The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-03
CUBAN PLAN.
The President Said TO
Favor Annexation.
Intervention by United States
Thought Probable.
Speech of the Late Sunset Cox That
Reads Like a Pr0phesy.

impossible 20 decide the state of public
opinion here on the Cuban question with
out reference TO the rapid growth of the
sentiment in favor Of annexation. In pre-.
vions dispatches have reflected the opin.
ions of prominent public men that annex
alton Is likely 10 be the outcome of an ef
fort on the part OF President Mckinley 10
interfere In Cuba's behalf. This idea up
pears To be rapidly spreading. | have good
reason to believe that the annexation idea
Ia strongly intronched I'm the minds Of the
president and his advisers. A desire for
annexation IL not what leads the president
TO take up tho case Of Cuba. Annexation
Is the incident, not tho purpose OF the
movement that is likely 10 DO instituted
during the next month or two
The presidents attitude has been do.
sorihed 10 me 10y mon who are in hts con
fidencc. 1t is very simple. Mr.. Mckinley
believes Spanish government in Cuba Is
failure; that it has been tried for long
time and found wanting; that there is no
hopo in IL fer the future; that II tho pres
ent rebellion he suppressed there will
quickly arise another one; that it Is utter.
ly impossible for Spain TO so rule Cuba as
to promote peace, security, progress, the
advancement of commerce and civilization
In the island. Furthermore, IL the present
war or semblanoe Of war be permitted C.
go on much longer there will DO very little
Of Cuba left.
Reports Of Consuls.
All this constitutes ample justification
Tor intervention by tho United States gov
ernmont. But there are other reasons why
there should DO Intervention. The reports
of our consuls on Gle in the state depart.
ment, which tho president has been care.
fully studying. show that the war which
the Spanish arc now carrying on in Cuba
Is not a civilized, Christian warfare. 1t is
not a military war ut all, but war upon
women and children. Innocent. peaceful
people aro driven from their homes, penned
up within the military lines and subjected
to the horrors OF starvation and contagion.
Still another good ground for American
Intervention under international law prcc.
edent Is found Ia the direct interest of the
United States. Not only IL our commerce
being destroyed, but tho prosperity Of our
citizens 10 the value of many millions is
being destroyed. Claims against Spain are
well nigh worthless. Many millions of
such claims, preferred through our state
department arc now pending. Spain is
bankrupt. a quarter or even half q CEN
tury may pass before any of thcm are paid.
A member OF tho cabinet was kind
enough To cnll my attention to that nat
ural law which drives weak and poorly
organized states 10 strong states for pro-
lection. "1t Cuba cannot get progress un-
der spain said this gentleman, "she has
q right to get IL where she can. 1t is
natural, an inaliensblo right" The cab
iDet minister then said this natural law
had never bcen moro feiicitously stated
than by tho late 5. s. Cox. who in 1859 in
a speech in congress made an argument
which reads almost like prophecy as to
tho conditions now prevailing.
The Law OF Nations.
"There Is law i'm history" said Mr..
Cox, (which is as inexorable as fete. The
stronger races extend their power by alb
sorbing the weaker nations. America Is
not exempt from the operations of this
law. Not moro surely will northern
Africa become French, western and north.
ern Asia become Russian and southern
and central Asia become English than this
continent become American. The law
which commands this Is higher than CON
gressional enactment If we do not work
with 1T, it will work In spite of u.s. This
law may be expressed thus: The weaker
and disorganscd nations must be absorbed
by the strong and organized nations. Ma
tionalities of inferior grade must surrender
to those of superior civilization and polity.
"This law drives the dsorganized states
to the stronger for protection. happiness
and advancement. Whether tho United
States goes and takes them, or they come
and ask 20 be taken, no matter They
must whirl in, throw Off their nebulous
and uncertain form, and become crystal
lized into the higher forms of civilization.
"The largest expression of this law Of
annexation is: No nation has the right to
hold soil, virgin and rich, yet unproduc-
ing; no nation has n right TO hold great
isthmian highways or strong defenses on
this continent, without tho desire, will or
power to uso them. They ought and must
inure 10 tho advancemont of our com
merco. They must become confscate to
the decrees of Providence.
Failure of Spanish Rule.
Mr.. Cox then proceeded to discuss in his
mastery way the question of tho annexa-
tion Of Cuba 20 tho United States. He
made the statement that "if the Thirty
fourth congress had aided President Pierce
in tho Black Warrior matter, we should
now have Cuban representatives on this
floor" Mr.. Cox's argument in favor Of
the annexation of Cuba, mado nearly 40
years ago, is applicable to the present day.
He spoke of tho failure of SPAIN rule, her
neglect 20 develop tho island, her rctard-
Ing influence upon civilization, her pride
which stood In tho way of an honorable
sale Of the island, and the duty of the
United States 10 be nn instrument of nat.
ural law, not an obstacle in its way
The Cuban negotiations which Presi-
dent Mckinley Is about 90 enter upon will
present several phases as hc goes from
step 20 step, bat i'm tho end 10 Is beloved
by many public men that Cuba will be-
come an American colony.
WALTER WELLMAN.