The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-12

sibility. That remains to oe Lev os +ho
In any event the destrucUion VI .iio
Maine, by whatever exterle[ et"t 30 ~ y
patent and impressive P ntoiepahle That
condition is thus shown to be such that
the SnaDish government cannot safety
md sacnritv to a vessel of the American
NAVY in tbe harbor of Havana on mis-
sion of peace and rightfully there. Furth-
er referring in this connectlon 10 recent
frnm our Minister to Spain, Of the Goth
ulto contained the statement that the
Snanish minister for foreign affairs as
SIRED him positively that Spain will do
MI that the highest honor and justice
renuired in the matter OF the Maine. The
renly above referred to of the 31st ulto,
also contained an expression of the readi-
ness of Spsin to submit to an arbitration
ali the differences which can arise in this
matter which Is subsequently explained
by the note of the Spanish minister at
Washington Of the 10th inst. as follows:
GAS to the question of fact which
springs from tbs diversity of views be-
tx cen the representatives of the An Q il
can and Spanish boards, Spain proposes
partial investigation by experts whose
decision Spain accepts in advance"
10 this / have made no reply.
President Grant in 1875, after discuss
ing the phases of the contest az it then
appeared and it's hopeless and apparent
indeinite prolongation, said:
"In such event, am of opinion that
other nations will be compelled to assume
the responsibility which devolves upon
them and to seriously consider tho only
remaining measure possible, mediation
and Intervention. Owing perhaps to the
large expanse of water separating the
island fromathe. peninsular
the conteuding parties appear to have
within themselves no depository of COM
mon confidence, to suggest wisdom when
passion and excitement have their sway
and to assume the part OF peace-maker"
In this view in the earlier days of the
contest the good offices of the United
States as a mediator were rendered i'll
good faith, without selfish purpose in
the interest of humanity and in sincere
friendship for both parties, but were at
the time declined by Spain with the de.
claration nevertheless that at future
they would be indispensable. No in
.timation has been received that in the
opinion of Spain that time had been
reached. And yet the strife continues
with all its dread, horrors and ali it's in.
juries to the interests of the United
States and of the other nations. Each
party seems quite capable of working
great injury and damage to the other as
well as to all the relations and interests
dependent on the existence of peace in the
island; but they seem incapable Of reach
ing any adjustment and both have thus
far failed of achieving any success where
by one party shall possess and control
the island to the exclusion of the other
Under the circumstances the agency of
others, either by mediation or by inter-
vention seems to be the only alternative
which must, sooner or later, be invoked
for the determination OF the strife.
In the last annual message of my i'm
me late predecessor during the pending
struggle it was said:
"When the inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the instruction has
become manifest and it is demonstrated
that her sovereignty is extinct in Cuba
for all purposes, of its rightful existence,
and when hopeless struggle for it's re-
establishment has degenerated into a
strife which means nothing more than
the useless sacrifice Of Cuban life and
the utter destruction of that very subject
matter of the conflict, d situation will
be presented in which our obligations to
the sovereignty of Spain will be superced
ed by higher obligations which we can
hardly hesitate to recognize and dis
charge
In my annual message to Congress,
December last, speaking on this question,
I said:
"The near future will demonstrate
whether the Indispensable condition of a
rightful peace, Just alike to the Cubans
and to Spain as equitable to our inter
ests intimately involved in the welfare
of Cuba, is likely to be attained. II not,
the exigenoy of further and other action
by the United States will remain to be
taken. When that time comes that act
ion will be determined in the light of in
disputable right and duty. 1t will be
faced without misgiving or he sitancy in
the light of the obligation this govern
ment owes to itself, to the people who
have confded to it the protection Of
their interests and honor and to humani-
ty.
"Sure of the right, keeping free from
all offence ourselves, actuated only by
upright and patriotic considerations,
moved neither by passion or sellishness,
the government will continus it's watch
full career over the rights and properly Of
American citizens and will abate none
of its efforts to bring about by peaceful
agencies, a peace which shall be honora-
bic and enduring. If 1t shall hereafter
appear to be duty by our obligations
to ourselves, to civilization and humanity,
to intervene with force, it shall be with
out fault on our part and only because
the necessity for such action will be 81
clear as to command the support and
approval of the civilized world. -
Ihe long Urlhl mas proven tildu bll6 oD-
iect for which Spain has waged the war
cannot be attained. The fire of insurrec-
ton may flag and shoulder with vary
ing seasons, but it has not been and 1T
is plain that it cannot be extinguished
by present methods. The only hope of
rslief and repose from'a condition which
can longer be endured is the enforced
pacitication of Cuba. In the name of
humanity, in the name of civilization,
in behalf of endangered American inter
ests which give us the right and the duty
to speak and to act, the war in Cuba
must stop.
In view of these facts, of these consid-
erations, I asked the Congress to autho-
rize and empower the'President to take
measures to secure a full and final termi-
nation of hostilitiess between the govern
ment of Spain and the people of Cuba,
and to secure in the island the establish
ment ofiEa stable government capable of
maintaining order and observing it's in
ternational obligations, insuring peace
and tranquility and the security Of it's
citizens as well as our own, and TO use
the military and naval forces of the
United States as may be necessary for
these purposes.
And in the interest of humanity to aid
in preserving the lives of the starving