Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-05
American Cupidity.

And now comes the German press. lectur-
ing US on cupidity, and charging conquest
the spring of our action in this Cuban
matter. If that were our governing spirit
we should deserve to be lectured for our
backwardness and stupidity. Cuba is no
recently discovered island lying Off our
southern coast. We risk nothing in the as
sertion that it has been there some time
and that the people of the United States
have been aware of the fact all along. II
We had been a nation of Iand-grabbers
and despolers We would have gathered the
island in very many years ago. In one
sense, indeed, the United States has been
a barrier against the conquest of Cuba.
The island is rich spot, both in minerals
and in farming lands, and had it not been
situated SO close to these shores England
would probably long since have picked a
quarrel with Spain and gobbled it up.
How very forbearing the United States
has been in the premises appears plainly
enough in the record. The fathers believed
that Cuba ought to be American territory.
MIR. Jefferson was an earnest advocate of
the purchase of the island, and a number
of prominent statesmen since his day have
Endorsed his view. AS matter of fact.
offers have been made to Spain by this
government-very tempting offerS-but to
10 purpose. Spain refused to SELL At any
time during the thirty years immediately
preceding the civil war in this country the
slightest intimation from any responsible
source that negotiations for Cuba would he
entertained by the Spanish government
would have promptly brought about the
opening of such negotiations on our part
Meanwhile, what has Spain done 10 justi-
fly her refusal to sell? Has she given good
government to Cuba, a parent country
should to a colony? The present war. If
there had been other wars on the island,
would answer that. Has the island thrived
under her control? Its condition answers
that. Compare it with any of the South
Atlantic states of this government, and the
result Is pathetic. Cuba under Spanish rule
lacks everything that her situation, her
natural resources and the civilization of
the closing years of the nineteenth century
call for Her principal city. which might
easily be made one of the fairest under the
sun. has for years shown but little growth.
and is a cOmfortless and unkempt town in
comparison with cities less than twenty
years old in those states in the west which
Mr.. Cleveland, as general counsel for the
missionary societies. proposes shall be
turned over to the missionaries.
And yet the United States is accused of
harboring and trying to exercise spiri, of
conquest toward Cuba, 4 hundred years of
forhearance. and the whole period one OF
turbulence in Cuba as the result of Spanish
oppression and excesses; several honorable
ami liberal offers by this government to
buy the island. in order that peace and
progress might reign there: the most fer
vent appeals from the Cubans themselves
for invasion and occupancy by the United
States, and the cry of conquest is raised:
The situation involves hint of appro-
PIRATE action to Congress. The appropria-
ton bills are now in course of prepare ton
The revenues are short, it is true. but
would it not be well to insert an item pro-
vidinS for the sending abroad of COM
mission of teachers to teach the teachers
of Great Britain and Europe something
about the history of this government and
the character of the people of the United
States? The amount need not be large, al
though the task imposed would be some
thing StupendouS.