Evening journal., 1900-07-06

present financial and industrial good
condition. Amy denunciation of the
Republican Congress for giving the
country the single Gold standard and
for increasing the powers of the ma
tional hanks will haveflittle force in
view of the increased volume of cur
rency and the general reduction Of in
terest rates.
The president can safely go before
the country upon the record he has
made. In the Republican platform
of 1896, referring to Cuba, the party
declared: a
eve believe that the government Of
the United States should actively use
Its influence and good offices to restore
peace and give independence to the
island.r
How effectively that pledge has been
and is being carried out the world
knows. Anxious to evade the horrors
Of war, the president strenuously en-
deavored to bring about a solution Of
the Cuban difficulty by peaceful means.
He persisted in this policy so far that
leven many members Of his own party
became impatient When war could no
longer be avoided the country found in
him a patriotic and efficient leader
/ Under his direction, an army was crea-
ted which at FL Caney and San Juan
/ Hill added new lustre to American
arms, while the navy, always ready for
action. swept the Spanish fleets from
the seas at Manila Bay and Santiago de
Cuba. Victorious in war, the nation
was generous in peace Seldom have
such terms been given to a vanQuished
foe as We're granted to the Spanish
government in the Treaty of Paris. The
war undertaken for the liberation Of
Cuba had accomplished its object It
had grave results and entailed grave
responsibilities but gave great oppor-
tunities for the development of the in
Iterests of the United States which were
unforeseen at its inception. Grave as
these responsibilities were, the president
did not shirk them. Had Porto Rico
been left in the possession Of Spain.
the same system of government which
proved so intolerable in Cuba would
have been continued in that island, and
sooner or later the United States would
have been compelled to abate this nui-
sance also. For the autocratic rule OF
Spain there has been substituted in
Porto Rico a government in which the
people Will participate so fast and so
far as their capacity for self-govern-
ment will admit With larger exper-
ience, they will be given increased re-
sponsibilities.
When Admiral Dewey's guns destroy
ed the Spanish feet in Manila Bay the
sovereignty of Spain in the Philip
pines came to an end. That govern
ment its feet annihilated and its army
defeated. could never hope to re-estab-
lish its power in the far-off Pacific is
lands. Two courses We're open to the
president. He could leave the islands
to anarchy and 10 long and bloody wars
between the eighty-four tribes that in
habit them, or he could replace the
sovereignty of Spain with that of the
United States, and institute a policy
which would have for its end the paci-
fication Of the islands and the gradual
elevation cf their people into an en-
I lightened, self-governing community.
The latter alternative was chosen by
the president, and time will demon
strate the wisdom of his decision. A
single tribe, influenced by the ambi-
tion of Emilio Aguinaldo, who aspired
to establish his dominion over all the
islands and various tribes, revolted
against American rule. That revolt
precipitated by Aguinaldo in the face
of the conciliatOry policy of the ad-
ministration, is now put down, and
Wherever American authority has been
extended local self-government has
been established. schools have been
lopened. and the natives have an oD-
pormnity of experiencing the benef-
cial results Of the American system Of
government
The pledge given by Congress and
the administration TO pacify Cuba and
establish an independent government
lis being carried out in good faith. Not
! for a century has Cuba passed through
such a peaceful period as has followed
| American occupation. Law and order
have been established throughout the
j island and its inhabitants have been
! able to devote themselves to the avoca-
/ tions of peace embarrassed by the agents
of a tyrannical government. Rapid pro-
I gress is made toward the establishment
of an Independent government. The
Municipalities have been under Cuban
tOUIIOl SllliG AUltAAN4n 0ANtl lNANAN-- ~
I gan. municipal elections have been
held, and the framing of a constitution
and the establishment of a national
government viii follow as the nexl
step. 1t is true that some of the sub
ordinate officials sent to Cuba have
proved unworthy of their trust and OF
the confidence which the administration
: reposed in them. But the frauds are
!, small compared with many that some
4 times occur in our town cities ant
states: and an object lesson of inesu
mable value has been given the Cubani
= of how we deal with such misconduct
They were already familiar with pecu
lation; but now, for the first time, the!
see it punished with vigor, swiftnes
o. and severity
The various peoples that have beel
brought under the American flag as
3 result of the Spanish war will enjo,
+ such a degree of political liberty an
n of material prosperity as they hav
o never known before This in itsel
v would justify the policy of the admins
frafiou The fact will nof bo lost sigh