The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-13
NOT OUR PLAY

If President Palma, the head of the
Cuban revolutionary party. is really
bound to Washington on the errand an
noucend by the Associated Press in
yesterday dispatches, he is wasting time
and funds that might be spent with bet
ter effect for other purposes.
The pIofessed object OF the Cuban
LEADERS, pilgrimage is to secure the active
intervention of the United States on be-
half Of the Cuban revolutionists in the
conflict now waGing bewteen them and
the mother country. Spain-intervention
to the point of physical force if necessary.
Senior Palma has probably been read
ing some OF the crimson-hued speeches.
of those valiant warriors, who, by the
way, are ineligible in military service
because of thei1 attainment of second
childhood. Senators Fry. Lodge and
Dolph, ard harbors in consequence the
hallncination that the American peonle
have forsaken the tasks of subduing the
Russian thistle and CRASH Upper, the CON-
version of hides into shoes and cotton
into clothes. and yielded up the pursuit
of prosaic bread and butter. or substi-
tute, and are standing around with
double shotted guns and two-edged
swords impatiertly waiting for chance
to Corbettize some body or something.
Well, the American people are doing
nothing of the sort, but with the ex
ceptions noted are Commercially engaged
in ininding their own business, and o
great proportion of them saving wood,
not because they like to, but because they
have to in order to live.
Senior Palma should be inform ed OF the
preoccupied state of the minds of our
people, except thoss who oyerinduige IN
New Engl land rum and Oregon cider, and
thus be permitted to save the car fare to
Washington.
That the people of this Union are in
sympathy with the struggling Cubans is
undoubtedly so. They sympathize with
the insurgents on the principle that the
right to govern rests on the consent Of
the governed. They believe that the
Cubans should govern themselves because
they wish to; that is all there is to il. II
is immaterial whether the Cubans would
furnish q bttter or worse governem 1t
than Spain does. Cuna should be ruled
by Cubans; that is democracy and in q
broad political sense the people of the
United States are Democrats. But the
sympathy of the individuals OF this fad
Grafton OF states with the people who de-
sire to establish Democratic form of
government in Cuba, does not justify the
supposition that the Federal government
should go to war to assist the latter. The
government OF the United States was not
organized for The purpose OF esta blishng
By force OF arms other republics, bit to
maintain our own, and it will be an un.
fortunate day for the citizens of the res
pective states o. the Union when the
powers of the government that centers at
Washington are used for any other than
the latter purpose. They will not, unless
arrant demagogism and senseltss senti-
ment increase in greater ratio than sound
principles and common sense among the
people whom Washington warned to
avoid entangling alliances.
Without in any way violating either
constitutional or international law, or
committing itself to any undertakings
not contem plated by the states when they
formed their co-partnership, the United
States government can recognize the bel
ligersncy of Cuba and thus allow the re-
voting Cubans the benefit of Whatever
advantages there are to be- obtained from
such recognition. For the reasons we re-.
Gently gave, it is doubtful though If the
recognition would confer any advantages.
If indeed the majority Of on. people
actually desire to engage in warfare with
Spain over Cuba and insist on doing so,
the wisest course for this government to
pursue would be to abrogate ouI present
treaty of amity with Spain, and TO per
init these people to assist the Cubans as
individuals, but under no consideration
should the government participate in this
or any other conflict between another
power and those rebeling against it.