The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-07
THE sun, TUESDAY. DECEMBER q 1897.

still held office and received from our envoy the
P IaIpBBin a few we ds Sose, that Cabinet gave aI p,1eSe
tration, under The leadership OF Sagasta.
SPANS PROMISED REFORMS
The reply to our note was received on the 23d
ter understanding. Il appreciates the friendly
purposes OF this Government II admits that
our e0 nms fS0 y deeply affected by tho war n
declares that the present spanish Government
is bound h by eynoTy considcraticn t. z change Of
this cnG spain spain WAN hasI Ge TiasS0f e 'p pune into ito
S SdSSs sp' by PPRSn a Ss..en fe' Pre%ier h'T witsOne
hniting i9r any consideration in fhs, path which
Oh npo sss 3oasn Z !" sS 1i%aS viii IF c] 1STfS; tho but % will Sss
humane and conducted with all regard for pri-
In.di TiTs 5s fS SsinE HcSompsptisd by i peSIiI,LiGa lI action
spa1ish sovereiEnty. This. It Is claimed. will no.
snltin investing Cuba with q, distinct personal.
Spain the control OF tho foreIgn relations, tho
tion:' TO acco1ipi Eaa this his tho 1ne' present Sfnt Govern.
ment proposes to modify. existing Hesitation by
OF Cuban Senators and Deputies, to solve tho
economlcp problem and properly distribute the
In the absence Of n declaration of tho meas.
urcs that this Government proposes to take In
osrryi ,hgst ont it, proffer Of good offices; y sug:
operations end grant political REFORMS. while
which, u is asserted, the insurgents. receive
from this country, The snpposition Of an In
L fen IS asserted ssHtSdhse tSss t 81 w Western Tsr Is pr oSnaSe:
are already well-nigh reclaimed; that the plant.
sumed. and that by force OF arms and new and
ample reforms very early and complete g,seia.
ton fESl0e Of % oR RiHs I f0 Gon dhs s%ms %nSeT t the new
administration OF Cuban affairs is predicted.
and herewith the disturbance and MI occasion
Tor any change OF attitude on tho part OF the
United States.
Discussion of the question Of the internetional
as Spain understands them. is presented, with
an apparent disposition to charge us with fail
basic in. fact. 1t. could not nave been
mado II Spain had been cognizant OF
made. at the cost of millions and by the
employment of tho administrative machinery
81 Spt .hs so nS.i9n at 1t t GSSmlm ,% d, to no Perform T It's full
single military expedition or armed vessel from
our shores in violation OF our laws would seem
to no a sufficient answer.
But of this aspect Of the Spanish note It is not
conviction OF a wholly performed obligation.
due response to this charge has, hecn made In
and dangers to our own peace this Government
has never in any way nbrosated its sovereign
tion Of its policy and course according to its
own high sense, Of right and in consonance
own OWN p 5SS %%es should in tSe pro Son eSnUaee Of tSU 81 stp pHe
so demand.
THE QUESTION OF B~EIL1oERENcy.
OF the untried measures. there remain only
recognition of the independence OF Cuba. neu.
trail Intervention to end the war by imposing n
and Intervention in favor Of one or the other
party. Ispeak not Of forcible annexation, for
that cannot be thousht Of That, by our
the Cuban insurgents has often been can.
both in regard to the previous ten years strug.
gle and during the present war. I am not un.
spring of 1926 expressed tho opinion: by con.
current resolution, that n condition OF public
ton OF n state OF beliigercncy in Cuba, and dur
ing the extra session the senate voted a joint
not brought to n vote in the House Of Repre-.
In the presence of these significant express.
sions OF tho sentiment of the Legislative branch.
it behoovcs tho Executive to soberly consider
the conditions under which SO important a
i is to be. seriously considered whether
tho Cuban insurrection. passes beyond dis
alone can demand the recognition Of
belligerency in its favor. Possession, in short,
tho Insurgents and the conduct Of tho war By
them according to the received code Of war nre
tion OF the problem Of beiiigerency than are the
influences and Consequences Of tho struggle
upon the internal polity of the recognizing
The wise uttcrances of President Grant in his
relevant to the present situation in Cuba. and It
may be wholesome now to recall them. At that
time e r ,Sh Gs,s eSRfiiGt had ,o TO; seven years nn
those years an utter disregard of The laws Of
civilized warfare and of the Just demands Of
OF ondemnation from the nations OF Christen-
dom. continued unabatod. Dcsolation and ruin
affecting The commerce Of ali commerciai
nations, but that. of tho United States more
than any other, by reason OF proximity and
! larger trade and intercourse, At that lunCturO
Gen. Grant uttered these words, which now. as
then, sum up the elements OF the problems:
PRESIDENT GRANTS VIEWS.
"A recognition OF the independence of Cuba
being, in my opinion, impracticable and indie
fensible. the question which next presents it.
self Is that OF the recognition of belligcrent
rights in the parties to the contest. In n former
message to Congress | had occasion to consider
this question. and reached the conclusion that
the conflict in Cuba. dreadful and devastating
as were ITS Incidents did not riso to the fearful
cit is possible that the acts OF foreign powers.
and even the acts OF Spain herself. of this very
nature. might be pointed to in defence OF such
recognition. But now, as in its past history,
the United States should carefully avoid tho
false lights which might lead it into the mazes
al d0 Sdhere lG rigi hhS az fu sternIy tie ft6s rSls.
which has been its guide. OF doing only that
The question OF according o,ih or Of witt withholding
rights of belligerency must be judged in every
Tniess juTtiaed by necessity. it is always. and
justly, regarded as an unfrtendly act and n
| PratuitouS demonstration or moral support 10
the rebellion. 1t Is necessary and 1t is required.
when the interests and rights of another gov.
eminent or OF its people arc SO far affected by u
pending civil conflict as to require Il definition
or its relations to the parties thereto. But this
conflict must be one which will be recognized in
the sense OF international law as war.
"Belligerence. too. is a fact. The mere exist
ence Of contendinE armed bodies and their occa.
sional conflicts do not constitute war in tho
sense referred to. Applying TO the existing con-
dition of affairs in Cuba the tests recognized by
publicists and writers on International Law, and
| which have bpen observed nv nations Of dinnify-
honesty. and power, when free from sensitive or
selfish and unworthy methods. l fail to find in
the Instruction the existence of such n sub
stantial political organization, real, ~palpable.
and manifest TO the world, having the forms
and capable OF the ordinary functions OF
Government toward its own people and to other
States, with courts for the administration OF
justice, with a local habitation. possessing such
organization OF force, such material. such occu-
patton of territory al to take the contest out OF
tho category OF a mere rcbellious insurrection or
occasional skirmishes and place IL on the terri
bic footing OF war, to which a recognition of bel
ligerency would aim to elevate IL.
The contest, moreover, is solely on land; the
Instruction has not possessed Itself OF n single