Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-20
hopeful Signs ier Cuba

The most encouraging signs for those
who hope for Cuban liberty are not
found in the flood of words, many OF
them threadbare from reiteration, now
exhausting the energies Of Congress.
They are seen in the quietly made but
strongly reinforced memorial presented
nv business men in this country whose
property in Cuba is being hopeiessiy
ruined. also in the sufferings of thousands
of people inCuba, who are victims OF CIR
cumstances and Spanish brutality.
The latter appeals more strongly to the
public mind, but the public mind can
not find immediate and practical eX-
preston. The former is likely TO De
the entering wedge that shall penetrate
the conservatism which comes with
the responsibility of governing. There
has from the first been no question
where the sympathies of this country
were. But the barrier in the way of
them was the possibility of establishing
dangerous precedent, of becoming m
yolved in something which it might be
well for the country to keep clear OF
and of bringing on a war. which trivial
by comparison would seriously affect
business, incur damage and prove
lasting injury perhaps to many. This
memorial of the business interests
serves to attract attention to the enor-
nous losses and damage now being IN
ficted while we wait. Study of it will
doubtless force the conviction upon us
that not only is there prospect OF an al
most indefinite prolongation of injuries
to suffering humanity but also to the
commercial welfare of ourselves and OF
Cuba: in short that the sacrifices now
necessitated and the injustices now be-
ing inflicted, and which must continue
to be so long as there is no interven-
ton by our government, exceed those
which would possibly result from such
Intervention. When this is clear there
will be less hesitancy to risk the latter
Grover Cleveland could see posi-
bility that it might be the proper thing
to do and said so in message. al
though doing everything possible to de-
lay the responsibility for undertaking
It beyond his term of office Had he in
tervened much of what has happened
in the way of disaster would have been
averted. Now, however. this country
is suffering acutely for effort in its own
behalf. That effort this Congress is
making in the way of formulating and
passing a tariff bill. providing revenue
and preserving credit.
There is nothing in the Cuban situa-
ton today which seems to demand that
we neglect this imperative duty to take
up any somewhat questionable duty we
may owe to Cuba. Undoubtedly there
are those in Congress who would glad
ly use the Cuban question to interfere
with the tariff question. President Nc
Kinley's recommendations are all that
ought to be expected of us at this
time when recognition of belligerent
rights would be likely to help Cuba but
little if any. Notwithstanding all this
however, it seems very short sighted on
our part to try to disregard conditions
in Cuba or the probabilities of early
demands upon our attention that should
not be delayed. If there We're any
doubt as to this the statistics, which
have been compiled from presumably
reliable sources for the New York Her
aid, and which we publish in another
column would seem to satisfy it. Span
sh rule in Cuba is an anachronism,
blot upon the civilization of this wes-
tern hemisphere and it does not seem
at all improbable that the time is draw
ing near when it must cease, while at
present the indications are that direct
intervention will be necessary if Cuban
liberty is to be brought about before
it is too late to be of any benefit to this
peneration