The record-union., 1896-12-11
tinue. A population of $4,000 white


bloody military rule of 100000 Span
iards. The Spanish element, which has
always controlled and dominated Cuba
since its discovery, numbers only about
one-tenth of its population. columbus
declared this the most beautiful land
ever beheld by human eyes in October,
1892. Now, in 1896, it is given over to
devastation and destruction. Within it's
borders RACES a va, which on both sides
is declared to be a, Wa, ~lther of extermi-
nation on one hand oI liberty and Span
ish exclusion on ~ sner. This con-
dition must cease. re Spanish, after
two years Of war, have failed to estab-
lish peace, and the insurgents have
failed to reach their hoped-for inde-
pendence.
This war of determination must
stop. This Congress of the United States
has already recognized by solemn reso-
luton the belligerent rights of Cuba,
but so long as it has not received the ex-
ecutive approval it has no force; and if
1T had it is conceded that some other
course must be taken. The question to
be determined is not fully clear, except
that the war must cease.
ITO the average Spanish gentleman
Spain is the object of alteration, but
Spain without Cuba is to him the world
without the sun. The revenue from
Cuba has been the chief joy of Spain
for many years, and if Cuba should now
be separated from the Spanish throne
the sun would cease to shine upon the
Alhambra.
Cuba to-day is lost to Spain. The
public proclamation Of Spanish defeat
may not have been officially and def
nitely announced, but in truth and fact
the submission of Cuba will never again
be yielded as of old The tribute of
25,OO0,000 to $40,O0O,O0O annually so
long exacted will never again replenish
the treasury of Spain. The struggles of
1898 and 1896 may sadly cripple Cuba,
but they will ruin Spain. Cuba, with
its wonderful soil and climate and it's
unparalleled capabilities, will regain in
material wealth and growth under be-
nign influence far more than she has
lost; the blood of her people spilled upon
her soil will yield a growth of independ-
ent citizenship conSecrated to liberty.
This age is not an age of retrogreSSion.
Whatever may be said regarding our
duty as a nation toward a friendly
power which is striving to suppress an
insurrection in Cuba, still no one, either
in America or Europe, misunderstands
the situation. Every humane heart.
American or foreign, sympathize deep
ly and sincerely, not with the rapine and
pillage by which the insurgents in Cuba
seek to weaken their enemies, but with
the spirit which leads them to look con-
stantly and with hope toward that star
of liberty which they believe will lead
them to Cuban libre.
THE American people are coming to
the consideration of the Cuban situa-
ton, as they already have in certain
ether cases, as a great political ques-
ton, continental question, if you
please. And being a political continental
question it will be decided ultimately by
the continent whose interests are most
clearly involved. Geographically con-
sidered, Cuba cannot belong to Spain
Geographically Cuba is in American
waters. and politically it is entitled to
Statehood in the continent of American
republics.
This great continental question,
therefore, when stripped of all compli-
cations, becomes in plain and simple
language, shall Cuba be free?
This country will never consent to
the transformation of Cuba into a slave
pen for the holding in servitude of the
captured patriots and insurgents who
are fighting for the dearest rights of
men. We will not permit that island, a
land which has the brightest possibiH-
ties for a people of intelligence and en-
terprise to be made the abiding place
of death and destruction. This war
now being waged is avowedly a war of
determination or utter crushing out of
liberty in Cuba's 10000 square miles of
territory. Think of it. An island which
in ordinary years exports more than a
million tons of sugar and many mill
ions Of dollars in value of other pro-
ducts. Has the United States no in
terest in our own trade and commerce
with an island from which we receive
fully 30 per cent. Of the vast sugar
product, and much the larger part of
all her other productions? The Interest
of the United States, counting all things
passing between the two countries,
reaches perhaps 500, ,000,0 900 annually,
and already this trade has been practic-
ally wiped out.
Il believe it to be the duty of the
United States to use the great power
attaching to the nation to declare and
to maintain, as a prerogative of right
belonging generally to republicanism
and specifically to this republic that
no charnel house of ruin shall be con-
tinued in the West Indian waters, whose
waves break at our very front gate.
any longer than the time 1t shall re-
quire to break it up. And if the duty
of suppressing this damning blot, and
erasing il forever from sight, shall fall
alone upon the United States, so be it.
Have we fallen so low as to have for
gotten the sacrifices which men of gen
ius and character and honor made in
behalf Of this country in it's days of
trouble? We shall not stand alone in
the warfare which may follow In behalf
Of common humanity. Nation after ma
ton will make joint cause with us in
such struggle, and when we have
succeeded and shall have made into law
the principle and made into history the
fact, every other country worth naming
will regret its mistake in not partici-
pating in the humane work
The effort cannot fail. We shall not
wage any warfare for the acquisition OF
territory for ourselves. We shall not
claim Cuba as a reward for saving her
from the slaughter. but We will not see
that fair island turned again to the
mercies of wild beasts and vultures of
war, whose only stimulus is gain Cuba
| libre-free Cuba-is the reward. and
what glorious reward will that be,
Every citizen of the United States will
feel that his birthright as an American