The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-08
The Presidents Proclamation.

Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The presidents proclamation touch-
| ing upon the neutrality laws, is an en-
traordinary document. considerinS The
| fact that II Is issued to the people of iht
United States al the close of the nine
| teenth century, a period when the last
yestiges of tyranny and human oppres-
sion upon the American continent. ana It's
adjacent islands, should be forever wiped
out, and the clang of the tyrant's chain
no longer heard along the coasts of the
new world. But the president has simply
acted in his executive capacity. The neu-
trality laws appear upon the statute
books; they are the enactments OF our
national congress, and the spirit, pro
visions and implication Of these laws give
the president the right to proclaim them.
and to demand their enforcement.
But what should be- the import Of our
neutrality laws when We come to deal
with nations on this side of the Atlantic,
who, like the american colonies" hav.
done, endeavor to remove the shackleF
which bind them to Il yoke entirely for-
eign to the principles of American repub-
lcanism? Are our neutrality laws con-
strued and enacted i'm accordance with the
spirit of the Monroe doctrine? 1t is not
our province to question what might De
termed the tolerant spirit of our neutral
ity laws. but II Is evident that the wis
dom Of our laws should be conducive to
the best interests of America. The line OF
demarkation should be drawn between
republican principles of freedom, and the
imperial and despotic notions of freedom
peculiar to the monarchical governments
of EurOpe-antiquated notions which are
not in accord with the advancement o;
the age The declaration of American in
dependence Is the Srandest and most lib
eral instrument of human freedom eX-
tant. 1t Is the standard by which We
should be guided when we speak of uc-
cording freedom to other struggling pco-
pies.
The sons of cuba are today inspired
with the force which the thoughts of free
| dom imparts; and it is neutral. though
prohibited by neutral laws, that the syn.
pathy and material aid of some of the
| residents of the United States should DE
extended to the Cubans. History hereby
| simply repeats itself of which fact Texas
presents an instance worthy of mention
| The history of Texas may be summed W
| in the past six decades. and allusion to II
shows that the Texan movements for
| freedom were similar to the advance
| made by the Cubans at the present time
| In 1921. when Mexico and Texas had de-
clared their independence from Spanish
| rule. 1t was evident that Texas would
ascend to clearer state of freedom
more congenial to the Texan mind than
| that enjoyed by the MeXicans. Accord.
| ngly, in 1889. the present Lone Star
| State" raised the standard of indepeud-
ence. Residents Of the United States
| then went to her assistance. and helped
to win her battles. The same form OF
atrocity was then dealt to the Texans
which marks the course of Spanish rule in
Cuba. Eight thousand Mexicans mas
sacred the feeble garrison at Fort AL
amO on the 9Th of March. 1885. among the
massacred being Hon. David Crockett, ex-
| member of congress from Tennessee. In
| the following month the battle Of San
| Jancinto decided the victory for Texas.
which was acknowledged by the United
| States. Great Britain and France. Cen
| eral Sam Houston. who led the Texans to
| victory, was Virginian. He was a man
whose strength of character determine =
| ton and love of freedom had made his
name memorable in connection with the
freedom of Texas. even though his name
might not have been placed in the cate
CORY of 'hllibusters.'
The histories of the Greek colonies the
supremacy of Athens: the conquest of
Macedonia and Greece by the Romans.
| and the history of Rome ITSELF Cartha e.
| and all the nations of Western Europe,
show how fierce have been the struggles
for imperial supremacy or the freedom of
| the people as the case might have been.
| And as the historian carries his thoue h 8
| back to that age which marked the sum-
| NIT of Pagan glory. and down through
| the Mediaeyal ages. and in the period of
| time. when Spain herself struggled ma n
| fully for her political existence. when her
| Ibarian tribes and Phoenician colonies
were stibdued by the Cartha ginians. who
| themselves, i'm their turn were overDow-
| cred by the Romans. he perceives through
| out the historic field that the struggle
| for freedom prevailed then as ii does now.
| And SO 1t shall continue in Cuba until the
despotic sway of Spain i'm the Caribbean
sea shall drop into history as an event of
| the past
At the present time the geographical
| Importance Of Cuba and its proximity to
| the United States may not have received
| that degree of consideration which they
merit. Sicily In the Mediterranean stands
prominent In the annals of ancient his
tory. Cuba washed by the waters of the
Caribbean and the adjacent islands in the
Atlantic. shall yet act a prominent part
! In the history Of the American continent.