Evening journal., 1896-12-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.

tlhl undDlulll Ol OpluiOu WtlH Wulth
the editorial press endorses the recent
message of his excellency. the president
of the United States-at least that por-
ton OF the message having reference
to the Cuban question. The president |
has outlined the current condition of
affairs, between Spain and her Cuban 1
possession. with a perspicaclty and
wisdom. so characteristic of the man. /
Further. the president is wise in advo
eating the continued neutrality of this
country; and he eyinces most excel
lent Judgment when he urges Spain to
grant autonomy or a species OF home
rule to her Cuban possession. More
than this, Cuba cannot expect More
than this Cuba in all probability will
never obtain. Cuba is wholly and
solely q Spanish possession, and, as
such Ii Is but natural that Spain. eff
fete as a monarchy though she be-
should wish TO retain il. Take Cuba
away from Spain. or. in other words
grant an Altogether free and independ-
ent government to Cuba. and what
would be Spains position in the con-
cert of nations? Why, Spain would
simply no longer take rank as a ma
tion among the nations of the earth.
It is all very well for a class of maud
lin and sentimental Cuban sympathiz-
ers TO advocate the right OF Cuba TO
start governmental business on its
own account; but all such irrational
intercession can best be described as
being the foolish advocacy of an alto
gether unreasonable hypothesis Cuba
is as much n part Of Spain, notwith-
standing the existing geographical dis
parity. as is the State of Delaware
part OF the United States. No one can
twist or distort so patent fact. What
then, may | ask. would be the upshot
of affairs were an insurrectional at
tempt to be made by any state in the
Union to disintegrate or altogethersever
itself from the Federal government?
Would so insane and aberrant a pro-
ject be tolerated for q single mo-
ment? Most certainly not Even the
unnaturalized citizens, who might be
resident in this country, at such a
juncture. would take up arms to op.
pose iniquitous a scheme Canada
is burden TO England, but is that any
reason why England should voluntar-
ily give up her Canadian possession?
Land is wealth and power. The nation
that owns the land of the world owns
the world and there is not n country
upon the face of the earth that would
willingly acQuiesce In the voluntary
surrender of a single foot of territorial
possession--no matter whether that
possession be a source Of expenditure
or a source OF revenue. Spain, in a f.
nancial sense, Is down In the wagon
track of life; but il is just possible that
were hitherto distinctly neutral
power to actively interfere Spain would
not be found To be utterly friendless,
so far as the active support of some
European power Is concerned When
the Spanish Armada opposed the Eng
lish fleet England warned France TO
stand aside and not interfere. France
dlsregarded this advice and the result
was that the naval force of England
made match-wood OF the combined
fleets of Spain and France blowing
them 20 those regions where satan IN
supposed TO reign supreme. The pol
icy of non-intervention. as advocated
by his eXcelency, the president. is the
most polite course for this country TO
pursue. When, during the American
civil war, the English government,
then In state of neutrality. foolishly
permitted English merchants to III out
confederate boats with ammuntions of
war. the general board of arbitration
ordered England 10 pay to the United
States government the sum of Sl5, ,5O0.-
O00-for infringing the laws of neu-
trality. Il is Just on the cards that
Spain may send In a bill of costs to this
country. owing to the innumerable fill
clustering expeditions which have left
the United States for Cuba--for the ex-
press purpose of giving aid to the in
surgents. The president. in his mes
sage, has very truthfully said the in
surgents have not made good their title
to be regarded as an independent
state, and that the putative Cuban
government is merely a government
on paper The political carper may
allege that the presidents message is
ponderous in tone and platitudinal in
sentiment. but the fact remains that
so far as the Cuban question is con.
cerned. the presidents message is q
masterpiece OF common sense-a com.
mon sense that has for its grand Object
wise and pacific solution Of what has
become an exceedingly tiresome anC
vexed problem. With the death of tn,
rebel leader. Maceo. whether betrayed
or not. il is possible that an important
obstacle has been removed from tn,
path of an equitable adjustment of af
fairs. Assuming that Maceo was be
trayed by one of his own order. theI
it is significant fact. and one worth,
OF consideration, that the failure of in
surrections in general can be traced Z,
the self-same cause. When the better
ment of Ireland was on the eve o
completion-when the hopes. the long
ings, tho aspirations OF its people wer
about TO be realized-there arose tn
Parnell scandal The result was tn
utter political and social damnation O
Charles Stewart ParneH, one of tn
most brilliant OF all the brilliant politi
cal leaders of this dying century, an
the total undoing Of all that had bee
done in Ireland's behalf And whe
the great Napoleon. bent on the nefari
GUS task of conquering the worls
reached the battlefield of Waterloo h
discovered that he had been sold on
by Grouchy, who Jagged behind at VeI
Yiers.
That a speedy and amicable adjust
ment of the difficulties existing bt
tween Spain and her legal Cuba pos
session may be determined is a cor
summation devoutly to be wished, nc
only by the opposing forces. but ais
by the tired and well-nigh worn-oi
DafiQnCp of the American Duhii