The record-union., 1896-12-09
THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA

That the sympathies Of the people Of
the United States go out most largely, If
not unanimously, to the Cuban insur-
gents is a fact. That there is a de-
mand not yet formulated and given
legislative expression for the recogni-
ton of the belligerency of the insur-
gents is undoubted.
But the United States Is one Of the
units of the family of nations, and as
such in her own interests must abide by
the laws Of that family, which preserve
peace and guarantee to the people of
each member Of the family protection
wherever they may be located.
It must be assumed that the Secre-
tary Of State Is in possession Of infor-
nation concerning the internal con-
dition of Cuba which the general pub
lie has not-indeed, the Secretary says
that his Information is official, but Of
nature that cannot be made public
in detail for obvious reasons. How
ever, he outlines what the sum of this
intelligence Is.
In brief statement 1t may be thus put
UP, namely, that the most formidable
insurrection the island has known is in
progress, and that the effort to suppress
1t on the part Of Spain Is correspond
ingly great. That the Cubans have not
a Government de facto, maintain no
system, collect no taxes, enforce no
laws, and have nothing in the form or
substance of Government that can be
accorded even belligerent recognition.
That the state Of warfare is not of
that definite character that can be dealt
with by a neutral. That, on the other
hand, the ports accessible to foreign
commerce are in the hands of the es-
tablished Government which holds it's
capital, maintains judicial, revenue and
police systems, and conducts all the
usual functions Of a Government de
5ure.
What, then, asks the President and
the Secretary OF State, can the Govern
ment Of the United States do? 1t Is not
q sentimental question; 1t Is not one Of
sympathetic expression, but we are
confronted with conditions undeniable
and indisputable, and these must be
dealt with as by the recognized laws of
nations Is provided.
The President therefore arrives at
the conclusion that there is at present
"a n xyo rro M puh tazyay- 4o- ~ ,,oaxr.~,.,.x
Of the belligerency of the insurgents,
because they have not that de facto
Government which can be either COM
municated with or that can respond to
the obligations recognition of bellig-
erency carries with it.
We can presume a similar condition
In the United States-an insurrection
carried on in the interior without es-
tablishment Of a Government de facto.
without head or official substance, and
without systematic control capable of
being communicated with or respond
ing to and enforcing the laws of war
fare, or the obligations of bellieerents.
without power to protect foreign resi-
dents and their property, and yet. by a
shifting and indeterminate system of
war carrying on a conflict which we
might not be able to speedily crush out.
What, under such a state of affairs
would we think Of a foreign Power that
would recognize such insurrectiontsts
as Government, or that would give to
them the rights Of belligerents with all
that such recognition implies?
According to the statements of the
President and the Secretary of State.
therefore, it is simply impossible for us
to recognize the belligerency of that
which has yet only the form and SUBJ
stance Of war Of raids destruction
and pillage, without a responsible
head, or any form Of Government with
which we can deal or communicate or
upon which we can enforce obliga-
tions.
Indeed, the logic of the statement OF
TIA President and Secretary is simply