New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-22
ORR DUTY TOWARD CUBA.

rror- American. and every lover Of liberty ana
trio,d Of humanity the world over, must sympa-
,h;,a with what WAS said in the Senate on Thurs
d,r ohout the woes of Cuba. Shocking as We're
the pictures presented by the speakers. there Is
M reason TO reckon them Overdrawn Inc
rbrosa .on Armenia at or doors Is no eXaS-
corotiop The crimes of Valmaseda In the last
war ore n matter Of history. They matched the
dopcs Of the K,rds in Armenia, OF the BasnlDa-
1oul,s in Rulcaria And the man who was VAL
moscdas most apt pupil and most ruthless ald
t. NOW Czor Of Cuba: and he says, significantly:
..vou know me- You know my record There
"fore YOU know what TO expect from me !" '''is
..oo,,ro;,,rv If therc is any one who does not
romcmbcr his record, he tells explicitly what his
new record is TO be. Not only does he h'iiiS'ii
exercise summary power OF HE anu ue",h o'''
every inhabitant of the Island. put Nv u'"S"'"
,ho somo mower TO every officer in his army; so
that any man or woman in Cupa' Oh S'i'p'c '"'
melon Of having innoccnty repeated 10 II he'Sn-
h,r report Of insurgcnt victory mil! 'h'i'ioi
no dragged before some colonel or drlii-serse'"''
condcmnrd and shot within an hour NO prison.
ers are TO be taken; or if taken they are at o"Vc
to he nut TO death. No quarter Is TO De sho"h'
i l. q war of determination. And CUBA IS ohi!
q fovv hours sail from the coast or the hiteu
States.
M wonder indignant voices are raised M
Washington. Martinez de Campos has saiu inc
very dead should rise in protest ana resis''noc
a.,a;rs+ Uovlor's infamics Something should
certainly be done about if. But what' Inc
,,oo,,rit;on of Cuban bcgercncy has been pro-
nosod II was earnestly urged in the Senate
Io doubt It would be popular measure But
,,,oro l. s.rious reason for doubling the wisdom
Of if NJ The present time. There IT, IL IS 'rue' ho
fixed rule for determining the htness OF ihsu'
oents for such recognition. Each case must DE
indeed on It's own merits. But II certain! s'TinS
reasonable to require that insurgents sho"lu' a'
n nrereouisite to recognition. possess some ueh-
rito territory. and some more or less hxed seat
% ,orornmcnt. end IN a maritime country Ike
Cuha they should control some port OF entry
ava, thouqh II be blockadcd. Now the 'uDais
hova no mort no capital, and no definite terri
tory II Is true that they are Overrunning all the
island outside of the Spanish camps and fortiled
towns But they are merely overruhhihs It,
Tbov do no, attempt TO hold permanently and TO
govern single province or district, ana there
Is no city or town which can be called 'heir cap
iol The only seat Of government which thcy
=
Gomez and Maceo
Nor Is il evident that such recognition "oulu
do fine natriots the least good. Indeed, II would
he more likely 10 do them harm. AS senator
com.ron noiutcd out II would render the ship
nin, Of munitions OF war from this country 10
,hc insurgents FAR more difficult than ut present.
1t would invest Spanish ships win the rlgi' o,
search on the high seas. and would subject al
N.fy
r.orld no, only subject all American shipping in
that part of the world 10 great annoyance III,
q would almost entirely cut of the supplies OF
arms and ammunition which me pa'Ho'S "I'
| now rcccving from outside of cuba. That would
| hc \ more serious blow 10 the insurg"nt Cause
than the doubling in size Of the Spanish army
II would moreover, relieve the Spanish Govern
ment from all responsibility for the safety ~
Americans and American property IN 'uol'
which means that Americans might be slaugh-
tered and their property seized or destroyer al
will. and there would be no redress These are
the practical concrete facts which are to b" con
sidcred in connection with this proposed recog-
milton Of bcllgercncy. We are inclined to MINK
,hcv outweigh all sentimental considerations
For the sake # American interests ana Tor the
sake Of the Cuban cause IL certainly seems mat
such recognition WOlll ne lnlS'iN''
The fact IS. AS Senator Cameron said, the ISSUE
/ Is not belligerency. but independence R"cpg
milton Of bclligcrcncy would be going either TOO
far or not far enough. If We deem mat the
natriots have won their title to independence
that Spain has forfeited her right to further CON
trnl of thc island and that the welfare or hui
manity requires our intervention, by WORD or
deed. toward the consummation Of that end, then
fine issue IL plain and our duty unmistakable.
Such Intervention on our part would be scri-
Gus matter 1t would mean a dispute, probably
severance Of relations, possibly open war, win
Spain. 1t might put us TO much expense ana
trouble OF the final result, however, there could
he no doubt Cuba would be set free That Is
one course that Is open 10 this country; but II
surely is not to be entered upon lightly. or with
out most deliberate and mature consideration
and the fullest realization Of what II may mean.
The other course Is to do as we have been doing;
10 leave the struggling patriots to their own
devices. and TO such aid from outside as their
prescnt unrecognized status enables them 10 re-
ceiyc How much aid they do receive General
Campos well knows. and General Weylcr is like
~ soon TO find out. How well they are doing
without recognition the history Of the last year
tells: and there Is every reason to suppose they
will continue to do as well. But any intcrmedi-
ate course between these two would be OF doubt
full propricty. Independence or nottingham Is
the choice.
ENGLAND ~ AFRICA
Hal nt,.I