The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-08
AN EMPTY ILLUSION.
EN-Minister Taylor Roasis the President
for His Non-AciioE Policy To-
wards The Cubans.

Mobile, Ala. Dec. 7.-Ex- Minister tc
/ Spani Hon. Hannis Taylor. gives out
| the following: THE associated press
has requested me 10 express my views
as TO that part of the presidents mes
! sage, which relates to the Cuban ques-
! ton. Putting aside the irrelevant mat
ter with which il is encountered. the
/ substance of the only recommendation
! made by the executive to congress upon
/ this subject is that this government
/ cannot venture to do anything to put
/ an end to the inhuman strife, which,
/ during the last three years, has reduced
/ the island almost To a desert, because
/ there is a prospect of a settlement be-
| tween the combatantS upon the basis OF
| a so-called plan of autonomy lately put
| forth by the Sagasta ministry. ! be-
| lieve congress should firmly and scorn-
/ fully reject such a policy of irresolu-
! ton and non-action, because the as
sumption upon which it is founded is
an empty illusion. The vital question
at issue has not been touched by the
revolutionary effort of Sagasta to end
the war by means Of a craftily incom-
plete proposition that carries with IL no
constitutional guarantee whatever.
knowing the nation is against him.
he does not dare to state his proposals
clearly upon the matter in question
and it is certain that if he should as
sert even his incomplete scheme to the
present cortes it would be either re-
jected entirely or SO amended as to de-
prive it of all vitality. Until the Sa-
gasta plan has first been enacted into
law by the cortes 1t cannot rise to the
dignity of proposal.
'.At the end of three years Of whole
sale destruction, provoked by Spain.
through unprecedented political and
economic oppression, that has brought
death and famine to hundreds of thous-
ands. the Spanish crown al last con-
fesses that the Cubans are right and
that their wrongs should now be re-
dressed by a generous and genuine
grant of home rule after expanding
$500 600 and after sending over the
sea 100000 soldiers Spain has fight
ing force in the island Of less than TO-
900, while the revolutionary army now
in possession of the greater part of the
country, numbers about $4,000.
Who has the right t. say that the
heroic men who have maintained such
a conflict against such odds are not
capable of self government? Who will
say that all the fruits that they have
when through death by sword and fam
inc should in the hour of victory he
surrendered for an empty sham, which
means only new bondage under their
old and pitiess oppressors2
And yet, this hearttesF. selfish ms s.
sage has not one word of encourage
ment or sympathy for this suffering
people, now dying and starving by
thousands at our very doors In il
they are contemptuously denominated
as no better than their prosecutors.
Congress is politely told To attend 10 its
own business. that if the recognition of
belligerency shall become necessary II
the future, the executive power Will act
without congressional interference. It
is generally understood that this DELHI
crate conspiracy to thwart the viii Of
the nation is to be carried out through
an appeal to the speaker of the house
of representatives, who is expected Il
SO manipulate its rules as To prevent
the passage of the pending belligerehey
resolution, which the senate has already
approved.
THE house of representatives i
either to be muzZled or called on To de-
clare that this revolutionary govern
ment. which has virtually crushed the
power of Spain in Cuba. has no such
de facto existence as will authorize a
recognition of war between the con-
tending parties. That absurd eonten-
tion becomes the more grotesque When
we remember that Spain has expended
without effect against such revolutions
airy government, far more money and
men than Great Britain employed dur
/ ing our entire revolutionary war.