanish Government mas ho
right 10 enter into any such negotiations. Natu-
rally. it wants TO get It's subjects out OF 'nc
clutches Of the brigands. But II should seek
10 do so through legal channels-namely' ny
resuming peaceful relations with the unlleu
States and then looking TO the United STATES
70 supprcss the brigandage and release the
prisoners.
Beyond doubt the United States VIII 90 that
NJ the earliest possible moment. But u VIII 90
il in its own way. and that Is not the spanish
way. We have spoken Of ransoming as the
common method Of rcscung prisoners from
brlcands. It has long been so among European
ncoples. 1t is so in Sicily and Macedonia ana
elsewhere But the United States does hol
take kindly to the ransom system various en-
tcrnrislpg brigands on the southern shore Oh
the Mediterranean Sea tried to impose II upon
this Nation century ago. just as they hau
been imposing it with great success upon Eu-
roneans. The United States demurred, became
obstreperous. and finally sent one stephen De-
cotur over there to settle the matter on some
other basis than that of ransom or tribute IL
any one thinks this Nation is going to be more
humble toward the Tagals than II was toward
tbe Algerlncs and Tripolitans he IS vastly mis-
tol;cn The prisoners will he ransomed with
steel ard lead. not with silver and gold' ana
II will he done all the sooner if Spain keeps her
hands off. stops encouraging the outlaws anu
lots us deal with them in the good old Yankee
way.
Another effect Of delay IS seen In the case OF
the CarolineS The Spaniards want TO take
their guns and munitions of war from tne fhli-
ipnincs to the CarOlines. for the stronger 1ortm-
cotion of thc latter and to this also General
Otis strenuously and effectively objects 80
long AS the protocol is in force the status quo
must be maintained Spain must not move hcr
forccs and arms about in the disputed or dis
putablc territories. For. TO put it bluntly' II
sho finally refused to ratify the treaty OF
Peace active war might have to he resumed
and then we might deem it cXpcdient TO take
nossossion of :hc Carolincs; and we have n
ricbt TO REQUIRE that under the present armls-
ticc She shall not make that latter task more
difficult for us. or course, there is no ground
for cypcctlng such extreme measures. we
have no doubt that she will ratfy the treaty.
We have no thought Of further war or OF sez-
ure Of the Carolincs. But the one certain as
surancc against the possibility Of such meas
uros will he found. ard found alone, in the rat
iGcaton Of the Treaty Of Peace. Ihat DONE
the Spanish prisoners will No redeemed without
ransom. and Spain may If she plcascs. trans
| form Ponapc into n second Gibraltar. thtll II
IS done. she will have to endure the eihDar'
rossmcnts which her own delay imposes.