New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-21
NO SOUTHERN ANNEXATION.

Rumos that there Is strong public feeling
in Guatemala in favor of annexation to the
United States are evidently premature. The
cOfee-planters, who are represented as advo-
Gates of this policy, would have nothing to gain
by annexation in a business sense, since their
staple is now received in the American market
without payment Of duty, and the privilege OF
a free market can be permanently secured
through Reciprocity negotiations. The political
groups will inevitably be hostile to policy
which will deprive them of occupation and au-
thority. The Spanish American States arc with
out exception exceedingly Jealous of their indie
pendence and autonomy. They do not desire
to be admitted into the political system Of the
United States. They have modelled their con-
situations and institutions after those of the
Northern Republic, but have continued to apply
the principles of democracy and federation in
their own way and to work out their own prog
ress without Interference from any quarter. For
eigners residing in those countries and not
amassing fortunes as rapidly as they would like
to do may sometimes discuss the advantages Of
annexation to the United States, but there is
no real sentiment of that kind among the masses.
The only Spanish community in
which annexation is seriously considered by the
influential classes is Cuba. If any encourage
ment were offered by the United States that
policy would have the support of strong body
of public opinion on the island. The circum-
stances there are peculiar, and differ essentially
from the conditions prevailing elsewhere. Cuba
and Puerto Rico are the only Spanish posses
sions in the New World which have failed to
obtain independence and the privileges of self
o.n1
dependencies of the United States, that being
the only market where their sugar can be sold.
The force of economic gravitation toward the
Northern Republic is felt in Cuba as it is no
where else in Spanish America. But even there
annexation tendencies will be retarded if not
counteracted by successful Reciprocity negotia-
tons. Commercial emancipation will block the
progress at least temporarily, and probably
permanently of political union.
The American instinct is against enlarge
ment Of the National domain by peaceabie ac-
QUESTIONS in the South. The erratic and turbu-
lent genius Of the Latin races does not fit in
with the staid and practical capacity of the
AnglO-Saxon for political government. The re-
spOnsibility OF governing on terms of federal
equality a Spanish Amcrcan community adj
United into the Union as a sovereign State is
not one to be assumed except under pressure
of imperious necessity. There is not one Span
iSh-speaking or French-speaking republic on this
continent which Americans have any desire to
annex. They might have had Cuba long ago
if they had been willing to face the responsible
ity of governing it but they did not want it
on any terms, and rcfrained during the un-
fortunate war for independence from taking
such action as would have brought the island
quickly into the Union. Reciprocity and COM
mercial union are the supreme objects of Ameri-
can policy in the South. Nothing moro is
wanted