The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-12
sPrnrr or zzn PRESS.
WHAT is TO BEooME OF CUBA ?


WHAT is To BECOME OF CUBA?
From the NJ Z. TSmes.
Some time has elapsed since we submitted
this plain question 10 the public, and events
since then have done very little towards
clearing away the difficulties which surround
&C. We have used the best opportunities for
gaining information which are open to us,
and the result of it all is that we can hear of
no facts which prove that the insurrection is
making any progress On the other hand, it
is worthy of note that some of the journals
which have urged the Government to ''re-
ccgnize" Cuba are now rather ostentatiously
proclaiming the total collapse of the struggle
for Independence. They profess to have OBJ
tanned private information which leaves no
doubt as to the accuracy of their news But
information of an exclusive kind from these
particular sources is never decisive, and the
only curious feature about the present state
ments is that they made in opposition to
the sentiments of the papers in which they
appear.
These journals appear to be smarting
under the sense of failure. But if they have
failed, it is more their own fault than that of
the Government or the public. Are they
sure that they have understood exactly what
they wanted? "Belligerent rights for the
struggling Cubans," some of them would
answer. But that proves that they did not
IL
their demand had been complied with, the
Spanish Government would have had the
right to search every American vessel out
side of an American port for contraband Of
war. We exercised the same right towards
British vessels after the recognition of the
South, and, as everybody will reoollect, nu-
merous captures were made. IL would have
been quite impossible to have conveyed any
aid to the insurgents in Cuba after bellige-
AMT rio had or M n IN
Government would have been rendered re-
Bponsible for the depredations of any vessels
which escaped--just as we are holding the
British Government responsible for the es-
cape of the Alabama.
The journals, therefore, which cried out
for the recognition of Cuba were really doing
all that lay within their power to injure the
Cuban cause.
What besides this did they ask for? Cuba
ut any price? That would have been very
intelligible demand But we do not believe
that the mass of the people would have ap-
proved of the United States Government set
ting out to seize Cuba in defiance of all law,
and as an open act of buccaneering. We
should certainly have had to go to war with
Bpain-possibly have drifted into foreign
contest of even greater magnitude than that
But let us put this consideration aside and
come to another point. Are the American
people really anxious to have Cuba at all
Y costs and hazards? 1t would, in the present
position of affairs, bring with it another
slave problem for us to settle. The slave
owners are certainly not prepared to give up
their property without struggle. Cespedes
has not been able, even if he is willing, to
abolish slavery. Cuba and slavery would
4 pome to us handin hand. No doubt we could
decree the abolition of the institution. But
would the planters be satisfied? Need we be
eager to have another South to reconstruct
By waiting patiently we believe we shall
be much more likely to get Cuba-to get her
! honestly, and free from the blight of slavery.
The Spanish Government wants moneys
Spanish Government always does Purchase
is one way of obtaining the island. But
there is still another The intelligent Cubans
are growing more and more to see that in
amalgamation with the United States rests
: their best hope of great future. They
have had nearly enough of foreign rule.
and Cuba is rapidly gravitating towards this
u Republic. But the ''filibustering" journals
., have frightened her back. They have sue
Ceeded in exciting strong patriotic feeling
in Spain, and in stimulating determination
, ON the part of the Cubans not to be ''bullied
even into an advantageous alliance Theil
line of advocacy has, in fact, been at once
short-sighted and ruinous to their own cause
Their bluster has caused Spain to send ou
more troops to Cuba than she would have
dreamed of despatching if there had been
n less vaporing and threatenings going on il
this part of the world. As for the journals
which profess to be ''Republican," and ye
which have ''dared" to express an opinion
opposed to that entertained by the Govern
ment, their course is SO abominsble that W.
must hold them to be past all forgiveness
We have been given to understand lately b.
Ehe Tribune that journal which presumes t.
differ with the administration on any poin
of public policy il faithless to its party
new code Of morality, it is true; but we hav
)a had many new codes from the same sourc
srs before now. We only hope that the ITSb,trs
"a will not circulate any more such statement
n rs it published on the 9th December-to tn
effect that the Government win soon accor
the rights of belhgerents to the Cubans.
That amounts to clear conspiracy agains
the Government. te1fl ta
% Cuba, as foreign observers besides oul
selves plainly see, must eventually be an il
-l5 tegral part of the United States. But "
can wait. We could not steal her, and th
5nsurrection is and has been too weak to wa
rant interference of any kind on the part {
ahe Government @
PERFIDY TO VIRGINIA AND AN INSUL
TO THE PRESIDENT.
Ef0m the NJ Y. World r,t r.as
The action of the House of Representative
on Monday on MIR. Bingham's bill for the In