New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-24
CUBA'S BELLIGERENCY.
TT HAS BEEN PROVED AND SHOULD bf
RECOGNIZED.
THE RESISTANCE TO cAMPos ENTITIES HEN ~
RETTf.R TREATMENT FROM THE
UNITED STATES.

r a., Editor of The Tribune.
CT. Ae the question Of Cuban beIligerehcy 10 %
,,o,,,. discussed at present, trust you VIII
,,,it one of your readers to make lie" reiia' No
unon this very important sup1ec"
,r -o,gress of the United States is now In ses-
sion and some resolutions have ALREADY Deer pre-
San,od asking tina, the rights OF belligerency ne
- % ,he Cuban patriots. which have been re-
Srrod IN the proper committees The Presdeh' mas
cont in his annual message, and by TINS ''''e Tue
ubo,e Nation is fully acquainted with MS Views vi
National matters Gu 49, c,ho,s
a1,oi,,, recognized by the United States as Del
uoerents9 which seems to suggest TINS o'her queS
VS. tIo,a they asked to be recognized and
r,, tho first question can hardly be asked WIFI
ont answering the second ,
I,,urera bic op!n ions honestly entertained upon
chic subject and they all seem to rest upon the
aon,ohle fact that the whole American people
,rrosnective of party afation and with character
istic patriotism. want the privilege vi ooe
oroncv extended to the brave sons or 'upa WIZ
ore fehtng for American liberty. But some people
,.. "uow can we get over our international opiiga
lions >" What about international laws? " nat
Iu IN. President do?" and What can Congress
accomplish? .,, l., s
&, obou as limited as everybody elses knowledge Is
"a 70 what the President will do in the premises
or as to what Congress can accomplish but
,b,nk that know that In this country the people
GRO supreme and they elect their President and
,he,r Senators and Representatives to do exactly
what the American people want them to DO
THE INTERN TIONAL LAW IN THE CASE.
Nov, t. there any code of international law that
all nations ore bound observe alike in all cases?
II there IT, of course the Government of the United
States will have to act according to the prescriptions
Of that code. II there is not, and each nation
does in every case what its government thinks
proper then | am sure that our rulers Will not
be found wanting In patriotism. fairness and states
manship in dealing with Cuba. country whose
destinie: are a vital question to American cviliza-
ton and American commerce. whose people are our
near neighbors, and who are fighting single-handed
for republican principles against an unbearable
foreign despotism
What claims has Cuba herself to our sympathy
and 70 our recognition? Is the of affairs in the
island Of Cuba such as to warrant our interference
in behalf Of the patriots? If we wanted to ignore
what the public press has made evident to us for
nearly ten months in that regard. cannot fail,
now that our President has told u.s. to be fully
convinced that there is cruel war going on in
Cuba since February a. which, to all appearances,
the Spanish Government Is unable to suppress.
Every school child throughout the civilized world
knows that the people of Cuba have always had
very serious grievances against the Government
OF Spain. Everybody knows that precisely be-
cause all the former colonies OF Spain In America
were badly governed and cruelty oppressed one
by they all became independent republics. as
Cuba will in the future for. as in the OF
the other colonies in the separation from the mother
country is to be found the remedy for the evils
that aflict that unhappy island.
The right OF the Cubans to redress their grievances
by armed rebellion cannot be denied by any man
who mas the faintest notion OF Justice. when
member that they have patiently waited for relief.
and that they have tried-without successful obtain
by peaceful and lawful means their fundamental
than, a.l.. .al,s TIL
although we suffered one-hundredth part Of
the niquities endured BY the Cubans for centuries
at the hands OF the most Christian Kingdom OF
Spain and where is the American statesman who
can dispute any reasonable grounds the right
of the Cubans TO sef-goyernment?
THEIR BELLIGERENCY SHOWN
Again. some people ask: Are they belligerents? %
Let us see. Since February "a Spain has sent to
Marshal Of Spain. Martinez Campos. with a body
OF brave and expert generals. and yet to-day Gen
eral Campos has practically abandoned the Eastern
and Central provinces-tw thirds OF the island-to
the patriots and stop the Irresistible advance
OF the legions of the Republic In their march toward
the Western end. which they have now invaded on
all sides One hundred and twenty-five thousand
Spanish soldiers perfectly equipped with all mod
ern implements OF war. and yet they are held at
bay by less than 5000 poorly armed Cubans, II
that Is not belligerency then what Is Il? Campos
thinks that II IL. and asks the Government at Madrid
to send him $4,000 more troops and they now
hunting around for Spanish volunteers. even to the
four corners OF the world
All that the Cubans need Is to be officially recog-
nized belligerents by the United States IN order
10 be able TO buy their arms and ammunition here.
and then 20 down TO Cuba TO do their own lighting
unmoiested by our authorities. They know them,
selves that they arc belligerents. and the Spanish