The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-06

y
| fell by the hand of the assassin, and,
although the cabinet of the late pre-
| mier still held Office and received from
/ our envoy the proposals he bore, that
| cabinet gave place within a few days
I thereafter to new administration
under the leadership of Sagasta.
The reply to our note was received on
/ the 23d day of October. Tt is in the di-
rection of better understanding. 1t
appreciates the friendly purpose of
! this government 1t admits that
by the war in Cuba and that its
! desires for peace are just. 1t declares
that the present Spanish government
I is bound by every consideration to
1 change of policy that should satisfy the
United States and pacify Cuba within
| q reasonable time. To this end Spain
| has decided to put into effect the po-
litical reforms heretofore advocated Dy
the present premier, without hating
for any consideration in the path,
which, in its judgment leads to peace.
The military operations, it is said,
will continue. but will be humane and
conducted with all regard for private
rights, being accompanied by political
action leading to the autonomy OF Gu
ba while guarding Spanish sovereign
ty This, it is claimed will result in
investing Cuba with a distinct person.
ality; the island to be governed by an
executive and by a local council or
chamber, reserving to Spain the control
of the foreign relations, the army and
navy and the judicial administration.
ernment proposes to modify existing
legislation by decree, leaving the Span
ish cOrtes, with the aid of Cuban sena-
tors and deputies to solve the ecOnom-
ic problem and properly distribute the
existing debt. In the absence OF a dec
laration of the measures that the gov
ernment proposes to take in carrying
out it's prOffer of good offices, it sug-
gests that Spain be left free to conduct
military operations and grant politi-
cal reforms, while the United States,
for it's part, shall enforce its neutral
I obligations and cut off the assistance,
which, it is asserted, the insurgents re-
ceive from this country. The suppOsi-
tiOn of an indefinite prolongation of the
war is denied. 1t is asserted that the
western provinces are already well
nigh reclaimed; that the planting of
cane and tobacco therein has been re-
sumed and that by force of arms and
new and ample reforms, very early and
complete pacificatiOn is hoped for
The immediate ameHOratiOn of eX-
listing conditions under the new admin
istration of Cuban affairs is predicted,
and Herewith all the disturbances and
all occasion for any change of attitude
on the part of the United States. Dis
cussion of the question of international
duties and responsibilities of the Unit
ed States, as Spain understands them,
is presented with an apparent disposi-
tiOn to charge US with failure in this
regard. This charge is without any
basis, in fact. 1t could not have been
made if Spain had been cOgnizant of
the constant efforts this government
had made at the cost of millions and
by the employment of the administra-
tive machinery at the national COM
mand to perform it's full duty accord
ing to the law of nations That it has
successfully prevented the departure OF
a single military expedition or armed
| vessel from our shores in violation of
our laws, would seem to be a sufficient
answer. But of this aspect of the
! Spanish note it is not necessary to
/ speak further now. Firm in the con-
viction of a wholly performed obliga-
| ton, due response to this charge has
! been made in diplomatic issues.
Throughout all these horrors and
| dangers to our own peace, this govern
ment has never in any way abrOgated
| its sovereign prerOgatiVe of reserV1ng
to itself the determination of it's policy
and course according to its own high
| sense of right and in consonance with
| the dearest interests and convictions of
our own people should the prOmulga-
ton of the strife so demand.
OF the untried measures there remain
| only:
Recognition of the insurgents as
belligerents; recognition of the inde-
/ pendence of Cuba; neutral intervention
! to end the war by imposing a rational
| compromise between the contestants
| and intervention in favor of one or the
! other party. I speak not of fOrcible
annexation, for that cannot be thought
] Of That, by our code of morality,
would be a criminal aggression
Recognition of the beIligerency of the
Cuban insurgents has often been can
| vassed as a possible, if not inevitable
| step both in regard to the previous ten
years struggle and during the present
| war. am not unmindful that the two
| houses of congress in the spring of 1896
| expressed the opinion by concurrent
/ resolutions that a condition of public
| war existed requiring or justifying the
| recognition of a state Of belligerency in
Cuba, and during the extra session the
| senate voted a joint resolution of like
! import, which, however, was not
| brought to a vote in the house. In the
! presence of these significant express
| sions of the sentiments of the legisla-
/ tive branch it behoOves the executive
] to soberly consider the conditions under
4 which so important a measure must
| needs rest for justification. 1t is to be
| seriously considered whether the Cuban
| insurrectiOn possesses beyond dispute the
| attributes of statehood which alone can
| demand the recognition of belligerency
| in it's favor. Possession, in short, of
| the essential qualifications of sOver-
eighty by the insurgents and the con-
/ duct of the war by them according to
! the recognized code of war are no less
| important factors towards the deterni-
nation of the problem of belligerency
| than are the influences and consequent
| ces of the struggle upon the interna-
/ tiOnal policy of the recognizing state.
The wise utterances of President
! Grant in his memorable message of De-
! cember z, 1875, are signally relevant to
I the present situation in Cuba. and it
/ may be wholesome now TO recall them.
| At that time a ruinous conflict had for
seven years wasted the neighboring is
| land During all these years an utter
| disregard of the laws of civilized war
| fare and of the just demands of hu-
| manity. which called forth express
sions OF condemnation from the nations
of christendOm, continued unabated.
Desolation and ruin pervaded that pro-
! ductive region, enormously affecting the
/ commerce of all commercial nations, but
| that of the United States more than
any other by reason of proximity and
larger trade and intercourse. At that
! juncture General Grant uttered these
| words. which now as then sum up the
elements of the problem: