The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-09

ton on the part of the United States. 1t
was at first proposed that bellgerents
rights should be accorded to the insurgents
"a proposition no longer urged because
untimely and i'm practical operation clear
.ly perlous and injurious to our own In
tercsts. 1t has since BEEN and Is nov
tometmes commended that the indepen-
1ence of the insurgents should be recog-
nized. But imperfect and restricted as
the Spanish government of the island may
be, no other exists there-uness the will
of the military officer in temporary com
mand of a particular district. can be
dignihed as Il species of government. 1t
is now also suggested that the United
States should buy the island-a suggestion
possibly worthy of consideration, even IL
there were any evidence of a desire or
willingness on the part of Spain to en-
terrain such proposal. 1t is urged fin
ally, that, all other methods failing, the
existing internecne strife in Cuba should
be terminated by our Intervention even
at the cost of way between the United
States and Spain-4 war which its adj
vocates confidently prophecy could be
neither large in its ~roportions nor
doubtful in its issue.
The correctness of this forecast need
be neither affirmed nor denied. The
United States has nevertheless a charac-
try to maintain as a nation, which plainly
ly dictates that right and not might
should be the rule of it's conduct Though
the United States is not a nation to
which peace is a necessity it Is in truth
the most pacific of powers, and desires
nothing so much as to live in amity
with all the world Its own ample and
diversified domains satisfy all possible
longings for territory, preclude all
dreams of conquest, and prevent any
casting of covetous eyes upon neighbor-
Ing regions, however attractive. That our
conduct towards Spain and her domin-
ions have constituted no exception to
this national disposition is made mani
fest by the course of our government,
not only thus far during the present
instruction, but during the ten years
that followed the rising at Yara in 1868
No other great power, it may be safely
said. under circumstances of similar per-
plexity, would have manifested the same
restraint and the same patient endur-
ance. 1t may also be said that this per-
sistent attitude of the United States to-
ward Spain in connection with Cuba,
unquestionably evinces no slight respect
and regard for Spain on the part of the
American people. They, in truth, do not
forget her connection with the discovery
of the western hemisphere, nor do they
underestimate the great qualities of the
Spanish people nor fail to fully recognize
their splendid patriotism and their chiv-
alrous devotion to the national honor.
Nevertheless realizing that suspicious
and precautions on the part of the weaker
of two combatants are always natural
and not always able-being sin
cerely DESTROYS in the interests of both
as well as on its own account that the
Cuban problem should be solved with the
least possible delay-it was intimated
by this government to the government
of Spain some months ago that, if a
satisfactory measure of home rule were
] ba nj ipG M
be accepted by them upon a guaranty of
its execution, the United States would en-
deavor to find way not Objectionable
to Spain of furnishing such guaranty
While no definite response to this init
matte has yet been received from the
| Spanish government. it is believed to be
not altogether unwelcome, while, as al
ready suggested, no reason is perceived
why it should not be approved by the in
| surgentS
! 1t should be added that it cannot he
! reasonably assumed that the hitherto
! expectant attitude of the United States
will be indefinitely maintained While
/ we are anxious to accord all due respec,
to the sovereignty of Spain, we cannot
view the pending conflict in all its fea-
lures and properly apprehend our inev.
table close relations to it, and its nos
sible results. without considering that by
the course of events we may lie drawn
condition as will fix a limit to our M.
tient waiting for Spain 10 end the con.
test, either alone and IN her own way, OF
with our friendly cooperation
When the inability of Spain to deal sue.
cessfully with the insurrection has be.
| come manifest, and it is demonstra: ed
| that her sovereignty is extinct in Cuba
for all purposes of it's rightful existence
| and when a hopeless struggle for If,
re-establishment has degeneratcd into q
strife which means nothing more than tbc
| useless sacrifice of human life and III,
utter destruction of the very subject mat.
ter of the conflict, a situation win be
presented in which our obligations TO the
SOY ereisnty of Spain will be suspende 4
by higher obligations, which we car
hardly hesitate to recognize and dis
charge.
The boundary Dispute.
The Venezuelan boundary question ha:
ceased to be matter of difference be
tween Great Britain and the United
States, their respective governments hay
ing agreed upon the substantial provision.
of a treaty between Great Britain anC
Venezuela submitting the whole contro
versy to arbitration. The provisions o.
the treaty are so eminently just and fail
that the assent of Venezuela thereto may
confidently be anticipated Negotiation!
for a treaty of general arbitration for al
differences between Great Britain anC
the United States are far advanced an(
promise to reach successful consumma
ton at an early date
The Consular Service.
The scheme of examining applicants TO
certain consular positions, to test thei
competency and fitness, adopted unde
an executive order issued on the Goth o
September. 1895, has fully demonstrated
the usefulness of this innovation. In con
nectiOn with this plan of examinations