St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-05
CUBAN RECOGNITION.


CUBAN RECOGNITION.
If, as is announced, the president and
the cabinet have determined that this
government should not at the present
time, recognize the bell.gerency of the
Cuban insurgents, we thing that it is
the first serious error that has ap-
peared in Mr.. CleVyeIands foreign pol
icy. He has managed the foreign re-
lations of this couhtry with admirable
skill and rare foresight. In the Ha-
waiian matter he saved us from what
would hav> been a blasting disgrace
to the nation and a stain upon it's
name. In the Nicaragua case he paid
no heed to the ridiculous demand of
the jingoes, and taught the Central
American republics that they cannot
violate the usages Of nations, and de-
pend for support in a wrong position
upon the United States. In the Ven
ezuelan affair he not only cut the
ground from under the opposition, but
achieved a triumph whose results are
immeasurable. It is not too much to
say that the Venezuelan proclamation
of Mr.. Cleveland established finally the
Monroe doctrine beyond possibility Of
denial, and that it averted what might
otherwise have become a collision be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States. In the case of Cuba, also, he
has acted up to this time with proper
deliberation. But the day has come
when, in the interests Of justice, and
in response to the overwhelming opin-
ion of our people, the patriots in arms
against the Spanish government should
be recognized as belligerents.
We admit fully, as is set forth in the
statements sent out from Washington,
that the existence of a belligerent party
in any country is a question Of fact
That question seams to us, however, to
be settled in the affirmative. The peo-
pie of Cuba have been for ten years in
arms against the tyranny of Spain.
If at different times they have yielded
for while to the crushing power Of
military force, it has never been either
voluntary submission, or a pledge Of
future acquiescence. They have always
demanded their freedom, and for many
months now have held their own
against all the armies that Spain could
send against them. If they can derive
aid and comfort from a recognition by
the United States,a they are entitled to
it. AS we have said, it is an open
question whether a recognition of bel
Hgelency would prove to them the boon
that it is commonly imagined; but they
want it, and the people of the United
States want to- give it, and it
is inherently right, and consist
ent with our own national in
terests. Under the circumstances
as they exist, Spain is not en-
titled to regard it as hostile act. I'm
friendly she might consider it, but no
more. Her friendship we would bet
ter sacrifice rather than to permit the
carnival of horrors which Gen. Weyler
has inaugurated to go on forever un-
checked.
1t is not because of the declarations
embodied by the two houses in their
resolutions that we think the presi-
dent should take this step. The action
of the house Of representatives, at
least, counts for nothing. It's resolu-
tions by mob law represent only the
abdication' Of it's place as a deliberat-
i've body, and it's title to speak for
the people. But independent of all
else, simply in view of the situation as
it actually exists today, considering
how closely our own interests are in
volved, in behalf of people strug-
Cling against unbearable ills, in the
cause of humanity and in the name of
liberty herself, 1t is due to us, as well
as the people Of Cuba, that this nation
recognize formally a practical situa-
ton that actually exists. Not on
the ground Of mere party ex-
pediency. but for the sake of right,
and following the pointing of our duty
as a nation, we say that the admins
tration should recognize the Cuban
revolutionists as belligerents, and that
any refusal or delay hereafter must
be considered a blunder that falls little
short of an offense against freedom.