The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-12-09
LET CUBA ALONE.
Continued From Page 8.

thicket or succumDing In misery" that
reforms must be instituted in accordance
with the needs and circumstances of the
time, and that these reforms, while de
signed to give full autonomy to the colony
and to create virtual entity and self
controlled administration, shall yet con
serve and affirm the sovereignty of Spain
by a Itst distribution Of powers and bur
dens upon a basis of mutual interest I'M
tainted by methods of self expediency.
, The first acts of the new government
lie in those honorable paths. The policy
of cruel rapine and determination that 80
long shocked the universal sentiment OF
humanity has been reversed. Under the
new military commander broad elem
ency is preferred. Measures have already
been set on foot To relieve the horrors of
starvation The power Of the Spanish
armies, IL Is asserted, Is to be used not to
spread ruin and desolation, but TO pro-
tect the resumption of peaceful agricul
tural pursuits and productive Industries
That past methods are futile to force
peace by subjugation is freely admitted
and that ruin without eonciliation must
inevitably fail to win for Spain the fldel-
ity of q contented dependency.
Not q single American citizen is now in
arrest or eonnnemenU IN CuDa, or wnotn
this government has any knowledge
The near future will demonstrate whether
the indispensable condition of righteous
T,eace, Just alike to the Cubans and to
Spain, as well as equitable to all our in
terests so intimately involved in the well
Ysre of Cuba, is likely TO be attained. If
not, the exigency 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
indisputable right and duty. 1t will be
faced, without misgiving or hesitanCy in
the light of the obligation this govern.
ment owes TO itself, to the people who
have con1ded to it the protection of their
interests and honor, and to humanity.
Sure of the right, keeping free from all
offense ourselves, actuates only by up
right and patriotic considerations, moved
neither by passion, nor selfshness, the
government will continue its watchful
care over the rights and property of
american citizens, and will abato none
of it's efforts to bring about by peaceful
agencies n peace which shall be honorable
and enduring. If it shall hereafter ap-
pear to be duty imposed by our obliga-
tions to ourselves, to civilization and to
humanity to intervene with force, 1t shall
be without fault on our part and only
because the necessity for such action will
be so clear as to command the support
and approval of the civilized world.
Annexation of Hawaii Recommended.
BY a special message dated the 10th day
of June last, laid before the senate
treaty signed that day by the plenipoten-
tiarics Of the United States and of the re-
public of Hawaii, having for its purpose
the incorporation Of the Hawaiian Islands
ms an integral part Of the United States,
and under its sovereignty. The senate,
having removed the injunction of secrecy,
although the treaty Is still pending before
that body, the subject may be properly
referred to in this message. because the
necessary action of the congress is re-
quired to determine by legislation many
details of the eventual union should the
fact of annexation be accomplished, as
believe IL should be.
While consistently disavowing from
very early period any aggressive policy OF
absorption in regard to the Hawaiian
group, long series of declarations,
through three-quarters of century, has
proclaimed the vital interest of the United
States in the independent life of the ISL
lands, and their intimate commercial de-
pendenCy upon this country. At the same
time, it has been repeatedly asserted that
in no event could the entity OF Hawaiian
statehood cease by the passage of the ISL
ands under the domiLation or influence of
another power than the United States.
Under these circumstances the logic OF
events required that annexation, hereto
fore offered but declined, should in the
ripeness of time come about as the nat
ural result of the strengthening ties that
bind us TO those Islands, and be realized
by the free will of the Hawaiian state
That treaty was unanimously ratified
without amendment by the senate and
president of the republic of Hawaii on the
10th OF September last, and only awaits
the favorable action of the American sem
ate to effect the complete absorption OF
the islands into the domain of the United
States What the conditions of such
union shall be, the political relations
thereof to the United States, the character
or the local administration, the quality
and degree of the elective franchise of the
inhabitants, the extension of the federal
laws to the territory or the enactment Of
special laws to fit the peculiar condition
thereof, the regulation If need be of the
labor system therein, are all matters
which the treaty has wisely delegated to
the congress.
II 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 ele
ments perhaps hardly yet fitted to share
in the hi hest franchises of citizenship,
and having due regard to the geographi-
cal conditions, 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 people
who, after nearly five years of demon.
strated capacity, fulfill the obligations Of
self-governing statehood come of their
free will TO merge their destinies in our
body polite.
The questions which have arisen be-
tween Japan and Hawaii by reason Of
the treatment of the Japanese laborers
emigrating to the islands under the Ha-
waiian-Japanese convention of 1888, are In
a satisfactory stage of settlement by nego-
tiation. This government has not been
invited to mediate and on the other hand
has sought no Intervention in that mat
ter, further than to evince it's kindliest
deposition toward such a speedy and di-
rect adjustment by the two sovereign
states in interest as shall comport with
equity and honor 1t is gratifying to learn
that the apprehension at first displayed
on the part Of Japan lest the cessation Of
Hawaii's national life through annexa-
ton might impair privileges to which
Japan hOnorably laid claim, have given
place TO confidence In the uprightness of
this government, and in the sincerity OF
its purpose to deal with all possible ulte-
rior questions in the broadcast spirit OF
friendliness.
Work of WoIoott Commission.
Under the provisions Of the act of con.
grcss, approved March 3, 1897, for the pro-
motion Of an international agreement re-
specting bimetallism. 1 appointed on the
14th day of April, 1897, Hon. Edward o.
Wolcott of Colorado, Hon. Adlai Il. Stev-
enson Of Illinois and Hon. Charles j.
Paine Of Massachusetts, as speci. ENJOYS
to represent the United States. 9ey have
been diligent in their efforts TO - re the
concurrence and cooperation of European
countries in the international settlement
OF the question, but up to this time have
not been able To secure an agreement con-
templated by their mission.