Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-12-19

gents-a proposition no longer weighed
because untimely and In practical op-
Grafton clearly perilous and Injurious to
our own interests. 1t has since beer
and is now sometimes contended that
the independence OF the insurgents
should be recognized. But imperfect
and restricted as the Spanish govern
ment of the island may be, no other ex-
lists there-unless the will of the mill
tary officers in temporary command OF
a particular district can be dignified as
a species of government. 1t is now also
suggested that the United States should
buy the island-a suggestion possibly
worthy Of consideration If there We're
any evidence Of a desire or Willingness
on the part of Spain 70 entertain such .
proposal. Ii Is urged, finally, that. all
other methods failing, the existing in
ternecine strife In Cuba should be ter
minated by our intervention even at the
cost Of a war between the United
States and Spain-a war which It's ad-
vocates confidently prophesy could be
neither large in its proportions nor
doubtful in its issue.
A Character 10 Maintain.
The correctness Of this forecast need
be neither affirmed nor denied. The
United States has, nevertheless, a char
acter to maintain as a nation, which
plainly dictates what should be the way
to rule.
Further, though the United States il
not a nation to which peace is a neces-
sity, 1t is in truth the most pacific of
powers and desires nothing so much az
to live in amity with all the world. Its
own ample and diversified domains sat
isfy all possible longings for territory.
precludes all dreams of conquest and
prevent any casting OF covetous eyes
upon neighboring regions, however at
tractive. That our conduct towards
Spain and her dominions has consti-
tuted no exception to this national dis
position is made manifest by the course
Of our government, not only thus far
during he present instruction, but
during the ten years that followed the
rising at Yara in 1868. No other power.
It may safely be said, under circum-
stances Of a similar perplexity would
nave manifested the same restraint and
the same patient endurance. 1t may
also be said that this persistent atti-
tude OF the United States towards
Spain in connection with Cuba, UNI
~questionably eNinces 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
pnNarV Of thn Western hanliGnhDra nor
do they underestimate the great quail
tiles of the Spanish people, nor fail to
fully recognize their splendid patriot
ism and their chivalrous devotion to the
national honor. They view with Won
der n admiration the cheerful reso-
luton with which vast bodies Of men
are sent across thousands OF miles Of
ocean and an enormous debt accumu-
lated that the costly possession of the
gem Of the Antilles may still hold is
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 Cub
or have failed to realize the expense 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 patriotic and enlightened
of Spanish statesmen, without regard
to party, and demonstrated by reforms
proposed by the executive and approx d
by the legislative branch Of the Span
ish government. 1t is In the assumed
temper and disposition Of the Spanish
government to remedy these griev-
ances, fortified by indications of influ-
entail public opinion in Spain, that this
government has hoped to discover the
most promising and effective means of
composing h present strife, with hon.
or and advantage to Spain and with the
achievement of all the reasonable OBJ
jects of the Instruction. .
Suggests Autonomy.
1t would seem that IL Spain should Of
fer to Cuba genuine ~autonomy-a mea-
sure Of nome rule which. while preserv-
ing the sovereignty of Spain, would sat-
isfy all rational requirements of her
Spanish subjects-there should be no
just reason why the pacifcation 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 Of the
island and making 1t worthless for
whichever party may ultimately pre-
vail. 1t would keep intact the posses
sions Of Spain without touching her
honor, which will be consulted rather
thar, Ia, tta,a} }u Tho a3ant,at. ,aIraco
Of admitted grievances. 1t would put
the prosperity Of the island and the
fortunes Of its inhabitants within their
own control without severing the nat
ural and ancient ties which bind them
to h mother country, and would yet
enable them to test their capacity for
self government under the most favor
able conditions. 1t has been objected
on the one side that Spain would not
promise autonomy until her insurgent
subjects lay down their arms; on the
other side, that promised autonomy,
however liberal, is insufficient, because
without assurance of the promise being
fulfilled.
That the reasonableness of the re-
quirement by Spain of unconditional
sure nder on the part Of the insurgent
Cubans before autonomy is conceded
is not altogether apparent. 1t ignores
important features of the situation
the stability I'VE years duration has
given to the ins%urrection, the feasible
ity of it's indefinite prolongation in the
nature Of things and, as shown by its
past experience, the utter and immi-
nent ruin Of the island, unless the pres
ent strife Is speedily composed; above
all, the rank abuses which all parties in
Spain, all branches of her government
and all her leading public men concede
to exist and profess a desire to remove.
Facing such circumstances to with
hold the proffer of needed reforms I'M
tA the parties demanding them put
themselves at mercy by throwing down
their arms has the appearance OF neg
Letting the grayest CT perils and invit-
ing suspicion as to the sincerity Of any
professed willingness to grant reforms.
The objection on behalf Of the insur-
gents that promised reforms cannot be
relied upon, must Of course be consld-
cred, though we have no right to as
sume and no reason for assuming that
anything Spain undertakes to do for
the relief Of Cuba will not be one ac-
cordlng to both the spirit and the letter