The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-22
Peace with Independence.

If Mr.. HIT has spoken by authority for
the Administration, the efforts of Presi.
lent MCKINLEY are to be directed toward
ending the war in Cuba on the basis of
securing independence for the island.
That was exactly what the last Con-
gress, by an overwhelming vote in both
houses, urged Mr.. CLEVELAND to do; but
he suggested to Congress, instead, that
home rule under Spanish domination would
be a good thing for the patriots, and went
out of office without doing anything at all
for them. Thus there is a great difference
of aim, to start with, between the present
Administration and the one that preceded it.
But was Mr.. HIT authorized to say what
the President would do? On that point it
is a conflrmatory fact that the platform
adopted at st. Louis, June 1S, 1895, upon
which President MCKINLEY was elected,
made this declaration:
ave watch with deep and abiding interest the he
role battle Of the Cuban patriots against cruelty and
oppression. and our best hopes go out for the full sue.
cess OF their dete rmined contest for liberty.
1.-THE Government OF Spain having lost control OF
Cuba, and being unable TO protect the property or
lives of resident American citizens or to comply with
Its treaty obligations. we believe that the Govern.
VI az ShitSo ctotco bhouti iNc B lb III
nuence and good ofices to restore peace and give in
dependence to the island"
Thus the President has for his guide his
own party pledge, morally binding him to
its fulflment, now that he has the required
power; and this entirely accords with the
opinion Of the American people expressed
in the vote of Congress last year.
We deem it certain, therefore, that the
Administration will, during the diminution
of military operations caused by the rainy
season, definitely propose to Spain the indie.
pendence of Cuba, and that it will reinforce
its proposals by such information as it may
gather through its Special Commissioners
Mr.. CALHOUN.
But what will be it's action on the recog.
milton of Cuban belligerency7 As to that
point, also, we see no reason thus far for
doubling hat the attitude of the President
is wholly different from that of his prede.
cessor. In other words, while the opinion
of the last Congress that Cuban bellig.
erency ought to be recognized had
practically no weight with Mr.. CLEvE.
LAND, we think that a like reso,
luton, passed by both houses now,
might. have the greatest weight with Presi.
lent M~ChlNLEf. ana Just mere, 100, we
may note some significance in the phrase,
the Government of Spain having lost con.
troll of Cuba" in the st. Louis platform OF
last year, which the President has 80 largely
adopted as his guide.
1t is true that one possible reason for the
postponement of the recognition of bellig'
erency, even If now desired by Congress,
might be the fact that In his matter the
greater includes the less. The real goal for
Cuba now is not 80 much belligerency as
independence. B,lligerency is but an in,
termediate step, and it might be taken
without reaching the final goal, just as The
recognition of Confederate belligerency did
not result in Confederate independence.
Hence 1t is conceivable that II the House
should eventually concur in the Morgan
resolution, now passed by the Senate, or H.
after a continuance of the long debates
both houses should agree on some other forrI
Of a belligerency resolution, the Presi
dent might already nave advanced fal
enough In his negotiations for securing
Independence, to render inexpedient . bel