New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
rny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE1

DID on A FORMER OCCASION.
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNEl
x,o.,,rgton Apri, 1.-THE Administration
...,rg decided on q policy of mediation In
cuba. and a brief outline of Secretary Olneys
,,s,rnctions to Minister Taylor having been
r,ven in these dispatches. it may be OF interest
% contrast the course of President Grant with
49,. ~ Mr. Cleveland State Department oni-
,o,s are greatly distressed to know that the
-.s.r, official programme has become public
WV have given out emphatic, but technical, de-
-,.,s NJ the correctness Of published reports In
..,o,v ~ certain facts well known here. their
-sa e remarkable Well-informed persons
-. aware that mediation has been proposed
~ Il "a somewhat extraordinary that hign
,rh,ic officials should give countenance to STATE
-,an,s seeking to create doubt In the matter
what has been suggested to Spain Is In no
--,s. d,sc-editable to the Administration. ana
,rst why It's members should attempt to spreao
~. idea that the President has made mess
:. .hs Cuban question occasions no little COM
-. The only recent occasion when an Amerl-
Aaministrat ton had to deal with the CUBAN
~....,on was in the days Of President Grant.
some of Secretary Fish's ablest state papers
-.,..s 70 Cuba. They were firm in character
.a thoroughly American. Does secretary
49, fear to have his course compared WIN
.h., n Grants great Secretary Of State!
Tn 1859 revolution was raging IN Cuoe- "e"
400, Grant wished most earnestly tnat the cal
,.os IN the island should cease In june VI
,hst year Secretary Fish wrote an impor'ah
a.nstch to General Sickles, who then repre-
..n,sd this Government at Madrid slavery
.v,sted In Cuba in those days, ana this SUI"
dart received attention In the dispatch' Meu,a
,on was the tenor Of Secretary Fish > ois-
n.tcb At first Spain accepted the prohe'e"
GOOD offices Of this country She pursued p.o-
e-ast,nat,ne course. however. and finally noun
ing came Of the overturea
SECRETARY FIsHs DisPArcH'
s..retarv Fish, dispatch to General sicKes
reads:
NJ. oo,a,,,on NJ the island Of Cuba excte' 'he
ssr,ous concern. For mora .han nine mon'ra
. c,vi, conflict has teen raging there una go s,.
~, M promise Of a speedy tetm'''a''' - -.
,rarked with degree OF herce1ess a'''
.vher side rarely witnessed in ln'er as'9
threatening. II continued. 10 work 'n'
.a ass,ruct,on Of the wealth ard me resoa'@oS u
the island. . -. con.t,nt
. M ,a,ween its inhabitants and orr cit-
- .rd rs extended and increasing c'niei'e
vl,b this country all tend 10 awaken al .a," .,
interest in our pee pie In what concerns 70
.ort. Many citizens OF the Onltso ''"
largely interested in property there' "i"".
,hsre and many visit the is!1nd more o "
ouen,ly either on business or to enjoy 'he pe"e
=, the climate Even more numcrous p'S'''''
v. ~. cuhans xbo own properly. or who visit or
r,o reside in the United states; ana '""s ."',e
.ays o,oun I'D close personal relations. oo~" ouv'
ness and social, between the iphaDtanls ~ 80
and OF the United States. s.soAs pS"'''"' o.,
pathy also exists and the civil STRIFE no" '""e
IN the island thus appeals with unusnai lo"e' ~
the sympathy which Americans feel Tor al p.op''
arriving to secure for themselves more ho>ra' III
,,,t,on. and that inestimabe right Of self-govern
r.rt which we prize as the foundation o; al prog
ress and achievement
During the insurrection In CUBA this uo'ein"
has in the utmost good faith and win great sue
cess exerted Its powers to perform all It's du'es anu
obligations toward Spain. and TO MAINTAIN "S
friendly relations with that Power. AZ mas Dee" AZ
easv task 10 restrain citizens within the Douhus
.scr,hed nv the obligations OF one friendly Power
10 another and TO repress the spirit OF adventure
ard enterprise from entering the heic oi d" ca
tended and prolonged contest. where the cry was ia
favor OF liberty, emancipation and self-goVerh 'h'
especally when all the claims OF neighoorhoou' Vi
nAr.onal intimaces and Of political sympathes were
sa,n1 IN the direction OF material aid TO the In
s,rrect,on and wher these tendencies were warmed
into life by the personal presence and the appeais
~ the Cubans who were either resident among us
A. whom the desoator OF their country had brough'
70 our shores But this Government claims tha' I"
has faithfully discharged al these duties
TIL. strife still continues In Cuba. II has already
marked Us track by devastation and ruin. towns
sacked houses burned plantations destroyed aho
Nv.s ,os,. ON either side The var mas beer enc OF
desoation and II continued must result IN the en-
tire destruction Of large part OF the productive
capacty Of the island as well as an immense
amount OF property and OF human iiie.
VICTORY OF DOUBTFUL ADVANTAGE.
nuno. ,ronoss,b.e that the Cubans may be con-
Quered II Spain devotes her whole energies " INC
work. but they can never again De co".."u
happy faithful or ouiet subjects OF that rover
A.mm,ry Tho, sna,n may eventually subdue the
present insurr4ction she will find herself IN pos
session Of a devastated and ruined territoiy; III,
habited by a d!scontented people. Inc e"iie
statesmen OF Spain cannot fall TO appreciate .~
the feelings and the affections OF the e"'"e
population Of the island not only estra"seu'
that they are deeply hostile to the cohtinuao'
Spanish rule Nor they fail TO recognize .ie az
vancng growth Of that sentiment which ciai'' ~.
every part Of the American hemisphere the ISu ~
eelf-governnent and freedom from tra"'a''"''~
England. bound she has been TO the traai',oms ION.
OF the past tenacious as she has been OF nsr d IN
Se Gd arse s Of
has anticipated events by granting sell lfgovernHeMns ~
to her North American provinces. Denmark. ap,
proving the policy Of the separation OF colonies from
the parent State. Is endeavor!ng 10 part WIN nei
insular possessions Russia has set a recent en
ample OF parting with her possessions In Amer,c,a1 ,1
Nor are these the only Governments in the Oo woIIu
that are preparing their colonies for independence
and sef.governinent 1t can no longer be dues- -
ton OF National dignity, can the proper prlde or
the susceptiblltes OF great Power refuse TO con.
slider the question Of voluntary severance OF past
relations between itself and distant possessions
Spain herself Of the first Of the great
European Powers to cede voluntarily Its distant
colonial possessions, for she transferred Louisiana
TO France. ands subsequently ceied florida to the
United States. France engaged In war, and. finding
Louisiana liable TO military attack replenlshed her
treasury by its sale. while relieving herself OF the
burden Of the defence OF distant possession.
THE RELEASE OF CUBA URGED
We hope that with these examples. Spain will
now be prepared to consider and TO adopt. with
uka ~ w for