Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-22

torial comment is dignified and the
value of both the reports and the COM
ment is great because the influence ON
the public is direct. The Palma Al
ministration is also given good deal
of space. Some of the criticism is pure
faultfinding. Some of it is analytic
and suggestive. The opposition press
which does not like to be too pointed
in attacking the president, gets after
the members of his cabinet. The tone
is ironical and regretful rather than
abusive. In one or two cases 1t IS
quite personal. The cartoons have
real humor in them, and are not as
brutal IS in the United States. While
the Administration may be fretted, 1t
is philosophical. and the liberty OF the
press is not interfered with.
Though the Government gets plenty
of advice from newspaper criticisms.
Congress also receives its portion. The
tendency is to criticise it for not doing
more. but Congress is likely to continue
ultra conservative in legislation.
One feature of the growth of the Gov
ernmcnI i'm public confidence is in the en-
larged tolerence by the Spanish classes A
financier who represents very heavy
not find the Congress such a dangerous
body as he thought. He had been led to
believe that it would be every day upset
ting values and making commerce impos-
sible. Some merchants and importers
complain that Congress has not sought
their advice about tariff duties and other
subjects in which they have the deepest
concern. but Congress has done very lit
tie tariff tinkering, and the Spanish bust
ness man has yet to learn that in order
to be heard he must make a noise.
The Spanish classes generally, while not
enthusiastically partisans of the Cuban
Republic, feel kindly towards the Palma
Administration. Their social and char
liable organizations, which were the first
to recognize the new conditions are
growing a little more pro-Cuban and are
likely to become source of strength.
The good will Of these societies is of i'm
mense benefit. So far they have kept
quite close to Cuban politics.
The Spanish Government has remedied
one of its early mistakes. While all the
diplomatic proprieties were observed in
recognizing the Cuban republic when
other nations recognized it, the feeling
in Madrid was too strong to permit a
minister to be accredited to Cuba at once,
and Spain was represented in Cuba sim
ply by charge d'affaires. The Cuban
Government provided for legation at
Madrid, taking no notice of the slight.
Now Spain has arranged to send a min
lister to Cuba.
The Spanish commercial classes in
Havana nave been used in the European
intrigue to prevent reciprocity with the
United States. but in their case there is
more excuse than in that of England and
Germany. Spain has not much commerce
left with Cuba, but it is natural that she
should try to hold what she has and that
commercial houses which for a century
have been doing business between Sptin
and Cuba should seek to keep it. The
United States will bear them no grudge
on that account. But those merchants
themselves recognize that any diversion
is only going to be temporary one.
This whole matter of trade relations
crops out i'm dozen forms. Journals
which politically and sentimentally
have been q little antiAmerican. give il
up when it comes to being anti-American
in trade relations. Meanwhile the zeal
Gus British minister keeps up his work of
creating opposition to American recipro-
city. Now he has mild threat for the
planters. in the suggestion that recipro-
city may be interpreted by Great Britain
as in the nature of beauty. and that the
provisions of the Brussels Convention
may be applied by her.