The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-01-07
A PLEA FOR CUBA.
Another Citizen Writes of the outlawry
of the oppressor of the Fair Island

of the Oppressor of the Fair Island.
Mr.. EDITOR: One of the objections
put forward by those who side with
Spain in the Cuban rebellion is, that
! should Cuba become free and indie
pendent nation the people of that
island are of such an unstable charac-
ter, that revolution would follow reyo-
luton, and therefore, it is unfit that
! they should be entrusted with gov
eminent of their own.
4, Now, if Cuba was some distant island
of the sea, far removed from any civil
lied nation, this theory might have
some semblance to truth, it is not un-
likely that unsupported and unassisted
by superior class of citizens, they
would make bad mess of self govern
ment. But in the first place we must
bear in mind, that no sooner would
they become free and independent,
than they would open their doors wide
to American citizenship, and invite
Americans to share in the burdens of
government, at least this is very
certainly owe it to those who had SYM
pathized with them in their struggle,
to call them in to aid by their superior
] knowledge of government methods, in
forming and establishing government
of their own. They would find it for
their best interests to do so.
j / do not believe that the rebellion of
i Cuba is a eauseless one, nor does any
fair mind SO believe. On the contrary,
these Cubans have had far greater
cause for their desire to throw off the
yoke of tyranny than ever the Colonies
had. The cruelties they have suffered,
at the hands of a robber, cut throat
nation, far surpass anything ever
known among civilized nations, and
should by right be classed as semi
j civilized. That nation has made use
of her dependencies only to impoverish
them by system of taxation and OPP
preston, which has reduced them to
mere vassalage. This, apparently, is
the only way in which Spain has been
enabled to brace up her lettering
fortunes. As nation she is not only
bankrupt financially, but also morally
and politically. At the present rate of
her decadence another century will see
! her occupying about tie sai11o position
among the nations as Turkey occupies
today.
The disintegrating process in her
case has almost reached the acute
point, and it is against the very nature
of things, that she can perpetuate her
power and place on the map of nations,
unless, indeed, there should be insti-
tuted reforms, which from the very
character of her people it were vain to
expect.
AS to the duty of the United States
government to recognize the independ-
ence Of Cuba, it has only been ques-
ton of international law based upon
the assumption that Spain is civilized
nation and entitled to civilized usage.
In the present case, however, any
treaty between the United States and
Spain upon that assumption, might
we'll be ignored by our government,
and Spain treated as an outlaw in ac-
cordance with her crimes of outlawry
against Cuba. | suppose there is or
should be Il limit to international OBJ
legation or International treaty, when
the offending nation deliberately goes
to work, and by uncivlized or barbar-
Gus acts, forfeits such obligations on
the part of her sister nations. Crimes,
cruelties and oppression should have
no rights that are entitled to recOgni-
ton, whether applied to nations or in
dividuals. If an individual commits
murder, the laws enacted by the state
guaranteeing to all men life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness does not
apply. His plea that he is gentleman
does not or should not shield him. He
must swing for it all the same, and it
is that society and not himself may be
/ protected. Spain is criminal entitled
to the same protection as other Grimm
ais. International law should operate
in her case as common law does toward
the other outlaw for the protection of
common humanity.
1t is written in the book of fate that
Cuba is to be free. Spain only retards
the onward march of civilization by her
useless sacrifice of the lives of her sons
in the vain belief that she can retain
her mastery over the Pride of the
Antilles Were she not the effete
nation that she is and had scintila of
justice on her side it might, aye, would
be otherwise. When in the history of
mankind has not injustice long per-
sisted in reacted upon itself and fallen
into the pit dug for others
Cuba must be free; the gods have SO
decreed it. a. d. S.
/ c~ooI-:-~ AL~..L D1o.I