The Irish standard., 1896-03-07
GAIN R ECO RITllON
his Thought the Administration VIII.
4 Not Favor Cuban Resolutions.

i<sAIf11A
@ ashington, March 4 The president
and his cabinet are oubtedly strongly
opposed to the present recognition Of the
Cuban insurgents and to any declaration
concerning their independence as embod-
led iii recent congressional resolutions.
H The following is not an official statement.
but is known from careful inquiry that 1t
accurately represents the administration
views Of the matter:
While the president and members of the
cabinet personally feel the sympathy com
" mon to all Americans with those Cubans
who are Scontcnding for self-government,
they feel that in their official action they
should not depart from the Wen Settlsu
|. principles which were followed by former
presidents and secretaries OF state curing
prior Instructions in Cuba.
5.s These were clearly set forth Dy zen.
Grant in his message Of 1875 in winch ne
dealt with the question Of Cuban independ-
gence and also with that Of the recosn1Iion
of belligerency. u. -.
Both Independence and bel1igerency are
facts and their recognition by other powers
as the term implies is merely formal ac-
acknowledgement OF q state Of things Whicn
rightly or wrongly has come about.
5 When a people. united under some
known and defined form OF government
T /. -
ual method, come to occupy and control
a known territory over which it affords
protection to citizens and strangers. u new
state exists. Refusal of recognition would
not change the fact any more than pren1a-
t,1ye recognition could create 1T. The for
,l1er would be merely a slight to the new
government, just as the latter is merely
an affr0nt to the old one. The question
necessarily is always what government IS
actually in control Of the country. as
,>S nS11i crGar of1rSr"
on the same facts and is only a modified
form Of recognizing Independence though
the latter implies more perfect accom-
pNshments. The difference between mere
Instruction and war. though III both
armed bodies are in conflict, is hat IN the
former only one sovereign power is engage
ed while in the latter there must necessa-
ri]y be two. Ii ali armed CONFLICT be car
ried on by q. "substantial organization,
real, palpable and manifest to the world,
having the forms and capabl OF the ordi-
nary functions Of government towards IT'S
own people and to other states,' having a
''local hahitation. where 1T may be dealt
with by other nations, there is war and
refusal TO recognize beiligsrency would De
wilfu| In the absence nf these features
there is not hing to take the contest out OF
the category of a mere rebellous tnsurrec-
tion or occasional skirlnishes and place 1T
on the terrible footing Of war. 81
The pretense of recognizing what does
not exist lis always and justly. regarded
as an unfriendly act and a gratuitous DEM
onstra1ion Of moral support to the rebel
lion''
1t is understood that. judged by these
tests the administration does not think
the present stage of affairs in Cuba justl-
1es any change in the attitude OF the gov
eminent" It's functions Is to act, and not
to express feeling. The only action now
proper is to continue to hold responsible for
injuries to American citizens the only gov
eminent which. SO far as appears, has and
maintains authority in Cuba, until some
other government succeeds, at least tenn
porarily in supplanting it.