The evening times., 1897-07-01
AMERICA NEVER AIDED CUBA
Continued from First Page.

| dispatch Mr. Clay stated that the United
| States Government thought that England
| was at the bottom OF the scheme toliberate
Cuba. and that, If Cuba were once inde-
pendent from Spain, she would finally be-
come an English colony or a state under
French protection.
1t seems TO me clear that the real rea-
sons for Mr.. Clay's official communica-
ton against the independence OF Cuba In
1925 and 1926, We're not SO much those
stated in his dispatches as Tire fear that If
Cuba We're once indepen dent or annexed to
Mexico oi Colombia slavery would be abol-
ishcl in that island. a step which would
have been ia conflict with the policy of
the United States, then sovemed d by slave
power, which naturally supported siav-
cry.
THE question OF slavery was then at the
bottom or every important move OF the
United States. foreign and domestic, and
it Colored or disoolored all her important
| tran sacrions. Perhaps the idea Of acquir>
in5 the Island OF Cuba was another reason
which dictated Mr. Clay's action.
''ThequeStion OF the independence Of Cuba
was considered in the American Congress
" it-n db III lC-Os thN
idea or sending an armed expedition tc
,, liberate that island was abandoned on
account Of the opposition of the govern
ment of the United states, as appeared
from a communication from Mr.. Poinsett
United states minister TO Mexico, TO Mr.
Clay, Secretary OF State, OF September
%. 1926
When Simon Bolivar proposed the assem-
bling at Panama OF a congress of the Amer
ican nations to agree upon some Contt
mental policy, President John Quincy Adams
laid before Congress- in his annual MESA ge
OF Sc. the question of the represen tatiOn
OF the United States at that Congress.
The coalition against the Adams admins
tration. which ultimately became the
Jacksonian party, made its first great
fight on this measure.
1t C;tllrt. forth Ion debates and aroused
great excitement in the House OF Repre-
sentativeS, because IL was not an ordinary
mission anc seemed 10 have far greater
Importance than any question OF foreign
relations that lad previously come under
discussion. II was believed TO be an at
tempt to make confederation or league
OF all the American Countries. and thus to
certain e> tent eXtin guish the individ-
uality OF tie United States
This discussion lasted from February
to April 21, 1926, when the Committee
on Foreign Affairs reported Tesolut on
declaring that il was eXpedient to appro-
pirate tie necessary funds to send repre-
, sentatives tc the Panama Congress- Tms
resolution was approved by a vote OF
143 to "a. and passed the Senate by a
vot. of "a to 10.
The United States delegates to the Pan
ana cCngr-ss were instructed to atten the
congress in merely diplomatic charac-
ter. without discussing or accepting any
proposition of alliance binding the United
states
..These restrictions had been embodied
in an amendment presented both In the
House and Senate, which had passed the
House, hut was finally rejected because II
was considered an infringement upon the
prerogatiyes of the Executive. AS it ex-
pressed the views Of Congress- however, its
provisions were embodied In the instru-
ment to the commissioners.
Il understand that one of the objects OF
that Congress was to accomplish the IN
dependence of the Island OF Cuba but the
idea did not meet the approval of the
United States, and that fact prevented the
Panama Congress from arriving at any
practical result
Senior Romero concludes: SIT Is clear
that the United States did not In any prac-
tical manner assist the American colonies
OF Spain to achieve their independence
hope that this statement of facts will
serve TO show that the Spanish colonies In
America achieved their independence by
their own efforts and without the aid OF
any foreign nation, and that some Of
them expected such and they never got it |
I trust also that 1t will dispel some errors
prevailing on that subject.
an. ROMERO"