People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-12-10

stituted no exception TO this national dis
position, is made manifest by the course
Of our government, not only thus far dur
ing the present resurrection, but during
the ten years that followed the rising as
Yara in 1868. No other great power, it
may safely be said. under circumstances
Of similar perplexity, would have mani
tested the same restraintnnd the same IA
tient endurance. IL may also be said that
this persistent attitude of the United
States towards 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 dis
covery Of the western hemisphere, nor do
they underestimate the great qualities of
the Spanish people, nor fail to fully recog-
nize their splendid patriotism and their
chivalrous devotion TO the national honor
They view with wonder and admiration
the cheerful resolution with which vast
bodies of men are sent across thousands Of
miles of ocean and an enormous debt ac-
cumulated that the costly possession Of the
gem Of the Antilles may still hold It's
place in the Spanish crown. And yet
neither the government nor the people in
the United States have shut their eyes to
the course of events in Cuba or have failed
to realize the extent Of conceded griev.
ances which have led TO the present revolt
from the authority of Spain-grievances
recognized by the queen regent and by the
cOrtes, voiced by the most patriotic and en-
ightened of Spanish statesmen without
regard TO party, and demonstrated by re
forms nroTnsnl nv fha ir-aa nd a.,
proved by the legislative branch of the
Spanish government. 1t is in the assumed
temper and disposition Of the Spanish gov
eminent to remedy these grievances, forti-
fled by indications of influential public
opinion in Spain, hat this government has
hoped to discover the most promising and
effective means of composing the present
strife, with honor and advantage to Spain
and with the achievement of all reasonable
objects Of the instruction.
Home Rule Suggested.
1t would seem that if Spain should offer
to Cuba genuine autonomy, a measure of
home rule which, while preserving the
sovereignty of Spain, would satisfy all
rational requirements Of her Spanish sub
jects, there should be no just reason why
the pacificatiOn of the island might not be-
effected on that basis. Such a result
would appear to be in the true interest of
all concerned. 1t would at once stop the
conflict which is now consuming the re-
sources of the island and making it worth
less for whichever party may ultimately
prevail. 1t would keep intact the posses
sl0ns of Spain without touching her honor
which will be consulted rather than i'm
pugned by the adequate redress of adj
mitted grievances.
1t would put the prosperity of the island
and the fortunes of its inhabitants within
their own control without severing the
natural and ancient ties which bind them
to the mother country, and would vet ell
able them TO test their capacity for self
government under the most favorable con-
ditiOns. 1t has been objected on the one
side that Spain should not promise au-
tOnOmy until her insurgent subjects lay
down their arms; on the other side
that promised autonomy, however lib
eral, is insufficient, because without
assurance Of the promise being fulfilled
but the reasOnableneSs of a requirement
by Spain Of unconditional surrender on
the part Of the insurgent CubanS before
their autonomy is conceded, is not alto
gether apparent 1t ignores important
features of the Situati0n-the stability two
years duration has given to the inSurTec-
ton; the feasibility of its indefinite poo
longation in the nature of things and. rs
shown by past experience, the utter and
imminent ruin Of the island unless the
present strife is speedily composed: above
all fhA MI ahttsn- Il. III =.
spain, all branches of her government,
and all her leading public men coGccac to
exist and profess desire to remove. Fac
ing such circumstances, to withhold the
prOifer of needed reforms until the parties
demanding them put themselves at their
mercy 10y throwing down their arms has
the appearance - neglecting the gravest
of perls and inviting suspicion as TO the
sincerity OF any prOfeSSed willingness to
grant reforms. The objection on behalf
Of the msurgents-that promised reforms
cannot he relied upOn-must, of course.
be considered, though we have no right 20
assume and no reason for assuming that
anything Spain undertakes TO do for the
relief Of Cuba will not be done according
to both the spirit and the letter Of the I'M
dertaking. r.
Nevertheless realizing that suspicious
and precautions on the part of the weaker
OF the two cOmbatantS are always natural
and not always unjustiflable-being sin
cerely DESTROYS in the interest of both rs
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 satisfactory
measure OF home rule were rendered the
Cuban insurgents, and would be accepted
by them upon "A guarantee of its execu-
uon, the United States would endeavOr to
find way not objectionable to Spain of
furnishing such guaranty.
While no definite response to this
intimatiOn 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 1t should not be approved by the in
surgents. Neither party can fail TO see
the Importance Of early action ard both
must realize that TO prOlOng the present
state OF things for even a short period. will
add enormously TO the time and labor and
expenditure necessary to bring about the
industrial recuperatiOn of the island. Ii
is therefore fervently hoped on all grounds
that earnest efforts for healing the
breach between Spain and the insurgent
Cubans upon the lines above indicated.
may be at once inaugurated and pushed to
an Immediate and successful issue. The
friendly offices of the United States. either
in the manner above outlined, or in any
other way consistent with our constitI-
ton and laws, will always be at the dis
posal Of either party.
Whatever circumstances may arise our
policy and our interest would constrain us
to object to the acquisition of the island or
an interference with its control by any
other power.
1t should be added that it can not be
reasonably assumed that the hitherto ex-
pectant attitude Of the United States will
be indefinitely maintained. While we are
anxious to accord all due respect to the
sovereignty Of Spain, we cannot view the
pending confiictin all its features and
properly apprehend our inevitably Close
relations TO it and its possible results.
without considering that by the course of