Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-28
REPORT ON CUBA.
Precedents for Intervention Are
Cited.
Exhaustive Review Of international Law
Cameron Resolution.

ably on the following resolutions pre-
sented by Senator Cameron:
Joint resolution acknowledging the indie
pendence OF the republic of Cuba:
Resolved, by the Senate and House House Of
Representatives Of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, that the
independence of the republic of Cuba be
and the same is acknowledged by the Unit
Resolved that the United States will use
its friendly offices with the government of
Spain to bring to close the war between
Spain and Cuba.
The accompanying report is volumin-
Gus, it's substance being given below:
Congress, at its last session, after long
and patient consideration, adopted with
practical unanimity the view expressed by
It's committee that the time had come for
intervention with Spain for the recognition
Of the independence of Cuba. Spain hav-
ing declined to listen to any representation
founded on an understanding between her
ing pledged itself to friendly intervention
the only question that remains to be decid-
ed is the nature of the next step to be
taken with proper regard to the customs
and uSageS Of nations.
Before deciding this question your COM
mlttee has preferred to examine with some
care all the instances which have occurred
during this century of insurgent peoples
claiming independence by right of revolt
The inquiry has necessarily led some
what far and especially because the right
of revolt or instruction, if insurrectlon
can be properly called a right, seems in
every instance except one to have carried
with it Il corresponding Intervention. For
convenience we have regarded both insur-
rection and intervention recognized
rights and have attempted to ascertain the
limits within which these rights have been
exercised and their force admitted by the
general consent Of nations.
The review of cases of intervention be-
gins with the close of the French revolu-
ton in 1915 and covers the action taken
by various powers at different times in
the Greek revolution, the partition of
Turkey, the Polish rebellion and other
notable instances.
The American precedents are handled
exhaustively 1t says that America,
| both North and South, has always aimed
to moderate European Intervention and
to restrict it's exercise. On this point
we have the evidence of George Canning
in a celebrated speech on the foreign
enlistment act in 1923.
1--WE have spent much time" said Can
ming, Sin teaching other powers the ma
ture of strict neutrality, and generally
speaking we found them most reluctant
scholars. If | wished for a guide in
system of neutrality. | should take that
laid down by America in the days of
the presidency Of Washington and the
secretaryship of Jefferson"
When President Monroe interposed his fat that
no interference could be countenanced by him
except on the basis of independence ne dictated
in advance the only mode Of intervention which
he meant to permit. If he waited before carry
ING it out it was only, because in the actual
balance Of Europe and American power, he felt
that isolated action might injure the cause he
had determined to help.
Ie waited in vain. Neither England any
other power moved again.
After delay Of four years from the time
when he began his policy, the Greek revolt in
Europe and the military successes of Bolivar
tunity and Monroe sent to Congress his cele-
brated message of March s, 1922. recommending
the recognition of all revolted colonies of Spain,
Mexico Colombia, Chill and Buenos Ayres. These
countries asked no more They based their
claim on their independence Gle tacto ana Monroe
admitted its force. The provinces" he said,
(which have declared their Independence and are
in the enjoyment of it ought to be recognized"
Headed that the measure is proposed under
thorough conviction that it is in strict accord
With the law of nations, in reality it created
the law SO far as its action went and its le-
gality was recognized by no European power
Nevertheless Monroe's act. which extingushed
the last hope of the Holy Alliance in America,
prod3ced the deepest sensation among European
conservatives and gave to the United States ex-
traGrdinary consideration. England used It as a
weapon against the congress of Verona to threat
en- the other powers when they decided on inter
ynnfion in spain Slowly Canning same wholly
over to the side of Monroe, France and Aus
tria forced his hands in Spain.
The principle thus avowed Dy Canning added
LITTLE TO the European law of intervention, but
fine principle ayOwed by Monroe created
tire body Of American Jurisprudence. AS an iso-
lated act it meant little, but in MOnrOe'S view
it was not isolated; it was part OF a system and
wholly American.
In his annual message of December 1928, he an
nounced the principle (the Monroe doctr1ne) that
the new nations which his act alone had recog-
nized Independent were by that act placed
outside of the European system and that the
United States would regard any attempt to eX-
tend that system among them as unfr1endly to
the UHited States.
From that day to this the American people
have always and unanimously supported and ap-
proved the Monroe doctrine They needed no
reasoning to prove that it was vital to their
safety.
-, -4o.o
under which the Southern Confederacy
was recognized, tracing in detail the
diplomatic corresponding.
Under the subhead of Cuba, the report
concludes as follows:
Into this American system, thus created by
Monroe in 1929. and embracing then, besides
the United States. only Buenos Ayres, Chilli,
Colombia and Mexico, various other communities
have since claimed, and in most have re-
ceived admission, until it now includes all
Soutn America except the Guineas; all Cen
trail America. except the British colony of
Honduras and the two black republics of Span
ish Santo Domingo and Hayti in the Antilles.
No serious question was again raised with any
Furonean power in regard TO the Instruction
TIL in 1860 a rebellion broke out in Cuba and
the insurgents, after organizing government
milton from the United States.
The government of the United States had al
ways regarded Cuba within the sphere of it's
most active and serious interest. AS early
1925 when the newly recognized states of Co
ing an expedition to reyolutiOniZe Cuba and
Porto Rico the United States government inter
posed its friendly offices with those governments
to request their forbearance. The actual condi-
tiou of Spain seemed to make her retention Of
cuba IMPOSSIBLE. in which the United States
would have been obliged for its safety to
prevent the island from falling into the hands
of a stronger power in Europe. That this
gency did not occur may have been partially due
70 the energy With which Monroe pronounced sour
right and our power to prevent it, and his de-
termination to use all the means within his
competency ''to guard against and forefend it,
This right of interyeD ion in matters relating
to the external relations of Cuba, asserted and
exercised seventy years ago. has been asserted
and exercised at every crisis in which the island
has been involved.
the United States for recognition, President
Grant admitted the justice of the claim and
directed the minister OF the United States at
Madrid to interpose good Offices with the
Spanish government in order to obtain by a
friendly arrangement the Independence of the
island.
The story OF that intervention is familiar to
every member Of the Senate and made the
basis of its resolution last session requesting rhe
President once more ito interpose his friendly
offices with the Spanish government for the
.ecognition of the independence OF Cuba
The resolution then adopted by Congress was
perfectly understood 10 carry with it all the
consequences which necessarily would follow the