The Portland daily press., 1896-12-08

suit would appear to be in the true inter
est OF all concerned, 1t would at once
stop the conflict which is ROW coDsumine
the resources of the island and maxine II
worthless for whichever party NAV rslti-
mately prevail. 1t W ould keep intact tbe
possessions of Spain without threatening
her honor which will lie conserved rather
than impugned by tie adequate redres $
of admitted grievances. 1t would nut
the p1osperity of the island and the for
times of its inhabitants within their own
control. without severing the natural and
ancient ties which bind them to file
mother country, and would yet enable
them to test their capacity for self gov
ernmept under the most favorab ble
ee,,i and,tinns tnn n has been objected oI, tpe
one side that Spain should not promise
autonomy until hei insnrgent subjects
Law down their arms; on tie other side,
that nromised autonomy, however liberal
ia Insufficient, because without assurance
of the pI pIomise being fulfilled. But the
reasonableness of requirement By Spain
of unconditional surrender on the part of
the insurRent Cuoahs telole tier
autouomy is conceded. is not altogether
appsrept. 1t ignores important features
Of the situat!on-the stability two years
duration has given to the lnsurreGtion;
the feasibility of it's indefinite prolonga-
tion in the nature of things. and rs
shown by past experience, the ntter and
i'm minent ruin OF the island, unless
the present strife is speeally composed; !;
above ALL the rank abuses which all par
ties in Spain, all branches of her govern.
mept. and all her leading public inen
concsde to exist and profess desire TO
remove.
Facing such circumstances, to with
hold the proffer of needed reforms until
the parties demanding them put them
selves at her mercy by throwing down
their arms, has the appearance of neglect
ing the gravest Of perlls and inviting
suspicion us to the sincerity of any pro-
fessed willingness to grant reforms.
The affection on behalf of the insurgents
that promised reforms cannot be relied
upon must of course be considered,
though we have no right to assume, and
no reason for assuming, tnab anything
Spain undertakes to do for the relief of
Cuba will not be done according to both
the spirit and the letter OF the undertake
ing.
Nevertheless, realizing that suspicious
and precautions Oh the part of the weak
or of two combntants are always natural
and not always unjustifiable, it being
sincerely desired in the interest of both
as well as on it's own account that the
Cuban problem should be solved wl.h the
least possible delay, it was intimated by
this government to the government of
Spain some months ago that, IL salts
factory measure of home rule were ten
Iered the Cuban insurgents, and would
be accepted by them upon guaranty of
its execution, the United States would
endeayor to find way not Objectionable
to Spain of furnishing such guaranty.
While no definite response TO this intima-
tioo has vet been received from the
Spanish government it is bslieyed to be
not altogether uDweloome, while as al
reaoy suggested no reason Is perceived
why it should nor be approved lly the
| insurgents Neither party can fail to see
the Importance of early action and both
must realize that to prolong the present
state of affairs for even short period viii
add enormously to the time and labor
| and expenditure necessary to bring about
the industrial recuperation of the island.
| 1t is therefore feryently hoped on all
grounds that the earnest effolts for heal
| ing the breach between Spain and the
insurgent Cubans, upon the lines above
indicated, mag be at once inaugurated
and pushed to an immediate and success
full issue The friendly offices of the
United States, either in the manner
above outlined or in any other way con-
sistent with our constitution and laws,
will always be at the disposal of either
party. Whatever circumstances may
arise, our policy and our interests would
of the island or an interference with it's
control by any other poWe
Tt shopld be added that it cannot be
reasonably assumed that the hitherto OK
nectant attitude of the United States will
be indefinitely maintained. While we
are anxious to accord all due respect to
the Sovereignty of Spain, we cannot
view the pending conflict in all its
features, md properly apprehend our in
vita bly, close relations to it, and its pes
sible results, without considering that by
the course of events we may be drawn
into such an unusual and unprecedented
condition, as win fix limit to our
patient waiting for Spain to end the con-
test. either alone and in her own way, or
with our friendly cooperation.
When the inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the insurrection has
become manifest and it is demonstrated
that her sovereignty is extinct in Cuba
for all purposes of its rigbtful existance,
and when hopeless struggle for it's re-
establishment has degenerated into a
strife which means nothing more than
the useless sacrifice of human life and
the utter destruction of the very subject
matter of the conflict, q situation will
be presented in which our obligations to
the sovereignty of Spain will be super.
seded by higher obligations, which we
can hardly hesitate to recognize and dis
charge.
Deferring the choice of ways and methods
until the time for action arrives, we should
make them depend upon the precise con-
ditions then existing; and they should
not be determined upon without giving
careful heed to every consideration in
volvins our honor and interest, or tine
international duty we owe to Spain.
Until we face the contingencies suggested
or the situation ia by other incidents
imperatively changed. we should scon-
tinue in the Eline of conduct heretofore
pursued, thus in ali circumstances ex-
hibiting our obedience tn the require
ments Of public law and our regard for
the duty enJoined upon US by the posi-
ton we occupy in the family of nations.
A contemplation of emergencies that
may arise should plainly lead us to avoid
their creation, either through careless
disregard OF present duty or even an un-
dne stimulation and tlltimed expression
of feeling. But / have deemed it not
amiss to remind the Congress that d
time may arrive when correct policy
and care for our interests as well as a