Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-04
DONE TOO SUDDEN
Congress Was Hasty in Rseog.
mixing the cubans.
OPINION OF TIE ADMINISTRATION.

Alleged Correct Ssassasat a TIE visws ef
the state Departnsas-ThsI nssrnaxiesal
Law - the Subject q s.Rsesgnisioa."
Both Of Belligsrsncy and Indepssdsnce
TEST That the Cuban Rebels Do Not
Meet, Ascending 70 the Exscutive-laor-
g.n's staslstics Disputed.
WASHINGTON, March A-The president
and his cabinet undoubtedly arc strongly
opposed to the present recognition of bel.
ligerency Of the Cuban insurgents, and to
any declaration concerning their indie
pendence ~ embodied in recent congress
sional resolutions Tho following is not
an Official statement, but it is known
from careful inquiry that it accurately
represents the administrations views Of
the matters, While the president and the
members Of the cabinet personally fec:
the sympathy common to all Americans
with those Cubans who are contending
for self-government, they feel that in
their official action they should not de-
part from the well-settled principles
which were followed by former presidents
and secretaries Of state during prior insur-
rcctions in Cuba.
The Philosophy Of "Recognition."
These were clearly set forth by General
Grant in his message Of 1876, in which he
dealt with the question Of the recogni-
ton OF Cuban Independence and also
with that Of the recognition of belliger-
ency. Both independence and belligerency
arc facts. and their recognition by other
powers, as the term implies, is merely a
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 govern
ment which administers its functions by
the usual methods, comes to occupy and
control known territory over which it
Is competent to administer justice, and
within which it affords protection to citi-
Gems and strangers, a new state exists.
Refusal Of recognition would not change
the fact any more than premature "recog-
ton" could create it. The former would
be merely slight to the new government,
just as the latter is merely an affront to
the old one.
Time to Recognize Belligerency,
The question necessarily is always what
cOuntryf Recognition Of belligerency de-
ponds upon the same facts and is only
modified form of recognizing indcpend-
ence, though the latter implies more per-
feet accomplishment The difference be-
tween mere instruction and war, though
IN both armed bodies arc in conflict, 10
that in the former only one sovereign
power is engaged, while in tho latter
there must necessarily be two. If an
armed conflict be carried on by sub
stantial political organization, real, palpa-
BILE, and manifest to the warld, having
tho forms and capable of the ordinary
functions Of government toward its own
people and to other states" having a
'local habitatiOn," where 1t may be dealt
with by other nations, then there Is a war,
and refusal To recognize beiligerency
would he willful.
Cubans Do Not Meet tho Tests.
In the absence Of these features there is
nothing Ito take the contest out Of the
category Of q mere rebellious instruction,
or occasional. skirmishes, and place it on
the terrible footing Of war" The pre-
tense of recognizing what docs not exist
lis always, and justly, regarded as an I'M
friendly act and q gratuitous demonstra-
ton Of moral support to the rebellion"
Az - u"UerSVOou THAT, Juugeu ny tnceo
tests, the administration does not think
the present stage Of affairs in Cuba justi-
fies any change in the attitude of the gov
crnment. Its function is to act, and not to
express feeling The only action now
proper Is to continue 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 government SUCCEEDS at least
temporarily, in supplanting it.