Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-12-22
THE PRESENT SITUATION.

THE PRESENT SITUATION.
Under the subhead of "Cuba," tn
report concludes as follows:
Unto this American System thu
created by Monroe, in 1929, an
embracing then, besides the Unitet
States, only Buenos Ayres, Chile, Col
ombia and Mexico, various othe
communities have since claimed anC
in most cases have received admission
until it now includes all South Amer
lea except the Guianas; all Contra
America except the British colony o
Honduras, and the two black re
publcs of Spanish Santo Domingo
and Hayti in the Antilles. No ser
ious question was again raised with
any European power in regard to the
insurrection or independence of theil
American possessions, until in 1865
rebellion broke out in Cuba, and the
insurgents, after organizing govern
ment and declaring their independ'
ence, claimed recognition from the
United States.
The government of the United
States has always regarded Cuba as
within the sphere of its most active
and serious interests.
Gas early as 1920, when the recOgs
nized states of Columbia and Mexico
were supposed to be preparing an ex-
pedition to TevolutiOnize Cuba and
Porto Rico, the United States govern
ment interposed its friendly offices
with those governments to request
their forbearance. The actual condi-
tiOn of Spain seemed to make the re
tentiOn Of Cuba impossible, in which
case the United States would have
been obliged for their own safety to
prevent the island from falling into
the hands Of stronger power in Eu-
rope. That this emergency did not
occur may haye been partly due to the
energy with which Monroe pronouced
'our right; and our power 10 prevent
it, his determination to use all means
within his authority to guard against
and defend it.
"This right of Intervention IN mat
ters relating to the external relation
of Cuba, asserted and exercised 70
years ago, has been asserted and eXer-
cised at every crisis in which the
island has been involved. When the
Cuban insurgents in 1869 applied to
the United States for recognition,
President Grant admitted the justice
of the claim and directed our minis
ter of the United States at Madrid to
interpose our good offices with the
Spanish government in order to OBJ
tain by friendly arrangement the
independence Of the island.
"The story of that Intervention is
familiar to every member of the sem
ate, and was made the basis of its
last session, requesting the
president once more to 'interpose his
offices with the Spanish gov
ernment for the recognition of the in
OF CuDd.
"The resolution then in congress
was understood to carry all the conse-
quences which wSuld follow the re-
lection by Spain Of friendly Of
fees. On this situation the resolution
needs no further comment. The
action taken by congress in the last
session was taken On great considera-
tioH and inst principles, and right Of
intervention exercised 27 years ago,
and after patient delay uneXampled
In history. The interval of nine
months which has elapsed since that
action of congress has proved the
necessity of carrying it out to COM
pletion.
udPoTENCY OF SPAIN.
"In the words of the presidents an
nual message; the stability of two
years duration has given to the insur-
rection the feasibility of its further
In the nature of things,
rs shown by past experience, the utter
md imminent ruin of the island un-
ess the prese Mt strife is speedily COM
posed, are, in our opinion, conclusive |
evidence that the inability of Spain to |
leal successfully with the resurrection
las become manifest,an it is demon
'trated that her sovereignty is exinct
n Cuba for all purposes of its rlghtful
existence. A hopeless struggle for re-
establishment has degenerated into a
itrife which means nothing more than
,he useless sacrifice OF human life and
he utter destruction Of the very sub
ect matter of the conflict.