The record-union., 1898-04-16


cost preaching people, greatly misunder-
stand and misrepresent-let US hope
unintentionally-tho who retain abid-
ing faith in the Presidents honesty and
purity of purpose, his patriotism and
his frmness. The question really re-
solves itself into a simple proposition
on two legs. The proposal to invade
Cuba as a neutral the proposal to in
wade as the ally Of the insurgents.
1t is claimed by the radicals and
doubters that if armed Intervention is
not accompanied by a declaration of re-
cognition Of the insurrectionists' gov
eminent as a Power, the President may
and could compel insurgents to lay down
their arms and then Spain might be able
to manipulate Cuban political machin-
cry so as to secure a vote establishing
Spanish civil authority and thus the
ends long fought for by the patriots
would be defeated
The suggestion is in itself an insult to
the President. and a mean and noble
suspicion. The President has said in
his message distinctly that our duty is
to intervene, in arms if need be, to Sc
cure the paciflcation of a territory
which Spain has demonstrated her in
capacity to control and within which
she cannot maintain the status of a
State inviting to peace and prosperity.
If there is armed Intervention by our
. forces, it must as a matter of course
be made to secure. cessation Of fighting.
Both parties must cease armed conten-
ton. 1t would be farcical to drive out
the Spanish and give license to the in
surgents to slit Threats and assault the
Spanish noncombatants, or to hang the
officers of the autonomous Government.
It would be precisely as illogical and
farcical as if the United States should
become the ally of Spain under the pre-
tense Of intervention to suppress hos
tilities, and while driving the insurrec-
ticnists to submission to peaceful re-
gime, permit the Spanish to wreak ven
geance upon the Cubans.
Clearly that we may effectively con-
troll the conbatants, successfully put
OF the people, we are to go in as a hui
name neutral. with the sword in one
hand and food and healing in the other.
When order is established, freedom to
civilly move and act restored, then
comes the question, and it will be one of
great seriousness, of enabling the people
of Cuba freely and deliberately, with
out coercion or intimidation from any
one, to form a government and set it in
motion. Upon it's stability and suffi-
cheney, as the President clearly sets
forth, the American nation must pass.
But If, as is demanded, there is re-
cognition Of the Junta Government
claiming to be on firm foundation al
ready, intervention will be invasion by
its consent, and as its ally. We will Of
necessity be second to. it, subordinate
to its orders and incapable. Of opposing
any of its DEGREES, however revengeful
and unwise they may be. We must, as
Senator Fairbanks has so wen put it,
first restore tranquility in the island and
then deal with the nebulous insurrec-
tionists' government, concerning which
we know so little, and which General
Lee himself says under his oath, is but
a skeleton Of a government, indicating
that he holds 1t to be one he has not
been able to view as stable and of such
force and compactness as to be worthy
of recognition as Power as yet.
Because citizens of the United States
who do not permit their passions to
control their judgments contend for this
orderly and wise proceeding outlined
by President Mckinley. they are de-
nounced as goo goos," and contemp-
tuously spoken Of as towards and de-
void of patriotic spirit. History proves
that the firebrands have never been the
irlse leaders, that ranters and loud de-
Chalmers have not been the stay bolts
of the social structure, and the people
who are moved by their impulses re-
gardless of the precepts of prudence
are invariably unsafe leaders and ad-
visers.
We have all sufficient admiration for
the hot patriotism of the radicals, but
we deny their claim to be the absorb
ents of all patriotism and love of eoun-
try. He is most patriotic who does best
for his country. Time will determine
whether placing the American nation in
the splendid position of an interfering
neutral, commanding the peace and
crushing out a monstrously inhumane
war, and enabling the people Of the dis
turbed island to form a government
free from the frown of bayonets and the
threat of the machette is the wiser and
nobler plan. Time viii demonstrate
whether it is wise and patriotic to COM
NIT the American nation to an allyship
of conquest, to the policy that will put
in the hands of all European States a
or any of them see fit to invade and
conquest weaker nations.
AS to the Maine incident, that stands
separate and apart from the Cuban
contention When as is likely speedily
TO come to pass We are convinced be-
yond a reasonable doubt that the murder
of our sailors and marines, and the de-
struction of our ship when under the
protection of the Spanish Government
are chargeable to that nation, either for