Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-20
A VIEW OF CUBA.


CANNoNviLLE, Utah, Feb. 7lh, 1897.
To the Editor
The people of the United States are
indeed in sympathy with the Cuban in
surgents. This is perfectly natural. We
sympathize with all who seek freedom.
But il does not follow that we should aid
and abet all revolutiopists, or that we
should rush into war to assist them to
gain their independence. II the Poles
or Hungarians should attempt to gam
their freedom, we would undoubtedly
sympathize with them, too, blu, We would
not be expected TO declare war against
Russia or Austria in order TO help or IN
any way assist the Poles or Hungarians'
The United States should STICK TO the
Monroe doctrine, winch most euipha1
cally forbids European powers acquiring
any new territory on this continent, Dut
there is no objection ON our part, nor IS
IT right Tor us to undertake the job OF
driving foreign powers out OF their
American colonies. Such policy would
involve us in war, sooner or later, with
all the great nations Of the globe.
International law imposes moral obi
cations upon us which we rs a nation
are in duty bound TO respect. We did
not like il when European powers openly
sympathized with the Southern Con-
iederates, aud we would not admit that
they had any right or reason to 60 to
war with us to help the rebel cause. We
compelled England TO pay st5ooo,ooo
damages ior letting rebel cruisers leave
her ports. Now we must, or at least
should, practice what we preach. We
must respect international law and all
international obligations II we expect
other nations to do so We must be
consistent in these important matters
and treat Spain justly-as We expected
European powers to treat us la 1861.
President Cleveland and Secretary
Olney are perfectly correct i'll their view
OF the Cuban question, and all loyal
Americans should support and respect
them ior the noble, wise and conserva-
tive position they have assumed These
gentlemen have proved themselves to
be sIaunch Americans and able expo
nents OF American doctrines by the way
they have brought England to time in
the Venezuelan affair. Const quently
we can trust them TO deal firmly and
justly with the Spaniards and CubAns.
Mr.. Cleveland knows perfectly well 10
what extent the Cubans deserve our
sympathy and support. lie knows that
the Spanish rule in Cuba has been
tyrannical; that Spain has neglected to
develop the island and to fully recognize
the right OF the Cubans to home RUE
But as long as the latter have no fixed
andpeImanent government. International
law strictly iorbids us from recognizing
hathnaN.RNa ar ne "a nHan4u.
dent power. Therefore, the President
decides that we should wait awhile until
il is demonstrated that the Cubaus have
just claim 10 re cognition aud that Spain
cannot re.estabish stable and Just
government 10 the island. When this
TACT Is made plain, he declares 1t will be
our duty TO interfere and stop this war
In my humble opinion the President is
right. Congress IS hasty and wrong in
taking a course that is apt 10 involve us
in a foreign war. congressman have
not thoroughly examined the matter so
carefully and cannot be SO well informed
as the President and secretary of state
They should slow down and keep cool
We must not be scatter-bTained pGo-
pie and permit our prejudices and sym.
pathies TO run away with our better rea-
son.
There is one phase oil the matter that
merits more than passing notice, The
army, navy. or national guard OF the
United States are not acting in a manner
to provoke war. II is the civil branch
OF the government that is inviting
hostilities. Let the people OF our great
nation note this fact. We hear great
deal about the danger of stanC ing
army and navy. But it will be found
that in all cases, whether in riots and
strikes at home, or in case of trouble
with foreign nations, the army and navy
will not precipitate trouble or fire too
soon. The Chicago riots proved one
of these statements, and this Cuban
question will prove the other. The
military OF this nation stand for peace
and national honor, and it is high time
for the people TO appreciate and recog
nize the fact. The blood.thirsty and
warlike are not in the ranks. They al
ways do the talking. And so let us
sympathize with Cuba without being UNI
just to Spain. Let us prove to the world
that we respect law and international
obligations. Many OF the reports from
Cuba are false and consequently mis-
leading. The President and secretary
know the truth and will act promptly
when the proper time arrives.
JoHN NJ. DUNNING.