The herald., 1896-03-05
THURSDAY, MARCH S, 1896.
THE CUBAN AFFAIR

Castillo, published in the telegraphic
columns of yesterdays HERALD, indi-
Gates that the Spanish government is
In q calmer state Of mind than the
populace. He promises to keep the
indignation Of the people of Spain
within bounds; it is to be hoped that
he will and thus prevent the commits
sion Of any act that might precipitate
hostilities between his country and the
United States. While there is little
doubt about the issue Of war between
the two countries being favorable to
our own such conflict is not to be
welcomed. The United States are not
in need of any foreign wars at this
time, and the necessity which might
compel them to enter on one would be
certainly regrettable.
If what the premier says about Gsn-
eral Weyler is true, that individual
has been much maligned. For the
sake of humanity it is to be hoped
that the allegations derogatory to the
general are false. 1t Is barely possible
that too much credence has been CIV
On in this country to the tales of al
legged cruelty circulated about him.
Indeed, he may be neither worse nor
better than other successful command
ers, and the insurgents themselves. Az
Castillo says, ''all warfare is inhuman,"
and cruelty is commonly incident to
It. On the score of observing the
methods of "civilized warfare" the
Cuban insurgents have little to boast
of. They have ignored with lib
erslity these methods, and the
fires they have built exceed
by far the battles they have
fought. Their destruction of property
has been indiscriminate and wanton
and without regard to the nationality
or condition of the people who were
thus made to suffer. And if reports
may be relied on they have put indi-
vidusls to death as freely as the Span
ish have, and for no better reasons
than the latter have had for 80 doing.
In fact this entire row in Cuba, if what
some people who have travelled through
and lived long in the island say is true,
may be nothing more than contest
between blackened kettle and a be-
smutted pot.
But be this as it may, the Cubans
should be free IL they wish to be, and
they seem to so wish. The right to
govern can justly rest only on the con-
sent of the governed, and in that prin-
ciple lies an all-sutficient reason for
Cuban freedom. What they will do if
they secure their independence is no.
body's business. The masses may be
worse off than they are now; the gov.
ernment they set up may be vastly less
efficient in serving the popular good
than the present administration but
1t will be theirs, and the balance Of the
world may comment but will have no
right to interfere. The people of the
United States will and should sympa-
: thize with the struggling Cubans, be-
cslse they believe the insurgents are
battling for the principle of self-gov-
ernment. But it is not necessary for
this government to take up the cause
of the rebels. This government was
not instituted for the purpose of fight
ing the battles of other than its own
people. The United States senate and
house Of rep ressntatives should read
the constitution and abide thereby.
And the senators and representatives
might learn to discuss with less free-
dom and more accuracy the respective
merits and dement's Of the combat
anita