The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-20
Our Governments
Record OF Shame
From a Letter in the sun.

W.
From a Letter in the sun.
GPIIOSE who, in ether Lands, have
taken up arms to release them
selves from oppression have always
had the cordial sympathy OF the
people of the United States. The
last and most striking proof of this is to
b. found in the platforms Of the parties
uPor which the candidates for national Of
fees stood during the last presidential
election i'm respect of the struggle which
the people of cuba have 50 long ana SO
successfully maintained against Spain in
behalf of their Independence. CpOn every
other point the conventions which erect
ed those platforms differed radically. In
their several interiors discussions upon
many other subjects We're divergent and
bitter, but upon the Cuban question the
conventions were all unanimous. They all
agreed that the people of that island
should be free.
This declaration has found expression
on the hustings, in state legislatures, in
the hols of congress. The resolution Of
lcred by Senator Cameron recognizing
the Independence of the island was sup
ported by the numerous precedents which
he cited. The concurrent resolution
which passed the senate granting to the
Comba tants the rights or bclliGCTcnts is
pending in the house. Anomalous as it
may appear to those who entertain the
"p'"h ''I' "uiS - " representative SOY
''"'l'hl "H"Sr ""'S II - ~ car ou' ,'c
,oi'I'''ri'H VI 'lr I'"P''' '"I '"r' IL 'n''
NO. i'lH''i""N' I''u''u VI u'9p''' u I'lt
has been our course in respect of other
countries where Cuba has been con-
rrrnod the executive branch of our gov
c'Hiiloht ma ""' "''N never p''h l'iCl"
~ ~ ''''O iH'"'." Du' ''S n''"' va NV
,1"'iI!, Pi"' l'''!E H' 'hS Vi "P''l'
men anu Ho"cH' li''t,i HhN' Ho' p''"
sent 10 h'r' puI every mug O'S' Hoc'S Sol
10 'nIlN "Il " ""' 'lC l'''" "',ii P'l l"'i''o'
10 oplalh from our shoTcS "'Iilou' H'lh''
ii'r Si"'S lHNc n'"h "l'""Cu l" l'''Su "ur
ports ana on ih'lr reports our o"lCl,hS
nave taken procedures 1ShlSt thuSe
Nn"' by lh'h nave bo'h "t'nieu SulltN
"l an lnIr1'urh OF our h"ulr"lllE avs
United states NeSrSIS nave p'en kept on
laIrui "uIN 10 prevent In' cNPcui'IhE oL
supplies /" Ih"Sc "h"m Sh" was uEh'''lH'
mus pI"ckaulhE our own ports an" co"StH
AGAINST our own vessels ana commerce
All TINS IN hrhaIl OF hatloh whose form
ana principles "i government dllt"r en-
lirely from "uiS' ana against pe"p'e
| VINO nave h"oh pursued \lhhlcuNelE by
! their mother country. Wh" nave p'eh de-
| spoiled u! hcr ana nave never tlJoNeu
| any right OF cltlznshlp except that OF
! paying taxes
| o
This, too, when there seems TO nave
! been not only no Obligation nut n" eN-
! cuse for such conduct. For the ports or
| cuba nave always heen open ana SPAN
! has always contcnded mat there mas o'en
! her, there has been and is no war there
/ tN n lR "A
| her at her word therefore, amy vessel
! had ana mas the rlSht To clear from any
! port i'm this country Tor any port IN CUBA,
| carrying no matter what character or
! cargo or what number of passengers, ana
/ 4" proceed on her voyage unchallenEed'
SHOULD she meet United states Ness"i,
. that vessel should, II necessary afford
Hvr assistance and protection, and not
/ capture her or turn her back; anu no ves-
sci belonging to Spain would have the
! right to hinder or molest her while she
was on high seas. The snips of our navy
were never Intended to act as coast
guard for other nations, 1t Is not our
province to So" that their laws are not
| violated within the limits of their own
! Jurisdiction, Yet this is precisely the
| use to which many of them nave been
put If II be said that these vessels 50
used were necessary to intercept any
hostile expedition which might sail froT
our shores, the answer is that no hostile
expedition could be organized except In
ono Of our ports ANA this could not be
done without the knowledge of the law
officers Of the government, who could
easily break it up. The proof of this
answer is found i'm the fact that no such
expedition has been organized here since
the present rebellion in cuba broke out
o.
! Many acts of omission as we'll as O
commission were charged against Pres
idcnt Grant during his administration o.
the affairs of the government OF then