The Portland daily press., 1869-05-03
shall We annex cuba.


shall We Annex CubH.
Events may at any moment bring US face to
face with this problem, and If we would de-
eide wisely we cannot too soon begin to CON
slider by what principles we will be guided in
the matter. The government cannot receive
instantaneously the impulse of the popular
will, and if our policy is to be determined On
the spur of the moment, we cannot expect our
action to be controlled by that comprehensive
craftsmanship which the deliberate Judgment
of the people can app owe. The policy OF
nation Tins irresolute is far more likely to re-
fleet the selfish caprices of artful demagogues.
Now we may discuss the question dispasson-
ately-an advantage we may not always en-
joy.
There are arguments to be offered in favor Of
annexation. These arguments are plausible,
calculated to captivate the imagination, and
especially potent with nation having such
propensity as our own for the acquisition Of
territory. But an argument may be specious
without being sound. To secure a market in
which to buy sugar and sell fcur should not
be the supreme end in nations policy. Let
# not be forgotten, moreover, that cupidity al
ways exaggerates the advantages and UNDER
rates the evils arising from self-gTatlhcailon.-
We will not dwell on the complications which
the introduction of this foreign element would
occasion in our home politics. The difficulty
we find in settling satisfactorily the status of
the Chinaman and of the negro is sufficient to
show how serious such complications may be-
come. 1t is not merely the interests of sin
gle nation, however, but the interests OF hu-
H.
for the highest interest Of the race must, in
the end, be for the interest of each individual
nation.
We labor under a very serious misapprehen-
sion if the common welfare of mankind is to
be promoted by absorbing an island like Cuba,
having peculiar wants and requiring peculiar
legislation adapted to her situation, in nation
differently situated, requiring different egisla-
lation, and of which she must always consti-
tute an isolated and comparatively insgnif,
cant portion. Our legislation cannot disciim-
mate specially in her favor. Ii she becomes
one OF us, she must take her chances under
cur general laws, and can have no redress if
our commercial regulations cramp her indus
try as they have cramped in the past the in
dustry of the South and West, and do now the
shipping interests OF New England Even
this would be great improvement ON Spanish
tyranny. But independence would be better
than either. What Cuba needs is not change
of masters, but no master at all; not annexa-
ton, but independence. Itwould be glaring
piece of meanness for Americans to beg or
bully from a neiehbor blessing which they
fought eight years to gain for themselves.
All our past acquisitions except Alaska,
(Which is hardly worthy of being considered
an acquisition) have consisted of territory
naturally belonging to us and separated from
us by artificial barriers only. OF Cuba the re-
verse is true. Here an artificial union is p- o.
posed between communities naturally distinct.
IF we would observe the results of su h a un-
ion we have only to look across our northern
boundary. The union of Canada with Great
Britain is analogous to the union which we
might expect to form with Cuba We need
ask no reading and thinking man which has
done the most for herself and tor the world,
the United States, independent, or Canada in
a state of vassalage. All English statesmen
admit that as an independent nation we have
done vastly more for the trade of England
than we could as mere dependencies,
There is nothing more potent to call into the
people than recognition of its individuality.
This opens prospect of making history ana
civilization peculiarly its own. While a ma
ton may learn much in a general way from
the history of other nations, yet the lessons of
the most immediate practical utility are those
which, being drawn from its own experience,
are specially adapted to its situation. 1t is
only by repeated trials that nation, like an
individual, can learn to direct its powers in the
right channels. 1t is only when these expert
ments are not subjected to disturbing influen-
ces from abroad that their results can be relied
upon. With the civilization OF any nation up
on the continent OF Europe compare that of
England and the United States, where, be-
cause of their isolation, its progress has been
least interrupted by disturbing influences from
without, and we cannot but be struck with the
result of the comparison. Neither of these ma
tons is perfect, but the progress of both to-
wards perfection is steady and cert lin. The
evils arising from their own mistakes are not
so mixed up and confounded with the evils
caused by foreign interference that the proper
remedy can OF be discovered. When once
discovered itsapplication is in theirown hands
Independence tor every naturally distinct
community is the true American theory The |
NATURALIZATION OF nations is the characters- |
tic of modern, conquest and annexation |
were the characteristics of ancient civilization
Independence was what the United States
needed. We believe it is what Cuba needs |
Let not Americans forget their theories only |
when there is an occasion for putting them in |
practice. If we are to help Cuba at all we |
ought to help her to independence as France |
helped us. Annexation is at best but do ubt- |
ful blessing.