The times., 1897-05-24


Let us meet the issue which will be
presented in the House of Representatives
today, not as partisan politicians, but as
men and Americans, united in defence OF
the great principles of liberty and humanity,
and Indignantly protesting against Spain's
atrociOus warfare upon the sickbed and
upon womanhood and childhood in Cuba.
Donot let US have any illusions bout the
matter The issueis a grave one. How
ever much the influence of trusts and mon
eyed interests, backed by the Admins
tration, may attempt to cloud and obscure
the question, Ii is plain and simple one
between the people OF the United States
and the Spanish bondholders allied with
the Anglo-American Cuban Sugar Trust
Republican members ofsthe Congress are
told that adoption OF the Morgan resolu-
tion is suuerfluous, since the President in
tends to 60 farther and recommend sin
dependence. They should not allow their
eyes TO be closed by any such sreoious plea
II the President is honestly in favor Of
recognizing III form the independence which
the brave Cubans themselves have won ia
fact, he cannot consistently he opposed TO
the minor matter of recognizing their bel
liGerency Indeed, that would constitute
tie usual and orderly step toward COM
plete recognition, and it would give the
Cuban republic at once the status of a de
facto State, necessarily TO be made a party
to any negotiation or agreement looking
To the future political institutions of the
country
II. on the other hand, it is the intention
OF the administration to ignore the Cuban
republic in the scheme now Matching, or to
make recognition OF its Independence con
tingent uron the willingness of the Cuban
people to assume the Spanish debt incurred
for tire subjugation OF the island, to pay an
indemnity TO the Anglo-American Sugar
Trust, then a previous recognition OF bel
ligerency would defeat that object and
place the young republic in a position to
assert, maintain and defend the rights of
liberty and self-eovernment it has earned
in blood and tears.
Every effort is being made to prepare
The public mind for scheme of inter
Sention which win assert willingness on
the part OF the Cubans to assume the
slavery of a colossal debt 1t should not
be forgotten that, within the present
month, Gen. Maxine omez declared to
Mr. Karl Decker, correspondent of the
New York Journal, and with his own
hand penned a letter to that paper de-
clanng that Cuba would never conde-
scend to buy her freedom: I'VE can
wrest our independence fIom Spain with
Our swords without encumbering our new
republic with an enormous war debt"
Whatever may be said to the contrary,
the Cuhans will resist to the death any
project designed to make them pay for
their freedom. With belligerency ac-
corded. they will be able to finish the
war in short order; and ''beIligerency''
will give the whole civilized world a
right TO stop Weyler's senseiess and fiend-
Ash atrocities against helpleSsness and in
nOcence.
Z The House of Representatives will be
doing not only duty which the country
demands and viii have it perform, but
an act of mercy to the President, in
passing the Morgan resolution 1t will
place him in position where for once
he can shake off the control Of the bond
and sugar sharks that encompass him,
and rise to the dignity OF his American
manhood in signing the death warrant
of Spanish hellisllness at our gates.