The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-07
PROMPT AND VIGOROUS ACTION
NEEDED.

Hon. Robert p. Porter, i'm his recent mes
sage to President Mckinley. reporting the
results of his mission to Cuba and SUCCESS
full negotiation with General Gomez, ex-
pressed the opinion that the United States
government was too slow in its methods in
Cuba. There is he said, too much dispo-
sition to discuss minor details. There is too
much hesitancy in bringing matters to a
head" He is right. A look backward over
the events of the last few months must con-
vince any candid observer, even the most
patriotic American. that we have suffered
by our dilatory methods and lost important
advantages by not pushing things. We have
been too lenient and too little disposed to
seize and improve opportunities. This is not
the fault of the President or the admins
tration. 1t is the weak point of repub-
lican government. which makes the eXecu-
tive power largely dependent on the legis-
lative, and both on popular sentiment.
Where so many motives are involved, with
so much subdivision of responsibility, there
must be slowness of action. In times of
emergency, especially of war. a govern
ment should be prepared to act promptly, to
strike quickly and hard, to take advantage
of every opportunity and follow up one
blow and one advantage with another.
There should be no waiting by one depart
ment of the government on another, no
waiting on popular sentiment, no consider
alton of anything except the immediate
utilization of opportunities as they offer.
The way to make war is to make it. and
the fruits of war should be gathered when
they are ripe. without stopping to discuss
moral principles and minor details.
That the United States has erred and suf-
fered in this respect during the past few
months cannot be doubted. The first mis-
take was the protocol for the suspension Of
hostilities. When the protocol was signed,
Aug. u, 1898. we had Spain thoroughly
whipped. Her fleets were destroyed, Santi-
ago had surrendered, the Spanish troops in
Cuba We're cut off from reinforcements or
supplies, and Spain was helpless. At that
point she proposed a protocol for the sus-
pension of hostilities and looking to the APP
pointment of a commission to discuss terms
of peace. Everything was going our way
anu ~ - 1917 ~ NAN Il =
was no occasion for a protocol or a peace
commission and long discussion of terms.
We should nave dictated them in the form
of an ultimatum on the basis of this or
n%othing-this or a continuance of the war.
The protocol was a victory for Spain, be-
cause it placed her on negotiating ground.
We should have nswere the request for a
suspension of hostiities with an ultimatum
of our terms of peace and notice that if
they were not accepted we would push
things more vigorously than ever. Spain
would have accepted the inevitable and we
should have avoided the tedious peace ne
g~otiation at Paris and the Philippines com
plication. In war. the time for a victor to
push things is when he has the power. In
tho German-Frenc war the victorious Ger
mans granted the French an armistice from
Jan. 2S. 1871, to Feb. 10. There was no pro-
tocol and no delay. Bismarck dictated the
terms of peace at Versailles. The negotia-
ton began Feb. p and ended Feb. %. Two
days later the terms of peace were laid be-
fore the French Assembly. which ratified
them March /. This practically ended the
war. and Is only remained to formulate a
treaty. This was done at a conference be-
tween Bismarck and Jules Favre, repre-
sorting France. which began May 6 and
ended May 10. The Emperor William rati-
fed the treaty on May 16, the French As
sembly on May Is. and the Publications
were exchanged on May %. That is the way
for a West to end a war.
! The delay Of the Senate in ratifying the