The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-03
TUESDAY. MARCH 8, 1896.
This paper is Democratic in principles
and Is Independent an IFS rie,cs on all local
questions.
The Cuban Insanity.

the United States ~onsulate Though II
has apologized for this outbreak of pop
ular feeling in highly diplomatic style,
we cannot bur believe that the feeling
of the Spanish court and government. as
wen as that OF the entire Spanish ma
ton, comedies with the temper of the
rioters. A sense of gross and wanton
wrong sustained. a feeling of friendship
violated, revolt against the bullying
threas of superior force must animate
every Spaniard who possesses even a
spark of patriotism.
What are the feelings with which we
recall, even today, the recognition given
by France and England to the Confed-
eracy. And yet. how different were the
eases. The position of the Confederacy
was such that we were obliged ourselves
10 accord it a quasi recognition as a
~beliigerent state. By setting up a block
ade of its ports, we acknowledged its
status. and in our dealings with its
armies we felt bound to comply with all
the laws of war. With all this. no for
eign nation ever went so far as to rec
ognize the independence of the South;
no power ventured to interpose friend
W offices to induce us to recognize it's
independence. If anyone had done SO.
sore as were our straits, it is almost GER
fofu ura u-at4f7 have ia
declaration of war.
The Cuban one is. from every rational
point of view. one of internal Spanish
concern. 1t is no affair of ours whether
Cuba can free herself or not. Even if
her efforts deserve our sympathy-an
exceedingly doubtful proposition-stilI
there is a long distance between sympa-
thy and interference, even with our I'M
welcome good Offices" As for the the
DRY that the war is being conducted in
a cruel manner. it need only be said
that this, likewise. is none of our bust
ness. If Spain chooses to ill-use her
colony, it is her affair and the colony's,
alone. There is no doubt considerable
excess in the measures which the Span
dsh soldiers and officials adopt, but there
IS not the least reason to believe the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. stories with
which the New York Sunday papers
tickle the palates of their readers, Gem
eral Weyler is not a fool. On the con-
trary, he seems to be IN officer of ex-
Er~aordinary ability and merit. He is not
Ekely to do one thing calculated to drive
thu Cuban to desperation. No doubt,
he viii slaughter all the armed rebels he
can reach. No doubt ne will shoot or
hang ali their active allies, men or wom-
en-. whom he can detect in giving them
aid or comfort. Tha is what he is IN
Cuba to DO. We did some shooting and
hanging ourselves during the War. and
were in~te-eitingly abused by Southerners
for such ATROCITIES" But that General
Weyler VIII allow his soldiers to harm a
hair in the heads Of peaceful Aon-com-
batan4s is a nohsensical delusion only to
be entertained ky a caterwauling idiot
ike Lodge or Hit.
The reply of the Spanish, In which
they point out that all the atrocities OF
this war, to date have been on the side
of the rebels. appears to come very close
to the truth. They seem to be doing q
good deal of slaughtering of poor peas
ants who dare sell supplies to the Span
iards, and their primary principle Of
warfare seems to be to pay equally lit.
tie regard to the property rights Of
friend and foe, burning and wasting
without ruth, their. hand against every
man.
There is hope, still. that in $he jug.
Cling between resolutions between Hit
and Lodge. the Senate lunatics ami tht
House smadmen, no action committing
the government may be taken. An Nm
teresting question has also arisen as X
the Presidents right of veto, and as Il
whether a concurrent rfsolution has ans
compelling effect upon the Executive
anyway. SO. perhaps the windstorm may
come to nothing. unless the insensats
speeches Of Individual members, looking
for denominations this fall. may exasper
ate the spaniards beyond endurance.
Perhaps the intention is that the tn
mult shall come to nothing. Perhaps thu
only purpose is to make the speeches