The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-08
CLEVELAND LAST
concluded from Page IL

concluded from Page IL
their splendid patriotism and their chiv-
alrous devotion to the national honor
They view~with wonder and admiration
the cheerful resolution with wnich vas.
bodies of men are sent across thousanHs
OF miles Of ocean. and an enormous uept
accumulated. that the costly possession
of the Gem of the Antilles may still mold
its place In the Spanish crown. Ana yet
neither the government nor the people OF
the United States have shut their eyes
to the course of events In Cuba, or nave
failed to realize the existence of conceded
grievances 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 pa
triotic and enlightened of Spanish states
men. without regard to party, anu uemoh-
strated by reforms proposed by the ex-
ecutive and approved by the legislative
branch Of the Spanish government. 1t
Is in the assumed temper and disposition
of the Spanish government to remedy
these grievances, fortified by indications
of influential public opinion In Spain. that
this government has hoped to discover
the most promising and effective means
of composing the present strife with nor
or and advantage to Spain and with the
achievement of all the reasonable objects
OF the insurrection.
1t would seem that II Spain should offer
TO Cuba genuine autOnomy-a measure or
home rule which. while preserving the
sovereignty of Spain, would satisfy all
rational requirements of her Spanish sub
1ects-there should be no just reason why
the pacitication of the island might not
he effected on that basis. Such Il result
would appear to he In the true interest
the conflict which Is now consuming the
resources of the island and making Il
worthless for whichever party may ulti-
mately prevail. 1t would keep intact the
Of N Npit ~ ltIr
honor, which will be consulted rather than
impusned by the adequate redress of adj
mitted grievances. 1t would put the pros
perity 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 coun-
try, and would Yet enable them to test
their capacity for self-government un Ter
the most favorable conditions 1t has
been objected ON the one side that Spain
should not promise autonomy until her
insurgent subjects lay down their arms;
on the other side, that promised auton-
omy, however liberal, is insufficient, be-
cause without assurance of the promise
being fulfilled.
REQUIREMENT OF SPAIN.
But the reasonableness of requirement
by Spain. of unconditional surrender OH
the part of the insurgent Cubans before
their autonomy Is conceded, is not alto
gether apparent. 1t ignores important
features of the situation-the stability
two years duration has given to the in
surrecton; its feasibility of its indefinite
prolongation in the nature of things, and
as shown by past experience; the utter
and imminent ruin of the island, unless
the present strife is speedily composed :
above all, the rank abuses which all
parties in Spain, all branches of her gov
ernment and all her leading public men
concede to exist and profess Il desire to
remove. Facing such circumstances. to
withhold the protfer of needed reforms
until the parties demanding them put
themselves at mercy by throwing down
their arms has the appearance of neg
leCting the gravest of pcrils and inviting
suspicion as to the sincerity of any pro-
fesscd Willingness to grant reforms. The
objection on behalf of the Insurgents
that promised reforms can not he relied
upon-must of course be considered
though We have no right to assume. and
no reason for assuming, that anything
Spain undertakes to do for the relief of
Cuba will not he done according to both
the. spirit and the letter of the under
taking.
Nevertheless. realizing that suspicious
and precautions on the part of the weak
er OF two COmbatants are always natural
and not always MISUNDERSTANDING sin
cerely desirous in the interest of both
as well as on its own account that the Gu
ban 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 satis-
factory measure of home rule We're ten
dered the Cuban insurgents, and would
be accepted by them upon a guaranty of
its execution. the United States would
endeavor to find a way not Objectionable
10 Spain of furnishing such guaranty.
While no definite response to this intima-
tion has yet been received from the Span
ish government it is believed to be not
altogether unwelcome, while. as already
suggested. no reason is perceived why
1t should not be approved by the insurg-
tnts. Neither party can fail to see the
Importance of early action and both must
realize that to prolong the present state Of
things for even short period will add
enormously TO the time and labor and
grounds that earnest efforts for healing
expenditure necessary to bring about tie
industrial recuperation of the island 1t
Is therefore fervently hoped on all
grounds that earnest efforts for healing
the breach between Spain and the in
surgent Cubans upon the lines above in
dicated, 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 out
lined or in any other way consistent with
our constitution and laws, will always be
at the disposal of either party.
Whatever circumstances may arise, our
policy and our interests would constran
us to object to the acquisition of the
island or an interference with its control
1t should he added that it can not be
reasonably assumed that the hitherto ex-
pectant attitude of he United States will
be indefinitely maintained. While we are
anxious to accord all due respect to the
sovereignty of Spain. we can not view the
pending conflict in all its features, and
properly apprehend our inevitably close
relations to 1t. and its possible results.
without considering that by the course
of events We may be drawn into such an
unusual and unprecedented condition, as
will fix limit to our patient waiting for
Spain to end the contest, either alone and
IN her own way. or with our friendly CO.
operation.
When the inability of Spain to deal sue
cessfully with the insurrectiOa has be-
come manifest, and 1t Is demonstrated
that her sovereignty is extinct in Cuba for
all purposes Of Its rightful existence, and