The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-11-19

""'"" ~"" "ep'" nat HiBhta at "araW'
Bnt n this point the suggestion will be made. no doubt. that / have owe
looked the fact that in 1881 the Spanish constitution Of 1870 was proclaimed
admitted and still sit in the Cortes at Madrid. The idea that the island has tn,
10 been clothed with any real authority to regulate its own affairs does not emit
for a n moment into the minds Of those familiar with the incontestabte fact
" In the FIRST place, not only the current Affairs Of Cuba but great organic concern
y are regulated a a general rule by royal DEGREES and not by acts approved by til
Corts For example, the majestic fabric Of reform with which Senior Canova
lately ro4netted with Cnta wa. simply the creation of his own PEN and enbodie
g n a royal decree counterisnel by the Queen Regent In the second place,
merely n phantom body, with n real authority beyond the power to give tn
n forms Of law to royal eacts as the English parliament did in the latter days
e Henry VIII In the third place, both of the great monarchial parties that uphoL
u the present dynasty agreeh the conclusion that Cnba cannot be given anythin
Is Ike real autonomous colonial government rs that term is understood Throughout
n Cuban deputies in the Spanish Cortes to repeat Irish tactics by playing off one o
e the great parties against the other even if they were independent representative
men of straw, nominees of the came government selected and returned by thu
governor general to do his bidding That the present Cuban representatives ii
the Corte' were returned by General Weyer at the dictaton Of Senior Canova
can bc proven, II necessary, by the recorded testimony Of Senior sagasta, who
made at the time a sharp protest based upon that fact,
Apyatempt, therefore, to answer the question just propunded must take in
to account the character ideas and motives Of the remarkable. many sided man
governed France.
After four years of careful observation of the mental and moral makeup of
Senior Canovas del Castillo, cannot draw of him other than a aatterng picture,
because despite his one great mental defect ! was a genuine admirer Of his gen.
ins And believe that few of his best friends will deny in their hearts what l
have to @y of him. A child of the middle class he came into life under circum.
s'an'e''h mat sho"i nave 'nfnea ha witt popular Sympathies' and his strong
and precocious mind vas 400 subjected to a system of academic training that
illuminated in a brilliant carrem at the university AS he appeared in his famous
|noaI ro'ha ny "''Rsh every tongue ne could easily fancy that he was
an Idea statesman whose N thought was to solve the problems of the present
ay the learning and experience of the past With the history Of all lands he was
profoundly familiar, and as student of the science of politics he had few super.
Tor" Tins equipped, he marched into the political arena. his consumate know.
Ntbt VI men, MS HtlnVt tNhIneNce MS canSIEW VII, MS hdeHty OF his friends
his perfect conception of the mental tempero his country, to which he was de-
voted, gave him such a superiority over all rivals that he governed Spain, no
matter whether in or out of office In the forum of debate he W as supreme Al the
no" hsfada 'nerit"' IN the i1a1a a e Ioros Even when he lead the Opposi
ton no one dared to do anything without consulting him. The masterful' force
Of the nan was fully revealed in his leonine physognomy: and, although ~ ugly
a. Mrab""' there va n meImer1 charm about his manner that a sure to
put n spell upon you. The one great defect in the organization of this subtle
high thoughted, powerful personality was embodied In the fact that he was Al
a spaniari Of the past, an absolutist a Cardinal Ximenez de Cesnaros mas
qneradng in the garb OF the nineteenth century. And yet his perception WAS ~
that he clearly understood that even in Spain the ancient principles of ab-
'onusnnm must be concealed beneath the constitutional forms that prevail today
Az the author, the craftsman of the Spanish constitution of 1876 be bas forum
principles that will satisfy the most exacing student Of representative gov.
