Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-12-09

|
right to exercise thesupervlslon recognize
by our treaty of 1895 over our commerce on
the high seas a very large part of which, in
It's trafic between the Atlantic and the Gulf
states, and be tween all of them and the
states on the Pacific. passes through the
waters which wash the shores of Cuba.
The exercise of this supervision could
scarce fail TO lead, If not to abuses, GER
talnlv to collisions perilous to the peaceful
rela ions of the two states. There can be
| little doubt as TO what result such SUI
pervision would before long draw this ma
ton. II would be unworthy of the United
States to inaugurate the possibilities of
| such results, by measures of questionable
right or expediency or b. any lndlrection.
While according the equal belligerent
rights defined by public law to each party
in our ports disfavors would be imposed
on both, which, while nominally equal,
would weigh heavily in behalf OF Spain her
self Possessing navy and controlling the
ports OF Cuba her maritime rights could be
asserted not only for the military invest
ment of the island, but up to the margin Of
our own territorial waters, and condition
OF things would exist for which the Cubans
within their own domain could no. hope to
create parallel; while Its creation through
aid or sympathy from within our domain
would be even more impossible than now,
national neutrality we would perforce as
sumeY
Against Intervention Now.
The enforce of this enlarged and
onerous code of neutrality would only be
influential within our own jurisdichOl by
land and sea and applicable by our own in
strumentalities 1t could impart to the
United States no jurisdiction between
Spain and the insurgents 1t wo I'D give the
| United States no right of Intervention to
enforce the conduct of the strife within the
paramount authority of Spain according to
the international code of war
For these reasons regard the mi
ton of the belligerency of the Cuban insur-
gents as now unwise and therefore mad
missable Should that step hereafter be
deemed wise as a measure OF right and duty
the executive will take it.
Intervention upon humanitarian grounds
has been frequently suggested and has not
failed to receive my most anxious and earn
es, consideration But should such a step
be now taken when it Is apparent that
hopeful change has supervened In the poll
icy of Spain toward Cuba?
That the government of Sagasta has en-
tered upon course from which recession
with honor is impossible, can hardly he
| questioned; that in the few weeks 1t has ex-
| listed 1t has made earnest of the sincerity
of its professions Is undeniable. l shall not
| impugn its sincerity, nor should impatle nee
be suffered to embarrass 1t in the task 1t
has undertaken u. It Is honestly due to Spain
and to our friendly relations with Spain
thatshe should be given a reasonable chance
to realize her expectations and to prove the
asserted efficacy of the new order Of things
to which she stands irrevocab,y committed.
She has recalled the comman der whose
brutal orders inilamed the American mind
and shocked the civilized world She has
modified the horrible order of cOncentra-
ton and has undertaken to care for the
helpless and permit those who desire to re-
sumo the cultivation Of their fields to do so,
and assures them of the protection of the
Spanish government in their lawful occu-
pations. She has just released the Com
petitor prisoners, heretofore sentenced to
death, and who have been the subject of
repeated diplomatic correspondence dur
ing botn this and the preceding administra-
ton. Not a single American citizen is now
under arrest or in confinement in Cuba, of
whom this government has any knowledge.
The Policy OF this Country
The near future will demonstrate whether
the indispensable condition of a righteous
peace. just alike to the Cubans and to Spain,
as we'll as equitable to all our interests so in
timately involved In the welfare of Cuba, is
of further and other action by the United
States will remain to be taken. When that
| time comes that action will be determined
in the line of the indlsputable right and
| duty. 1t will be faced without misgiving
| or hesitancy, in the light of the obligation
this government owes to itself to the peo-
Pile who have confded to 1t the protection
of their interests and honor, and to hui
| mainly
| Co.., - t1o rtrht Lna,tnr fraa Froy, al
offense ourselves actuated only by upright
and patriotic consider tiOns moved neither
| by passion nor selhshuess, the government
| will continue its waite hful care over the
rights and property of American citizens,
| and will abate none of its efforts to bring
about by peaceful agencies peace which
shall be honorable and enduring. If itshall
hereafter be duty imposed by our obliga-
| tons to ourselves to civilization and hui
mainly, to intervene with force, it shall be
without fault on our part and only because
the necessity for such action will be soclear
as to command the support and approval of
the civilized world
HaWalPs Annexation Urged
BY a special message dated the 10th day
of June last laid before the Senate a treaty
signed that day by the plenipotentlaries of
the United States and of the republic of Ha-
wall, having for its purpose the incorpora-
ton of the Hawaiian islands as an integral
part of the United States, and under its
sovereignty.
That treaty was unanimously ratified
without amendment by the Senate and Pres
ident of the Republic of Hawaii on the 10th
of September last, and only awaits the IA
vorable action of the American Senate to
effect the complete absorption of the islands
into the domains of the United States
What the conditions of such n union shall
be, the political relation thereof to the
United States, the character of the local
administration, the quality and degree of
the elective franchise of the inhabitants,
the extension of the federal laws to the ter
ritory or the enactment of special laws to
At the peculiar condition thereof the regu-
lauon of needs of labor therein, and all
matters upon which the treaty acts, has
wisely been relegated to Congress-
If the treaty Is confirmed, as every con-
sideration of dignity and honor requires
the wisdom of Congress will see to It, that
avoiding abrupt assimilation of elements
perhaps hardly yet fitted to share in the
highest franchises of citizenship, and hav-
ing due regard to the geographical condi-
tons the most Just provisions for self rule
in local matters with the largest political
liberties as an integral part of our nation
will be accorded to the Hawaiians. No less
Is due to 4 people who, after nearly five
years of demonstrated capacity to fulfill
the oblig cations Of self governing statehood,
come of their free will to merge their desd-
MES in our body polite.
The questions which have arisen between
Japan and Hawaii by reason of the treat
rnent of Japanese labOrers emiRratiup to