Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-24
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IL has been the hope OF the conserva-
tive element In the United States that
the Cuban question would finally be dis
posed OF In n way that would not scrl-
ously disturb the friendly relations be-
tween this country aud Spain and at
the same time would tend to divcst tho
Cuban instruction Of needless cruelty
and barbarism. There Is reason. how
ever, to apprehcnd that such will not
be the case and that on the contrary
a course would be pursued that will
evcntuate in hostilitics between the two
countries. on between the United States
on the one hand and Spain and one or
more European countries OH the other.
The concurrent resolutions relating to
the recognition of Cuban bplligerency
which passed the house and have been
under consideration by the senate are
not satisfactory to the more radical
friends IN the senate of the insurgent
cause Being concurrent resolutions
they simply express the opinion of CON
gress that a state Of public war
exists in Cuba and that belligcrent
rights ought to be accorded. They do
not commit the executive department of
the government, and the president
would be as free after the passage of
the resolutions as before to pursue such
course rs he deemed best. 1t was de-
cided after much discussion to make
the resolutions concurrent because In
that form they do not require to be sub
mltted to the president and thus there
would be no Interference with the free
exercise of the executive function in re-
gard to according belligerent rights.
But there is now manifested n dis
position to force an expression of execu-
tive opinion. Last week Senator Nor
gan introduced a joint resolution de-
that n state of public wal exists
in Cuba, that the people of that island
are supporting a separate government,
and recognizing a state of belligerency.
Yesterday a still more radical joint reso-
luton was introduced by Senator Mills,
directing the president to request Spain
to authorize the people of Cuba to insti-
local self-government and in case
of the refusal of Spain to grant the
Cubans the power of self-government,
then the president shall take possession
Of Cuba with the military and naval
forces of the United States and hold the
till the people of Cuba can organ
ize a government.
We do not believe that either of these
Joint resolutions can pass the senate,
If either should it Is entirely safe
to say that it could not pass the house.
The spirit they indicate, however, is GER
tain to challenge attention abroad and
to create u feeling not to the
advantage of this country. The intro
of these resolutions can hardly
fail to intensity the feeling of hostility
Spain toward the United States and
& is by no means unlikely that it will
sympathy with Spain in quarters
where no such feeling has existed. The
passage by the senate of either resolu-
ion and particularly that introduced
~ Senator Mills would undoubtedly
De regarded by Spain as a casuS belli;
indeed, the Mills resolution, if passed by
congress and approved by the president,
would be in effect a declaration of war,
iince there is no reason to doubt that it's
equest would be refused by Spain.
The turn that has been given to the
consideration of the Cuban question by
he introduction of these joint resolu-
ions, proposing radical action by our
government, must be regarded as alto
,ether unfortunate. 1t may be that
bera iS n Dolitipol or DortiSon motive
behind them, but whatever the motive
heir effect can only be mischievous.
t is to be hoped the senate will refuse
o consider either of them.
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