Nnment; a. n practical statesman, he emasculated his creation by taking away
rom the Cortes the power to represent the nation and expressi its will Tho finn
iamental principle which Senior Canovas continually impressed upon his country.
men was Una 'e supreme powers Of the state are invested in the crown and not
n the Cortes; and to that idea, of course he was Al much devoted in cohna, 40
n nome ahairs After a careful study of the man lin the light Of his history,
nno' 'o"o' Una ~ vas MS settled purpose to govern the remaining colonies Of
pain under the old paternal system conceding nothing In the way Of real anton.
my except a few empty forms SO designed to conceal his real purpose And I
ave very good r'asont to know that the enticing generaliies embodied in the
oval decree of February 4 1897, in which he promised that soma kind ~ s,s
put forth under pressure rs mere coup de theatre to divert and satisfy pub
c opinion in the United States until Weyler could reduce the island to ,tnolrts
can at present only state part of the facts upon which that conc,u
on rests, trusting to time to vindicate 1t completely.
The truth Is that the Spanish statesmen have no clear conception of the rea,
'eaning Of thu term autonomous colonial government: and the Spanish pco.
arr almost n unit in their resolve to lose Cuba by a forcs Of farm, rather than
such a concession to be made. Therefore have said Spanish st.,esmon
nip Is impotent to solve the pending problem; it has no idea beyond the blind
of the dreadful strife which means nothing more than the uSlesu
criace of human life and the utter obstruction of the very subject msttea Of the
itself In the presence of the final issue Of death and destruction thus
presented by Spain herself the people of the United States must take
a o their moral and legal rights in the premises under those incoptest
principles OF internatonall law that govern the New World.
A SIMPLE MORAL REMEDY.
What are the wisest and most practical means to be emplovea IN Il. a.s
large of the grave and moral duty which has been put aside too lonv already,
the light of my observation and experience, involving a somewhat intimate
owledge OF SPANS internal condition and resources financial, political and
ihtary. cannot doubt that the simple application by the government Of the
nihd States of moral pressure, provided that such pressure exeted by tho Loo
and executive departments acting together in Arm and hearty concert
IL now ne sufficient to accomplish the end in view. The difficulty heraosore
= been the unhappy differences Of opinion that have rendered such united A.
IN impossible. The time has passed when the isolated action OF IN me dan.rt
mt OF the discussion with Spain of any ne phase Of the question, or Of any
rtcunr caseo OF wrong to any Of our citizens, tai bring about that ron and
result that will surely follow firm and decided action upon the mart ~ ou,
dealing asa unit with the question as n whole. What / hone to see
me prompt action by congress, upon its reassembling, Of Joint resolution am
three clear and definite propositions: The first asserting our right and
y mot only t ourselves but to humanity, by the universally recognized doc.
ne u intervention, ~ well as by virtue of The Monroe doctrine. tn mt n and ,l
dreadful conflict 30 long raging In Cnha. because II involves not only the CON
NJ disturbance OF our internal peace but also the destruction Of great cop.
rcal and property interests Of our citizens; the second, asserting that .fAo~
turing patiently all such evils incident to the fifteen years war in Cnba ont ~
mstt wentynine, the government of the United States has offered in vain n.
onces ~ peacemaker to Spain In hope Of aiding her without offence oI
Fsusceptbihties to bring toa close a strife 81 destructive to the material In
etso both countries the third, declaring that the government Of the Initial
ties In view OF SPANS refusal to accept such friendly and respectful media.
n"s 10 resolves to act upon Its own responsibility Its entire moral innu. 6
T. the end that the war in Cuba may be brought to a speedy close, provid. :
fails to accomplish that result in a reasonable time b he clsrv; ,Si
cd. "" r
n undeFtone OIL this resolution should then leave no doubt u 10 the fact
u IN TN event the application Of such moral means fails to produce the neces +
' rsah " 9 reserve thu right to take such other action in the premises a may
made necessary by future events The mere passage Of such / resolution bv
OF y president will, ! cannot doubt 10 completely PROSTATE the present
nan policy Of Spain that 1t will die In a short time, without further anfom mn
our part. The Spanish people themselves worn out and exheusked ~ a ~.
iMn. strife Of which the mawesw who are mainly called upon fr military sr r