The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-07

I
| Of That, by cur code morality, would
| be criminal aggression.
| Recognition Of the belligercncv of the
| Cuban insurgents has often been cam
| Nasscd as a possible, If not inevitable,
| step, both I'm regard to the prcyious ten
| years struggle ana during the present
| war. | am not unmindful that the two
| houses of congress in the spring OF 1896
| expressed the opinion by concurrent reso-
| luton that condition of public war
| existed requiring or justifying the rec
| oGnitiOu of n state of bellgcrency in
| cuba, and during the extra session the
| senate voted Joint resolution of like i'm
| port, which, however, was not brought TO
| a vote in the house oc representatives,. In
| the presence of these significant express
| sions of sentiment of the legislative
| branch, 1t bchOovcs the executive to sob
| crly consider the conditions under which
! so important Il measure must needs rest
| for Justification. 1t is to be seriously
| considered whether the Cuban insurreC-
| ton possesses beyond dispute the attrb-
| utes of statehood which alone can de-
| lndnd the recognition Of bclligcrcncY in
| It's favor. Possession in short of the os-
| acntial qualifications of sovereignty by
| 'hc insurgents, and the conduct Of the
| war by them according to the recognized
| code of war are no less important fac
| tors towards the determination of the
| problem of bCllieCronCy than are the in
| upon the Internal policy Of the recogniz-
! ing state.
President Grants Views.
| The wise uttcranCcs of President Grant
! IN his memorable message of Dec. l.
! 1919, are sgnally relevant to the present
| situation i'm cuba, and it may be whole
! some now to recall them AT that time
| "A ruinOuS conflict had for seven years
| wasted the neighburing island. During
/ a 4
| laws of civilized warfare, and of the
| just demands of humanity which called
| forth expressions of condemnation from
| the nations OF Christendom continued un-
| aDatcd. DcsolatiOn and ruin pervaded
! that productive region, enormously atfocc-
! ing tn, commercial nations, but that of
| the United StaC5 more than any Oher by
| reason of proximity and large trade inter-
| course. At that juncturc General Grant
| uttered these words which now as then,
sum up the elements of the problem:
| "a recognition of the independence Of
| cuba being IN my, opinion lmprac tlcaDie
| ana indcicnSiblc the question which next
| presents itself is that of the recognition
| of bcligcrcut rights in the parties to the
| contest. In a former message to congress
| | had occasion to consider this question
| and reached the conclusion that the con-
! fiict in cuba, dreadful and devastating
| as were its incidents, did not rise to the
| fearful dignity of war 1t IS
| possible that acts of foreign powers ana
| even acts of Spain herself of this very ma
| turC might b" pointed TO in defense of
| such recognition. But now, as it is past
| history the United States should carefully
| avoid the false lights which might lead
| II into mazos of doubtful law ami ques-
| tOnablC prOpriCty ana adhere riEldlE and
| Stcrnly to the rule which has been its
| guide OF doing that which is right and
| honest ana of good report The question
| of according or of the Withholding rights
| of helliECTcuCy must be judged in every
| case. in view of the particular attending
| facts. Unless justified by necessity, it is
| always, and justly regarded as an un-
| friendly act and "a gratuitouS lemOnstra-
| tion of moral support to the rebellion. 1t
| Is necessary ana it is required, when the
| interests and rights of another govern
| mont or of it's people are 50 far affected
| by a pending civil conflict as to require
| a definition Of its relations to the parties
| thereto. But this conflict must be one
! which will bc recognized in the sense Of
| International law as war. BelligerenoY,
| too is a fact. The mere existence of con-
| tending armed bodies and their occasional
| conflicts do not constitute war in the
sense referred to. Applying to the exist
| ing condition of affairs in Cuba, the tests
! recognized by publicists and writers on
| International law, and which have been
! observed by nations of dignity, honesty
| ard power. when free from selfish and
! unworthy motives, fail to find in the in
| SurrcctiOn the existence of such a sub
| tantial political organization real pal
| rable and manifest to the world capable
! of ordinary functions of debts towards its
,t,P en- W o,rC -, 'i,t ~ ~
| with q local habitation, possessing such
| orGunation Of trrritnrv ne to t4kc tba
contest out of II" category of a mere re-
| bClliOuS insurreCtiOn or occasional skir-
| Of var to vyhicb - rcroTnition or hCIliT.
| orcnCy would aim to elevate Ii.
would Ge UnwIse.
THE contest. moreover, is solely on
! hnd the insurrectiun has not possession
| Of a single seaport whence it may send
| forth its flag, nor has it any means Of
| communication with foreign powers cX-
| Cept through military lines of its ad-
| versaries. No apprehension of any of
| those sudden and difficult complications
| which a war upon the ocean is apt to pre-
| cipitatc upon the vessels, both CONNER
cial and national and upon the consular
| milton Of their relations to parties 10 the
| contest. Considered as a ouestion Of OK
! pediency, l reward the accordance Of bel
| hEerent rights sun to be an unwisc and
i'rnsnnt inIcftnSi,i" as r,',, ~ sI,, SU ne ts
| rinbt -
"Such recognition entails uron the cnuu-
| try, according to the rights which fol-
| low from it, complicated duties and re-
| qulreS the eNaCton from the con-
uF tFhVtnE tn pdirititS OIL 'hG strict observance
P,.. ~ ribt oF ~ ,Is oI, s1@niouH' @ ~ % %Soli-
| gras nv vessels of hoth oortine n u.onld
| subject the carrying of arms and muni-
| tons of war which now may be trans
| ported Freely ana without interruption in
EcsSel5 OF thc ihlel states 70 Nctch-
vs., VS. I'rd o1imtI 90 1UII,nne ~ "UuL Eve
would release the parrnt roIrrnmnnt
| from responsibility for acts done hy the
Insurgents, and would invest Spain with
the right to exercise the supervision rec
oSulAeu ny Cui tHdtS OF I''a over our
n9rt Of Wbinb in it t,,,,tii ,I9 q W. i"i Se
Atlantic and the Gulf states, ana bGtwe"1
| ali of them and the states of the PaciEc