The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-08

II MONil NNNAAA AAtttN -
should offer TO Cuba genuine autouo-
mvn measure OF home rule which,
while preserving the sovereignty of
Snnin. would satisfy all rational re-
onirprnents of her Spanish subjects
there should be no just reason why
Tho modification of the island might
nnt he effected on that basis."
lie thinks this would be in keeping with
the natural and ancient ties which bind
Cubans to their mother country are
the "ties" which make one people sub
sorv;ant 10 another ever ''naturalY" We
do not think So We believe with Jeffer-
son that there is no just or natural gov
eminent that is not chased ON the con
sent Of the governed. Cubans nave
boor v,oaa bewers of wood and drawers
Of water for Spain; they have seen all
nublic offices monopolized by Spaniards,
who had no interest in their welfare;
they have been taxed heavier than any
ether people in the world; they have
not only been made aliens at home, but
have been despised and spit upon and
hunted as if they were not the rightful
owners of the island. Every promise
Spain has made has been broken, and
yet Mr.. Cleveland says:
1--WE have no right to assume, and
no reason for assuming, that any
thing Spain undertakes to do for the
relief of Cuba will not be done ac-
cording to both the spirit and the
letter of the undertaking..
Mr.. Cleveland has so much faith in
Spain that, if it should offer to give Cuba
better government, he says:
The United States would endeayor
to find a way not Objectionable to
Spain of furnishing such guaranty
Toward the close of the discussion of
the Cuban question, the President seems
to think that after all his praise of Spain
and it's people, it may happen to turn out
that the United States will have to inter
fere, and he says:
when the inability Of Spain to
deal successfully with the instruction
has become manifest. and when
hopeless struggle for its re-estabiish-
ment has degenerated into a strife.
which means nothing more than use
less sacrifice of human life and the
utter destruction of the very subject
matter Of the conflict, a situation will
be presented In which orr obligations
to the sovereignty of Spain viii be
superseded by higher obligations
The time pictured has already arrived.
Spain has shown it's inability to deal
successfully with the instruction 1t is
engaged in. a hopeless struggle; the con
fict has already "degenerated into a
strife which means nothing more than
useless sacrifice Of human life and the
destruction of the very subject matter
of the conflict and a situation" is "
ready presented" in which any obnga-
tons we owe to the sovereignty of
Spain" have been superseded by higher
obligations" Why delay longer? Must
we wait until Spain has butchered more
women and children? Must our "obliga-
lions to sovereignty" compel rs to be un-
true to orr devotion to liberty and those
who are fighting, with ten fold more
I
provocation, the same battle for freedom
that our forefathers waged in 177G? Did
Lafayette and his band OF French low
ers Of liberty permit obligations to SOW
ereignty" to outweigh their burning zeal
to help a struggling people sucure for
themselves the natural government to
which all men are entitled?
One year ago Mr.. Cleveland wrote in
like vein. Now that the Cubans have
shown their ability to cope with strong
adversaries, why should we deny them
the poor boon Of recognition? We ought
to extend it to them joyfulIy and gladly
and more than that: we ought to help
them achieve their independence.
Upon the financial policy, Mr. Cleve-
land presents nothing new. He proposes
to redeem and destroy all the Treasury
notes, Act of July 14th, 1890, amounting
to $151, 500, 267, and all the United States
notes amounting to s346,G81 ole, the total
being about five hundred million dollars,
or nearly one third of our entire circula-
ton. In its place he proposes nothing ex.
eept to permit the national banks to issue
money to the par value of the bonds they
hold, and to reduce the tax on such cir
culation to one-fourth of one per cent.
II am more convinced than ever" writes
the President that we can have no as
sured fnaReial peace and safety until the
government curre&Ey obligations upon
which gold may be demanded from the
Treasury, are withdrawn from circula-
ton and cancelled" There is not such a
currency obligation" in this country&ex-
cept the sixty-four million dollars OF gold
certificates. Every other currency OBJ
legation is payable in coin, and it is only
the wrong construction of the Treasury
officials, supported by no law, that en-
abIes the President to speak of eur
rency obligations upon which gold may