El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-18
American Intervention ia. Cuba.

spanish OOWn UuSTe
American Intervention ia. Cuba.
From a speech by Hon. :. Burrows. OF Mas
sachusetts, in the House OF Representa-
tives.
In 1868 an insUrrectiOn broke out in
Cuba which lasted for ten years. Spain
had previously taken arms in 1850,
1851 an 1855. The revolution of 1865
was the uprising of desperate Peep e
after long and uuavaillng efforts to
secure reform. During that conflic,
our government, after continued pro-
tests, was driven almost TO armed in
terv-ntion. In famous dispa'cu t..
Mr.. Gushing, our mini-te" at M ,drid,
$ Secretary Fish, on Novem her 5, 1875,
laid:
The horrors of war have in no perceptible
measure abate1; the inconver fences and in
juries which we then Suffere have remained
and o hers have beea added; the ravages of
war have touched new parts OF the island
and well-nigh ruined its financial and agri-
cultural system and its relations to the com
been taken to establish forms or remedy
abus :, and the effort to suppr- IS the insur-
fai ure.
The United States purchases more l-rgely
than any other people of the productions of
the island of Cuba, and therefore more than
any other for this reason and still more by
OF its Immediate nelghDO hood, is 10
terested in the arrest IF a system of wanton
destruction which disgraces the age and
affects every commercial people on the face
of the globe.
Under these circumstances, and in view of
the fact that Spain has rejected all sugges-
tions of reform or offers of mediation mad u
by this government and has refused Il Il
measures looking to reconciliation, except on
terms which make reconciliation an impossi-
bility, the difficulty of the situation becomes
increased.
| When, however. in addition to these gener-
| al causes of difficulty, we fad the spanish
government neglectful also of the Gbliga-
| lions of treaties and 'lemn compacts and
| unwilling to afford any redress IT lOug-con-
| tinuei and well-founded wrongs suffered by
| our citize as, it becomes Sc lou, question
| how long such condition of things can or
| should be allowed to exist, and compels us to
| reached where longer endurance ceases to be
possible.
| disastrous conflict of more than seven
| years duration . demonstrated the in
| ability of spain to maint ain peace and o rder
| AID destruction of life and property have
| been the only results. of this conflict.
In the absence f any prospect of a termin-
| alton of the war or of any change in the
either side, he 1.-THE PRESIDENT feels that the
time is at hand when it may be the duty of
other governments to intervece, solely with
\ view of briuging to an end a disastrous and
destructive conflict and of restoring peace in
the island of Cuba.
The London Times was forced to ad-
nit that Mr.. Fish's able argument had
"a solid basis of Justice and that his
conclusion was tempered with unex-
pected moderation
The promises that Spain then made
and through which alone war was
averted were unfulfilled, and the pre-
sent insurrectiOn was the natural re-
suit. The insurgents speak within
the truth in saying that:
The causes of the revolution in:1.s5 in this
that had driven the CUBAN people to the var
ious Instructions which eliminated in the
present revOlut ion.
If our right to intervene in Cuba by
reason of the injury and disquietude to
he United States is clear, 1t is equally
clear that it is our moral duty to secure
peace. order, and freedom in Cuba and
to succor her starving people.
International jurists differ rs to the
light of nations to intervene on huma-
nitarisn grounds, but international
iurists do not make law: they simply
collect aud discuss the precedents
which constitute international usage.
If it is sad to think of the interview
ions which have taken place for self
ish motives, to esta olish oppression
and stife the spirit of liberty, it is re-
assuring to find nations which are
strong Intervening to save those
which are weak, Intervening in the
name of justice and Liberty. Vattel
held
That a foreign power has right to succor
an oppressed people who implore their assist
ance, when from good re sons they take up
arms against an oppresSor, and that it is but
an act of justice and generosity to assist
brave men in the defense of their liberties.
Sir James McIotosh, 10 the English
Parliament in 1923 said:
Whatever a nation may lawfully defend
for itself 1t may defend for another people if
called pom to interpOSe.
Bluntschli and Wheaton and Wool
sey admit the right of Intervention for
motives of humanity Or to aid an CD
pressed race.
Intervention
Said Sir William Vernon Harcourt-
when wisely and equitably handled by those
who have the power to give effect to 1t, may
be the highest power of justice and huma-
nifty.
And again:
The only object and justification of inter-
vention is peace.
We can not lay down an absolute
rule that will cover all cases. Each
must be decided on its owe meri 8 and
our pract cal relation to it. The mas
sacre of the Armeniaos by Turkey
aroused immense moral Indignation in
the United States and was the subject
of various appeals to our Government