The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-09
EX.XINISER TAYLOR ON THE
SPANISH CUBAN WAR

reputation Of Hon. Hannis Taylor, a
native Of New Bern, North Carolina.
His admirable work before referred to
by us many times, mad him a name
for learning and ability at home and
abroad. His our years in Spain as
United States minister, made him more
generally known while not really ad-
ding to the distinction he had won as
a writer of a decidedly able work. He
has just published in the North Amer
lean Review 1--WE do not see IT'D a pa
newspapers. 1t is on the Cuban ques-
ton and attracts attention both by
reason of the author n the subject.
1t will be criticised no doubt u~nfavora-
bly, by some because Of the views pre-
scented. The able, scholarly mugwump
organ in New York city, The Evening
Post, in it's references to Mr.. Taylor,
says Of him that his paper sis impor-
tant in both source and substance" 1t
also says Of his ability that for the
rest it must be said that his high
standing as man and scholar, and his
opportunity for studying Spanish pol
itics at first hand for four years, lend
him an authority in the matter in
hand to which few can pretend"
It approves of his analysis Of the
causes of the Cuban rebellion, and it
is so instructive as to be quoted here:
cit is a rebellion based on economic
reasons and inffamed by miSgOvern-
ment. The prosperity of Cub depends
upon two great staple prOducts-sugar
n tobacco-and these ave been at
the mercy of foreign tariffs and the
benighted legislation OF the Spanish
cOrtes."
h agrees with what intelligent,
candid Spaniards have said. Mr.. Tay-
lor has no confidence whatever in any
proposed plan of colonial autonomy"
and for the plain reason that Spain has
no idea whatever as to the meaning Of
it. He says that the idea of colonial
autonomy, in the English sense. of local
control of local affairs, is an idea
which has never yet got Judgment in a
Spanish head. The government now
talks about granting Cub home rule,
but really does not mean it, because it
does not even understand what home
rule is.
He believes hat rather than grant
a liberal government to Cuba the
Spaniards would rattle dose the island
by force of arms. He proposes a plan
for the United States government to
act upon. He predicts success if his
suggestions are adopted, and tina they
could not be regarded by Spain. as a
cause of war. The Evening Post thinks
if adopted tina Spain will fight. 1t
says
"She may be weak, but she is as
proud as ever. In fact, there is rea-
son to believe that, as in the case of a
decayed noble family, she clings to the
last remnants Of her former greatness
with a pride that is all the fiercer for
her enfeeblement. This at least is GER
tain, that Spain would prefer to lose
Cuba a. the result of a war with the
United States rather than surrender
the island to the insurgents unaided."
Mr.. Taylor thinks the congress should
adopt so soon as it meets a joint reso-
luton embodying three definite propo-
sitions:
THE first, asserting our right and
duty, not only to ourselves, but to hui
manity, by virtue of the universally
recognized doctrine of intervention, as
we'll as by virtue of the Monroe doc
trine, to put an end to the dreadful
conflict SO long raging in Cuba, be-
cause it involves not only the con-
slant disturbance of our internal peace
but also the destruction of great COM
mercial and property interests of our
citizens; the second, asserting that, af-
ter enduring patiently all such evils
incident to fifteen years of war in Cuba
out of the last Twenty-Five, the govern
ment Of the United States has offered
in vain it's friendly offices as peace
maker to Spain, in hope of aiding her,
without offence to her susceptibilities,
in bringing to q close a strife so de-
both countries; the third, declaring
that the government of the United
States, in view of SPANS refusal to
accept such friendly and respectful me-
diatiOn, has now resolved to exercise
upon its own responsibility its entire
moral influence, to the end that the
war in Cuba may be brought to a
speedy close, provided SPANS fails to
accomplish that result in a reasonable
time, to be clearly indicated."
In twenty-nine years Cuba and
Spain have been engaged in war for
fifteen years. Mr.. Taylor regards the
war as hopeless and that to continue
! the strife, is only to continue the de-
struction Of property and life without
n prospect of Cuba's subjugation,
while it is a great and grievous burden
upon the United States. He says
truly that sit is a great folly TO suppose
that the Cuban question is something
that we can set aside if we will and
! go about u own business. 1t has
intruded itself into our national affairs
with all its disturbing until we takz
hold of it and solve it wisely, mo- only
in our own interest, but in hat of hu-
mainly"
The Coming Woman