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ained that Spain was responsible for the destruction of American property by insurgents。 This Spain denied； for； while she never officially recognized the insurgents as belligerents； the insurrection had passed beyond her control。 This was； indeed； the position which the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission subsequently took in ruling that to establish a claim it would be necessary to show that the destruction of property was the consequence of negligence upon the part of Spanish authorities or of military orders。 Of other serious grievances there was no doubt。 American citizens were imprisoned； interned in reconcentrado camps； and otherwise maltreated。 The nationality of American sufferers was in some cases disputed； and the necessity of dealing with each of these doubtful cases by the slow and roundabout method of complaint to Madrid； which referred matters back to Havana； which reported to Madrid； served but to add irritation to delay。 American resentment； too； was fired by the sufferings of the Cubans themselves as much as by the losses and difficulties of American citizens。
One change of extreme importance had taken place since the Cuban revolt of 1868…78。 This was the development of the modern American newspaper。 It was no longer possible for the people at large to remain ignorant of what was taking place at their very doors。 Correspondents braved the yellow fever and imprisonment in order to furnish the last details of each new horror。 Foremost in this work were William Randolph Hearst； who made new records of sensationalism in his papers； particularly in the New York Journal； and Joseph Pulitzer； proprietor of the New York World。 Hearst is reported to have said that it cost him three millions to bring on the Spanish American War。 The net result of all this newspaper activity was that it became impossible for the American people to remain in happy ignorance of what was going on in the world。 Their reaction to the facts was their own。
President Cleveland modeled his policy upon that of Grant and Grant's Secretary； Hamilton Fish。 He did not recognize the independence of the Cuban republic； for that would have meant immediate war with Spain； nor did he recognize even its belligerency。 Public men in the United States were still convinced that Great Britain had erred in recognizing the belligerency of the Southern Confederacy； and consistency of foreign policy demanded that the Government should not accord recognition to a Government without a navy； a capital； or fixed territory。 This decision made it particularly difficult for the President to perform his acknowledged duty to Spain； of preventing aid being sent from the United States to the insurgents。 He issued the proper proclamations； and American officials were reasonably diligent； it is true； but without any of the special powers which would have resulted from a recognized state of war they were unable to prevent a leakage of supplies。 As a result General Weyler had some ground for saying； though with characteristic Spanish extravagance； that it was American aid which gave life to the revolt。
President Cleveland energetically pressed all cases involving American rights； he offered mediation； he remonstrated against the cruelty of Weyler's methods； he pointed out that the United States could not forever allow an island so near and so closely related to be in flames without intervention。 Spain； however； assumed a rather lofty tone； and Cleveland was able to accomplish nothing。 Senator Lodge and other Republicans violently attacked his policy as procrastinating； and the nation as a whole looked forward with interest to the approaching change in administration。
William McKinley； who became President on March 4； 1897； was not actively interested in foreign affairs。 This he illustrated in a striking way by appointing as Secretary of State John Sherman of Ohio； a man of undoubtedly high ability but one whose whole reputation rested upon his financial leadership； and who now； at the age of seventy…four； was known to be incapacitated for vigorous action。 To the very moment of crisis； McKinley was opposed to a war with Spain； he was opposed to the form of the declaration of war and he was opposed to the terms of peace which ended the war。 Emphatically not a leader； he was； however； unsurpassed in his day as a reader of public opinion； and he believed his function to be that of interpreting the national mind。 Nor did he yield his opinion in a grudging manner。 He grasped broadly the consequences of each new position which the public assumed； and he was a master at securing harmonious cooperation for a desired end。
The platform of the Republican party had declared： 〃The Government of Spain having lost control of Cuba； and being unable to protect the property or lives of resident American citizens； or to comply with its treaty obligations； we 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。〃 With this mandate； McKinley sought to free Cuba； absolutely or practically； while at the same time maintaining peace with Spain。 On June 26； 1897； Secretary Sherman sent a note to the Spanish Minister； protesting against the Spanish methods of war and asserting that 〃the inclusion of a thousand or more of our own citizens among the victims of this policy〃 gives 〃the President the right of specific remonstrance； but in the just fulfillment of his duty he cannot limit himself to these formal grounds of complaint。 He is bound by the higher obligation of his representative office to protest against the uncivilized and inhuman conduct of the campaign in the island of Cuba。 He conceives that he has a right to demand that a war； conducted almost within sight of our shores and grievously affecting American citizens and their interests throughout the length and breadth of the land； shall at least be conducted according to the military codes of civilization。〃
Negotiations between the United States and Spain have always been peculiarly irritating； owing to temperamental differences between the two peoples。 McKinley； however； had in mind a program for which there was some hope of success。 He was willing to agree to some form of words which would leave Spain in titular possession of the island； thereby making a concession to Spanish pride； for he knew that Spain was always more loath to surrender the form than the substance。 This hope of the President was strengthened； towards the end of 1897； by a dramatic incident in the political life of Spain。 On the 8th of August； the Spanish Prime Minister； the Conservative Antonio Canovas del Castillo； was assassinated； and was succeeded on the 4th of October by the Liberal； Praxedes Mateo Sagasta。
The new Spanish Government listened to American demands and made large promises of amelioration of conditions in Cuba。 General Blanco was substituted for General Weyler； whose cruelty had made him known in the American press as 〃the Butcher〃； it was announced that the reconcentrado camps would be broken up； and the Queen Regent decreed the legislative autonomy of Cuba。 Arrangements had been made for the handling of minor disputes directly with the Governor…General of Cuba through the American Consul General at Havana； General Fitzhugh Lee。 On December 6； 1897； McKinley； in his annual message to Congress； counseled patience。 Convinced of the good intentions of the new Spanish Government； he sought to induce American public sentiment to allow it time to act。 He continued nevertheless to urge upon Spain the fact that in order to be effective action must be prompt。
Public sentiment against Spain grew every day stronger in the United States and was given startling impulse in February； 1898； by two of those critical incidents which are almost sure to occur when general causes are potent enough to produce a white heat of popular feeling。 The Spanish Minister in the United States； Senor Dupuy de Lome； had aroused the suspicion； during his summer residence on the north shore of Massachusetts Bay； that he was collecting information which would be useful to a Spanish fleet operating on that coast。 Whether this charge was true or not； at any rate he wrote a letter to a friend； a Madrid editor visiting Havana； in which he characterized McKinley as a vacillating and timeserving politician。 Alert American newspaper men； who practically constituted a secret service of some efficiency； managed to obtain the letter。 On February 9； 1898； De Lome saw a facsimile of this letter printed in a newspaper and at once cabled his resignation。 In immediately accepting De Lome's resignation Spain anticipated an American demand for his recall and thus saved Spanish pride； though undoubtedly at the expense of additional irritation in the United States； where it was thought that he should have been punished instead of being allowed to slip away。
Infinitely more serious than this diplomatic faux pas was the disaster which befell the United States battleship Maine： On January 24； 1898； the Government had announced its intention of sending a warship on a friendly visit to Havana； with the desire of impressing the local Cuban authorities with the imminence of American power。 Not less important wa