The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-21
Punning q Big Risk.

Runntng Big ktSk'
Representative Hits formal defense
of the administrations Cuban policy is
convincing in many places, but like the
presidents own argument in the late
executive message, it goes to pieces in
its treatment of the belligerency prob
lem.
Mr.. Hit holds that to recognize the
Cuban insurgents as bellgerents would
not benefit the insurgents but would in
Volve simply increased liability to fric-
tion between the United states and
Spain. He imagines a condition of af-
fairs consequent upon belligerency rec
ognition in which our commerce on the
high seas would be harrassed by Spain
in its exercise of the right of search
with the probability of the speedy pro-
vocation of war; but in drawing this
picture he fails to take Cognizance of
the fact that Spain is already power
less to patrol her own comparatively
small coast line in Cuba much less to
undertake to police the entire Atlantic
ocean. If she cannot stop filibuster ex-
petitions within the three-mle limit
off the shore line of Cuba: if her coast
patrol which now by our grace has
only this small zone of sea-way to
watch, we having assumed the espion-
age of our vast board, is practically
no hindrance to the insurgents plans,
what utter folly it is to suppose, as Mr..
Hit does, that Spain would prove dam
gerous to American shipping interests
on the broad ocean. The risk of war,
upon which he dwells with such pro-
found solemnity, is not, We might re-
mark, a greater risk for the United
States than it would be for Spain. Nor
is it to be eliminated by a policy on
the part of this government which
tends to confirm in the minds of the
Spanish people the hallucination that
the Americans are a cowardly and
mean-spirited race, upon whom Span
iards may impose with impunity
There is another consideration which
it seems to us that Mr.. Hit ignores. 1t
is the consideration of justice. If the
Cuban insurgents have earned the dig
nifty of belligerency recognition: if the
conditions presented by their situation
in the Cuban conflict are such as to
justify the according to them of equal
diplomatic rights with Spain, then the
matter becomes not one of eXpedency
but one of moral compulsion. Our gov
eminent for three years has used its
naval resources and the machinery Of
its department of justice in co-opera-
tion with Spain for the detection of fill
busters and the harrassment of legiti-
mate commerce with the Cuban revo-
lutionists. 1t has done more than en-
force its neutrality laws: il has said to
its citizens that they should not trade
with the Cuban people except as they
might manage to do this in circumven-
tion of the governments efforts to stop
them. This imposition upon Ameri-
can enterprise, by no means warranted
in law, and not called for by any obli-
cation of fair neutrality, can be stopped
only by the recognition of Cuban bel
ligerency. So that fair play as well
for our own people as for the insurgents
of Cuba calls for the dissolution of the
existing unholy partnership with
Spain.
we itSdlu IL as unfortunate that this
matter has become a partisan issue.
and Is likely to prove especially unfor.
tunate for the Republican party. The
Democrats in congress, however, are
hardly to be blamed for taking adyant-
age of an opportunity which the Re-
publicans have created deliberately and
in full view of the probable conse-
quences. Had the Republican majority
consulted its own interests, its opin-
ions, its own full knowledge OF the
state of public opinion, it need not have
got into position where all the ad-
vantage is with it's political opponents.
There is now only one thing which can
save it-executive intervention in Cuba.
The president, having begged to be al
lowed to handle this problem in his own
way, must provide a satisfactory solu-
tion or see his administration rebuked
at the ensuing elections as no admins
tration has been in the memory of the
present generation.
We shall soon see which it is 10 be.