The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-04
No Departure VIII BE Made from Ac-
ton Of Former Presldents I'm Re-
gard to Cuban Wars.
BLUNDER BY THE HOUSE
CUBAN RESOLUTIONS SENT BACK by
THE SENATE FOR CORRECTION.
Conference Committees Likely to Be
Appointed - Interview with De
LOmc-Bermuda Released.

WASHINGTON, March 3.-The President
and his Cabinet undoubtedly are strongly
opposed to the present recognition of the
belligerency OF the Cuban insurgents and
to any declaration concerning their inie-
pendence as embodied in recent congress
sional resolutions. The following Is not an
official statement, but it is known from care
full inquiry that 1t accurately represents the
administration views of the matter:
while the President and the members
OF the Cabinet personally feel the ryInpathy
common to all Americans with those Cub
ans who are contending for self-government
they feel that in their official action they
should not depart from the well-se,t,ed
principles which were followed by former
Presidents and Secretaries OF State during
prior instructions in Cuba. These were
clearly set forth by General Grant in his
message OF 1875 in which he dealt with the
question of the recognition of Cuban inde-
penlence and also with that Of the recogni-
tion of belligerency. Both independence and
billigerency are facts and their recognition
by other powers, as the term implies, Is
merely formal acknowledgement OF a state
OF things which rightly or wrongly has
come about. When a people. united under
some known and defined form of government
which administers its functions by the usual
methods. come to occupy and control a
known territory over which 1t Is competent
to administer justice and within which 1t
affords protection to citizens and strangers
a new state exists. Refusal OF recognition
would not change the fact any more than
premature recognition could create 1t. The
former would be merely slight to the
new government, just as the latter is mere
ly an affront to the old one. The question.
necessarily is always what government is
actually in control of the country?
Recognition of belligerency depends on
the same facts and is only modified form
Of recognizing independence, though the lat
ter implies more perfect accomplishment.
The difference between mere insurrection
and war, though in both armed bodies are
in conflict, is that in the former only one
sovereign power is engaged, while in the
latter there must necessarily be two. II an
armed conflict be carried on by substan-
tial political organization. real, palpable and
manifest to the world, having the forms
and capable OF the ordinary functions OF
governm mt towards its own people and to
other states. having local habitation where
it may be dealt with by other nations, then
there is a war and refusal to recognize
belligerency would be willful.
I'm the absence of these features there is
nothing to take the contest out of the
category of a mere rebellious insurrection.
or occasional skirmishes, and place 1T on
the terrible footing of war. The pretense
of recognizing what does not exist is al
ways and justly. regarded as an unfriendly
act and gratuitious demonstration Of
moral support to the rebellion. 1t is UNDER
stood that, judged by these tests, the ad-
sninistration does not think the present
stage of affairs in Cuba justifies any change
in the attitude of the government. Its
function is to act and not to express feel
ing. The only action now proper is to con-
tinue to hold responsible for injuries to
American citizens the only government
which, so far as appears, has and maintains
authority in Cuba, until some other gov
ernment succeeds, at least temporarily, in
supplanting it,