The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-04
FOREIGN CRITICS OF THE UNITED
STATES.

concerning the action OF Congress on the
Cuban question show various degrees OF
misapprehension. not to say ignorance.
A leading French journal says: Europe
one day will have to unite against this
method of applying the Monroe doc
trine'' Another says: I'VE owe all our
sympathy and help to Spain in defense
of her rights against the covetous
Americans" The German and Austrian
another added to recent frequent evil
dences that the United States has
formed a new determination to take an
active part hereafter in the worlds pol
itics.'
These inferences are all wide of the
mark. First, the Monroe doctrine. has
no application whatever to the Cuban
question, and no person at all well in
formed on the subject would mention
1t in that connection. The Cuban ques-
tion does not involve the case of Euro
pean power trying TO acquire or extend
its possessions on this continent, or TO
oppress or despoil an existing American
government to the detriment or menac-
ing of the United States. To every such
case as that the Monroe doctrine applies,
but this is not that case.
Second, it is grossly unjust TO the
United States and shows an ignorance of
history and fact to speak of Spain de-
Tending her rights against the covetous
Americans" The United States is the
least covetous nation in the world. His
tory shows that 1T has never acquired
any territory except by purchase, and
even that acquired at the end of a war
has been paid for. If we had been a
covetous or aggressive people we should
have acquired Cuba long ago. We have
offered more than once to buy it. but
have never failed to do our full duty in
suppressing filibustering expeditions in
tended to assist in its capture or in
wrestling it from Spain. No European
government would have allowed a for
eign government to hold undisputed pos
session for hundred years of an island
as near their shores as Cuba is to the
United States, and much less would they
have maintained strict neutrality in re-
peated struggles between the islanders
and the home government.
Third, 1t is a mistake to suppose that
the United States has decided on any
new policy or determined to take an ac-
tive part hereafter in the worlds poll
tics. For that matter, 1T is as well en-
titled to take an active part in the
worlds politics as any European power
is. The world is large. the Western
hemisphere constitutes fully one-half of
it, and If the government of the United
States chooses to assert it's right to take
an active part in the politics of the
Western world, who shall forbid? But
our European critics need not worry.
The United States has not decided on
any new departure change from its
traditional policy of minding it's own
business. always reserving to itself the
right to decide what is it's own business.
The recognition by Congress of the
belligerent rights of the Cuban insur-
gents is not based on the Monroe doc
trine, on American covetousness, nor on
sudden determination to adopt a med
dlesome policy. 1t Is based on consid-
erations of humanity and business. Be-
ing free people themselves, Americans
sympathize with every people struggling
for liberty. They would be untrue to
their practical professions and convic-
tions if they did not sympathize with
the Cutans in the present struggle and
most heartily wish them success. And,
being not only free, but civilized the
American people can only regard with
loathing the vile misgovernment and the
viler crueities that have prevailed in
Cuba. Finally. the commercial and bust
ness relations between the United States
| and Cuba are such as to justify Amer
leans in desiring the earliest possible
ending of the war by the establishment
| of Cuban independence. That such a
| consummation would be of immense
| commercial advantage to the United
| States cannot be doubted for a moment
| and no European government ought
need to be reminded that commercial ad-
vantage is an adequate motive for polit-
ical action. The real motives for the &C.
tlon of Congress are plain and sufficient
enough without attributing fancied ones