Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-12-09

ScpdIdAeQ rom our territory. Our
 actual pecuniary interest in it is second
 only to that of the people and government i of Spain.
 tt .S reasonably estimated that at least ! from $30, ,OO0, 900 to S50, ,000 900 of Amesican capital are invested in palm plantations
 and In railroad, mining and other business
 enterprises on the island. The volume of
 trade between the United States and Cuba
 which. i'll lSS6, amounted to about S64 GOO Q
 O00 rose in 1893 to about Sl03 GOO 00O, and
 i'll 1891, the year before the present insur-
 rectlon broke ont amounted to nearly $9S
 OO0uDO. Besides this large pecuniary stake
 in the fortunes of Cuba the United States l finds itself inextricably involved in the 1 present contest in other ways, both veNa- | lious and costly.
 Many Cubans reside in this country, and i indirectly promote the insHTrection through the press by public meetings, by the pur- chase and shipment of arms by the raising 1 of ffunds. and by other means, which tho | spirit of our institutions and the tenor of 1 our laws do not permit to be made the sub
 Ject of criminal prosecution. Some of them 1 though GuDans at heart and in all their 1 feelings and interests, have taken out DR. i pers as nattiralized citizens of the United i States, proceeding resorted to with a view to possible protection by this govern
 nlent, and not unnaturally regarded with ! much indignation by the country of their origin.
 The insurgents are undoubtedly encour- 1 aged and supported by the widespread 1 sympathy of the people of this country al
 ways instantly feel for every struggle for 1 better and freer government and which in l the case of the more adventurous and rest
 less elements of enr populations ies.,is i'll :, only many instances to active and personal ] participation in the contest.
 The result is that this government is
 constantly called upon to protect Ameri- ] can citizens. to claim damages for injuries i a and nr0nprtU aefir nd nf
 many millions eff dollars, and to ask ex- plantations and apologies for the acts of l spanish officials whose zeal for the repres-
 sion of rebellion sentiments blinds them to
 the immunties belonging to the unoffend- l ing citizens of a friendly power
 1t follows from the same causes that the i United States is compelled to actively po- lice long line of seacoast against unlaw- I ful expeditions. the escape of which, the
 utmost vigilance will not always suffice to 1 prevent These inevitable entanglements
 of the United States with the rebellion in
 iii Cuba, the large American property l and interests affected and considerations l philanthropy in general, has led to a vehement demand in various quarters for I some sort of positive intervention on the l part of the United States.
 The United States is not a nation to 1 which peace is necessity, it is in truth
 the most pacific Of powers, and desires
 nothing so much as to live in amity with
 all the world. It's own ample and diversi- l fled domain satisfy all possible lonpings ] for territory, preclude all dreams of con ! quest, and prevent any casting of eovetous i eyes upon neighboring regions however l attraetive; that our conduct towards i spain and her dominiens has constituted l no exception to this national disposition, l is made manifest by the course of our gov ernment, not only thus far during the l present insurrection, but during the 10 ] years that followed the rising at Yara in l lS6s. No other power, it may safely be said, under circumstances of similar per 1 plexity would have manifested the same l restraint and the same patient endurance It may also be said that this persistent attitude of the nited States towards Spain in connection with Cuba will unquestion- | ably evince no slight respect and regard for Spain on the part of the American Deo- pie. They in truth do not forget her con nection with the discovery of the western hemisphere, nor do they Underestimate the great qualities of the Spanish people. nor fail to fully recognize their splendid patri- otism and their ehiyalrous devotion to the national honor
 They view with wonder and admiration the cheerful resolution with which vast bodies of men are sent across thousands of miles of ocean and an enormous debit ae- cumulated that the costly possession of the gem of the Antilles may still hold its place in the Spanish crown. And yet neither the government nor the people of the United States have shut their eyes to the course of events in Cuba or have failed to realize the existence of conceded griev- ances which have led to the present revolt from the authority of Spain-grievances recognized by the queen regent and by the cortes. voiced by the most patriotic and enlightened of Spanish statesmen without regard to party, demonstrated by reforms proposed by the executive and approved by the legislative branch of the Spanish l Il in rho ,,.1 and disposition of the Spanish government to remedy these grievances, fortified by in- dications of influential public opinion in Spain, that this government has hoped to discover the most promising and effective means of composing the present strife with honor and advantage to Spain and with the achievement of all the reasonable ob- jects of the insurrection.
 1t would seem that if Spain should offer to Cuba genuine autonomy, a measure of home rule which while preserving the sov- ereignty of Spain would satisfy all rational requirements of her Spanish subjects, there should be no just reasoh why the ptcitication of the island might not be ef- fected on that basis. Such result would appear to be in the true interest of all con cerned. It would at once stop the conflict, which is now consuming the resources of the island and making it worthless for whichever party may ultimately prevail. 1t would keep intact the possessions of Spain without touching her honor, which will be consulted rather than impugned by the adequate redress of admitted griev- ances. It would put the prosperity of the island and the fortunes of it's inhabitants within their own control, without severing the natural and ancient ties which bind them to the mother country, and would yet enable them to test their capacity for selfgovernment under the most favorable conditions.
 It is therefore feryently hoped on all grounds that earnest efforts for healing the breach between Spain and the insur- gent Cubans, upon the lines above indi- cated, may be at once inaugurated and pushed to an immediate and successful issue. The friendly offices of the United States, either in the manner above out lined, or in any other way consistent with our constitution and laws, will always be at the disposal of either party Whatever circumstances may arise, our policy and our interests would constrain us to object to the acquisition of the island or an inter ference with it's control by any other power.
 1t should be addei that it cannot be reasonably assumed that the hitherto ex- pectant 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 and properly apprehend our inevitable rela- tions to 1t and it's possible results without considering that by the course of events we may be drawn into such an unusual and unprecedented condition AS will fix il