The San Francisco call., 1897-05-21
THE CUBAN SITUATION.

The most important feature of the de-
bate on the Cuban resolutions in the Sem
ate on Wednesday was the presentation
OF certain state documents on the subject
One OF these was report from an Ameri.
can ottlclal in Cuba whose name was not
given, but who is well understood to be
Consul-General Lee, and the other letter
from Secretary Olney to the Spanish Min
lister de Lome
The report from Cuba denies the claim
OF the Spaniards that any provinces of the
Island have been pacifed, and expresses
the opinion that since the Spaniards can
not conquer the insurgents nor the insur-
gents expel the Spaniards from the
Island, "the war will drag its weary
length along so long as the insurgents can
dig sustenance from the ground, or money
be obtained from any source by the Span
iards." The report adds:
The poverty and distress of the people are
increasing, and the loss of property OF all sorts
Is daily becoming enormous. No one can fully
appreciate the situation without being here in
person. The number OF poor, distressed, stary-
ing women, children and old men of all races
has greatly increased in this city within the
past few weeks, while in other points on the
island the suffering has been proper lionately
great.
The letter of Secretary Olney was
clearly based on information in this re-
port, or else on similar information from
other sources. He points out to the
Spanish Minister that nearly year had
elapsed since the prospects of putting an
end to the insurrection were first dis
cussed, and that nothing had occurred
since that time to justify the conclusion
that the Spaniards would be able to
speedily put an end to the war, or even to
afford protection to American citizens
and the property of non-combatants dur
ing its continuance. Speaking of the in
terest of the United States in the struggle,
the Secretary said:
We are interested in the prevention of that
wholesale destruction of property on the
island, which is making no discrimination
between en- emies and neutrals and Is utterly
destroying many American investments that
should be of immense value and is impoverish-
ing great numbers of American citizens On
all these questions and in all these WAYS the
interest of the United States in the existing
situation in Cuba yields only 10 that of Spain
herself and has led many good and honest
persons to insist that Intervention to ter
inmate the conflict is the immediate and i'm
perative duty OF the United States.
On this showing of the condition of
affairs in the island, and on this state
ment OF our interests In the subject, it
appears that our Government would be
clearly justified in promptly intervening
to put an end to the war. In the face of
such reports it was but the obstinacy Of
folly on the part of Senator Hale and
Senator Wellington to assert that the
sentiment in favor of Cuban independence
among the American people is based
upon mere newspaper reports" The
official documents prove that the reports
published in the newspapers are correct.
1t is not to be wondered, there fore, that
a majority of the mem bers of both houses
of Congress are in favor of the Morgan
resolution, and that its adoption by the
Senate followed promptly the report of
the facts.