The times., 1897-12-31
Conditions. Not THEORIES

| Mi. Mckinley has insisted upon avoiding
| lis duty IN the rel lations OF this nation to
Cuba, upon the argument that he was not
| satisfied thatthe status of the free Republic
of Cuba was more than what, in inter
| natioEal law, is called municipal in
| surrectior." We have So often quoted
| the accepted dicta of Bluntschli, vattel,
| Lawrence and others in ncontravention of the
position assumed by the A administration
| that we shall not take the trouble 10
reiterate the precepts stated aud the rules
| laiG down BY them as to the condition OF
facts necessary to constitute such "a state
| or war; as would entitle the revolving
! community to the rights of belligerancy,
| ir not to recognition of independence. II
| is sufficient tnat our Government, in its
| treatment or the Cubans, has violated every
| 4 merican tradition and precedent, and It's
plai1 duty under inter national law and the
| cor mon dict Gtes OF humanity.
II has insisted. gainst the indignant pro-
test of nearly the whole people Of this
| COT ntry, that a state of war; has not
existed I'm Cuba, although, for year, il
has been notorious that more than nine
teDths of the island has been under the
absolute and unquestioned government of
Jf.e Republic: that il has and does control
seaports, through which it has been and
still is able to receive consignments of
conInercia a nd military supplies, wherever
-h.>r,
have been or are able to eillle the Spa sh
police patrol esta blished hy American
authority in aid of Spain, and, finally,
that the rniy of the Cuban Republic reg
ularly has been and is able To defeat the
forces Of tie Spanish government sent
aca inst it, If this does not constitate a
state of war; rendering II mandatory
upon neighhoring civilized state TO ac'
co;d at least the rights of belligereucy |
To- an American people fighting for Doliti- |
ca: independence, what, in the name IF |
justice or decency, would create such |
ccrdition?
The last shred Of excuse for a con
tInUation of the cowardly ana infamo is
policy of this Administration has bceh
teri. away by the total defeat and ruut
OF the Spanish army under Pando, III
Sant;ago de Cuba. That general mobi-
lied the last effective man and gun
within the reach of his chief, and. more
over took with him the fuIl strength
OF his oountry's sea power, to dslodge the
patriot Gen. CaliXto Garcia from MS
ntIenched position on the coast and she
adjoining navigable waters of the Can:o
River. What has been the acknowledged
result?
Out of forty thousand troops, VITA a
heavy siege train. backed by thirteen
gun boats, which Pando moved Win
against the position Of Garcia, one hall
u his force has been killed, or has &C.
serted or been dispersed. Spanish au-
h1lity coucedes the loss of two thou saad
n killed and wounded, and another thou
,snd missing Pando has arrived IS
, fugitive, on one of his gunboats, at the
,ity of Santiago. The last army which
t is reasonable to suppose Blanco can
gather with Ihe men and the facilities
It his command has been whipped and
wiped out.
Is the time not ripe for Mr.. Mckinley
o bow to the inexorabie logic of events
md to acknowledge that state Of
arr actually does exist in Cuba: =