New-York tribune., 1902-06-21
HONOR AND H4RNOAl.

The Cuban reciprocity business has peen
made TO turn apparentIy upon the question OF
party harmony. For weeks past efforts nave
been directed chiefly toward securing unlted
front for the Republican party. The statement
has been made that it would be possible TO force
reciprocity through by making an open hght
for it upon the floor of the Senate since enough
Democrats would support it to give 1t ma
iority over the Republicans who would oppose
ii. But party leaders have heSitated to ADOPT
such course, fearing it would cause n serious
party split, and have preferred instead to seek
TO win over the dissenting minority to a sup
port of the policy indicated by the President
and by a great majority of the Republican
party both in and out of Congress With such
desire for harmony it is easy and proper to
sympathize. Unanimous party action in po-
Htical matters is eminently desirable. Yet 1t
should not be forgotten that primarily the ques-
ton is one of honor-both part cod national
honor-and il will be pr0fitabi, TO remember
that the process of harmonizing should not be
q one-sided affair, certainly not an entire sur
rendering of the majority to the minority.
1t is question of honor. President Mckinley
so declared it President Roosevelt has repeat
edly So declared it. The honor OF the nation
was pledged to giving Cuba fair treatment
The honor of the nation is today concerned In
the fulfiimeut of that pledge. 1t is astounding
it should he incredible and imposslbie-that ID
such a matter the Republican party should
fater and palter. For the honor of the party
itself is doubIy involved; first, because the
marty is in poWer and is thus the custodian OF
the nations honor. and. again, because the
policy in question is essentially and tradition
ally Republican policy. In the EXTREMIST
pushing of the case. honor should surely be pre-
ferred TO harmony. were it necessary 10 choose
between them. But we are not willing to be-
Iieve il has come to that We cannot believe
that there are Republicans in the Senate or, in
the House who would disrupt the party for the
sake not of honor, but of dishonor. We can
not believe that responsible Republican states
men will in the last analysis decide to sacrifice
honor either for against party harmony.
Certainly if the party is TO be harmonious it
should be harmonized with the will of the ma
jority That is the true harmony-for the few
to accept the counsel and judgment of the
many In this case there can be not shadow
of doubt as to which way the majority incines.
The majority in the House favors reciprocity.
The majority in the Senate favors reciprocity.
The majority in the State conventions favors
reciprocity The popular majority, as shown in
the newspaper press and in every other way,
favors reciprocity The verdict would be unan-
nous If only the twelfth juror would agree
with the eleven. IF he persists in disagreelng
there may be no verdict but it would be mon
strous presumption for the one to lay the blame
of discord upon the eleven. It would be de-
plorabIe, a disgraceful, disastrous thing for
stubborn minority at Washington to compro-
mise national honor rather than agree with the
majority It is earnestly to be hoped the rlght
thinking majority Will not permit party honor
and national honor TO be sacrlhced ra'hef
than incur the risk Of discordant note from
some obstreperous member Of the party council
The way TO agree is to agree, and the thing 10
agree upon is the thing that is unmistakably
dictated nv the highest considerations Of
tional honor.