The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-12-24
The Official Paper of San Juan County.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER oath, lS9
THE CUBAN CONTROVERSY.

The Cuban controversy has reached
a very interesting stage in Congress. A
deadlock between the legislative and
executive branches of the government
is among the possibilities. On the 18th
inst. the senate committee OH foreign
relations adopted an emphatic resolu-
ton declaring that '.the independence
of the republic of Cuba be and the same
IS hereby acknowledged by the United
States of America The resolution was
reported to the senate, Monday and it
is expected that it will be the subject of
Q great debate after the holiday recess.
Secretary of State Olney was before the
committee and strongly opposes the
resolution on two grounds-first, that
the Cuban insurgents have established
no government, and, second, that the
right to recognize new state rests with
the president, independent of congress
ional action. His first objection is
raised upon question of fact concern
ing which there is no dispute, while
the second raises a very important
question of constitutional construction
as to the extent of the powers of con-
gress and of the president. It is seldom
that any conflict has arisen between
the legislative and executive branches
of the government, and such differen-
l, tol
orally to matters of domestic policy. So
far as yet reported the weight of opin-
ion upon the important question raised
by Secretary Olney seems to be against
the position that he takes Senator
Sherman, for instance, bluntly says
that "there is no foundation for the
statement that congress may not, if it
Will, recognize the independence of a
new nation" and Judge Cooley, one
of the most eminent constitutional law
yers in the country, holds the same
view. Independent of any technical
question of law that may be involved it
would seem to be q common sense view
that the authority to recognize the
sovereignty of a new nation should be
vested in the same branch of the gov
eminent to- which is delegated the
power to declare war and raise, equip
and maintain military and naval forces.
So far as the Cuban resolution is con-
cerned, however, it must be admitted
that the secretary makes strong point
against it when he objects to the recog-
milton of the 'sso-called republic of
Cuba" when it has no organization that
can, even from the friendliest point of
view, be regarded as q government.
Throughout the American revolution
the allied colonies maintained, through
the Continental congress, a govern
ment which was sufficient for the COM
mon purpose and which entitled them
to recognition as belligerent power.
At the outbreak of the great rebellion
in 1861 the seeding states established a
government with full powers to carry
on the war and regulate and control in
ternal affairs, but the Cubans, while
they have fully shown their ability to
cope with the Spanish armies, and
while the justice of their heroic strug-
gle for complete independence of Span
ish domination admits of no reasonable
doubt, they have made no pretence of
the establishment of any form of gov
eminent which gives them any claim
to actual recognition as a nation. 1t
would seem that if the Cameron reso-
luton were to pass both houses of con-
gress it would be virtual invitation to
war with Spain and would involve the
necessity of establishing an American
protectorate in Cuba, supported by
armed forces. Tt is to be hoped that
the undoubted sympathy of the Ameri-
can people with the Cuban cause will
not lead congress at this time to go be-
yond the recognition of belligerent
rights, except to insist upon q greater
measure of protection to the lives and
property of American citizens in Cuba,
and upon the future conduct of the war
in accordance with the generally accept
ed rules of "civilized warfare. 1t will be
time enough to recognize the indepen-
dence of the republic of Cuban when
a republic has been established.