Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-12-09

war are no less important factors toWaIu
! the. determination of the problem OF pei
( ligerency than are the influences anu e9n
sequences of the struggle upon the AZ
| ternal policy of the recognizing state.
The utterances of President Grant III
| his memorable message on december :,
| 1875, are signally relevant to the present
| situation in Cuba, and it may be Whoie-
some now to recall them. AT tnal .inre
| a ruincus conflict had for seven years
| wasted the neighboring island. during
| all these years an utter dlsregaro
| of the laws of civilized warfare anu
| of the Just demands or numahiey'
/ which called forth expressions OF CON
dennation from the nations OF Chris-
| tendon continued undated Desoia-
ton and ruin pervaded that productive
region, enormously affecting the com
merce of all commercial nations, Dut thal
| of the United States more than any other
| by reason of proximity and larger traue
and intercourse. At that JuncIufe vi , an
! uttered these words which now as tneh
sum up the elements of the problem:
Recognition Is Impracticable.
ga recognition of the independence OF
| Cuba being, in my opinion, impracticable
and indefensble. the question which next
presents itself is that of the recognition
of belligerent rights in the parties to the
| contest. In former message to congress
/ 1 had occasion to consider this question:
| and reached the conclusion that the con-
| f1ict in Cuba, dreadful and devastating DIS
were its incidents, did not rise TO the
| fearful dignity of war. 1t is possible tnat
the acts Of foreign powers, and even acts
of Spain herself of this very nature mlght
! be pointed to in defense of sucn recos-
milton. But now, as in it's past history,
| the United States should carefully avolo
the false lights which might lead it into
| the mazes OF doubtful law and OF ques-
| tionable prcpriety and adhere rigidly ana
| sternly to the rule which has been It's
guide, OF doing only that which is right
/ and honest and of good report. Ine ques-
| ton OF according or of withholding rlgnts
| of beliigerency must be judged IN every
| case, in view of the particular attending
! facts.
''Unless justified by necessity, 1T is al
ways and justly, regarded as an unfrlend-
ly act and a gratuitous demonstration OF
4 moral support to the rebellion. 1t is nee
| essary and it is required, when the inter-
ests and rights Of another government OF
OF it's people are so far affected by pend
ing civil conflict as to require deHnltlon
of it's relations to the parties thereto. But
this conflict must be one which is recog-
nized in the sense or international law as
war.
sBellgerence, too. is a fact. The mere
existence of contending armed bodies anu
their occasional conflicts do not constitute
war in the sense referred to. Applying to
the existing condition of affairs in CUBA
the tests recognized by publicists and
writer's on international law, and Whlch
| have been observed by nations OF dignity,
honesty and power when free from sens1-
| tive or selfish and unwo thy motives, L
| fail to find in the insurrectlon the exist
ence of such substantial political organ
/ iZation real, palpable and manifest to the
world, having the forms and capable Oh
| the ordinary functions of government to-
wards it's own people and to other states
| with courts for the administration OF JUS
! tice with a local habitatlon, possessing
| such organization of force, such material,
! such occupation of territory as to take
the contest out of the category OF a mere
| rebellious instruction or occasional Skin
rnishes and place it on the terrible foot
ing CT war, to which recognition of bel
/ ligerency would aim to elevate IT,
"The contest, moreover, is solely On
land; the insurrection has not possessed IL
self of a single seaport whence 1t may send
forth it's flag nor has it any means OF
communication with foreign powers except
| through the military lines of its advcrna-
! ries. No apprehension of any of those sud
den and difficult complications which war
| upon the ocean IS apt to preclpltate upon
| the vessels, both commercial and national
| and upon the consular officers OF other
powers, calls for the definition of the rela-
tions to the parties to the contest Con-
sidered as a question of expediency, re-
gard the accordance of belligerent rights
still to be as unwise and premature, as
regard it to be, at present, indefensible as
a measure of right
''Such recognition entails upon the coun-
try according the rights which flow
from it, difficult and complicated duties
and requires the exaction from the con-
| tending parties of the strict observance of
their rights and obligations 1t confers
the right of search upon the high seas by
| of hoth rti SIhiopf
the carrying Of arms and munitions of war;
which now may be transported freely and
| without interruption in vessels of the
United States, to detention and to possible
seizure; it would give rise to countless
vexatous questions, would release the
parent government from responsibility for
acts dcne by the insurgents and would in
vest Spain with the right to exercise the
supervision recognized by cur treaty of
1895 over our commerce on the seas, very
large part of which, in it's traffic between
the Atlantic and the Gulf states and be-
tween all of them and the states on the
Pacific, passes through the waters which
wash the shores of Cuba. The exercise Of
! this supervision could scarce fail to lead
if not to abuses, certainly to collisions
perilous to the peaceful relations of the
two states.
There can be little doubt as to what re-
suit such supervision would before long
| draw this nation. 1t would be unworthy
of the United States to inaugurate the pos
,3ibilities Of such result, by measures of
questionable right or expediency, or by any
| indirecton
More Humane Methods i'm Cuba.
The first acts of the new government lie
| in these honorable paths. The policy of
cruel rapine and determination that so
| long shocked the universal sentiment of
humanity has been reversed. Under the
new military commander broad clemency
is preferred. Measures have already been
set on foot to relieve the horrors of star
walton. The power of the Spanish armies
it is asserted, is to be used not to spread
ruin and desolation, but to protect the
resumption of peaceful agricultural pur-
suits and productive industries. That
past methods are futile to force a peace bv
subjugation is freely admitted and ruin
without Cancellation must inevitably fail
To x1riraf nrC in hnH da1i ~