The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-22
BOUND TO BE FREEmEN.


Gates that the Cubans are already dis
contented with American rule in their
island and are resolved to become free
and independent people in their own
country if they have to fight for it. The
spantards are said to be willing to back
them up against the United States.
Looking at the matter philosophically
we cannot blame the Cubans for being
recalcitrant. When this country declar-
ed war against Spain it was with the
avoWed purpose of driving out that
tyrannical power from the western hem
isphere and freeing the Cubans from it's
calling yoke. The congress of the Unit
ed States pledged the honor of the nation
to make the Cubans free and independ-
ent. It declared that this country had
no intention to exercise any control or
sovereignty over the island, and that the
war was solely in the cause of humanity.
Instead of combining itself to the war
in Cuba and driving the Spaniards out,
of the earth to seize the Philippine is-
lands and retain them permanently,
whether Spain or it's insurgents liked it
or not. The war for humanity became a
war of conquest. The plutocratic press
of this country cried out in unison that
1.-The American flag must never be hauled
down where it has once been laised,"
and as it Was raised in Cuba it would
always float there. The Cubans would
be the biggest fools on earth if they plac-
ed any confidence in the professions of
the party of Mark Hanna, and therefore
it is that the news from Havana does
not startle us in the least. We expect
ed to find the Cubans dissatisfied and
they are dissatisfied if the following ca
blegram is reliable:
Indeed, some of the important Cubans
go so far as to say that any deviation
from the original resolution of congress
regarding Cuba will be met by open pro-
test and armed opposition, which, how
ever suicidal to Cuban aspirations,
would mean much farther trouble, loss
of life, privations and expense for the
Americans. The climatic perils are par
ticularly referred to as likely to cause
considerable loss of life among the
Americans Whether from hidden mo-
tives or otherwise, the Spaniards en-
courage the Cubans in these ideas and
it is claimed that the Spanish delay in
evacuating Cuba, has much to do with
this situation. The Spanfards, it is be-
lieved, would, in the event of hostilities,
join with the latter against the American
forces"
The imperialists of this republic never
intended to treat the Cubans justly. When
the party of Mark Hanna expressed SYM
pathy with the suffering people it was for
a sinister purpose. The Cuban leaders
are intelligent men, and they will not let
the United States take their country
without a struggle. They prefer annihila-
ton to suDjugation, and every genuine
lover Of freedom will admire them for it.
OF course, they may not succeed in gov
ernng themselves we'll, but that is their
business and not ours. They are as fully
able to govern themselves without our
assistance as the people Of Mexico and
the South American republics. In Its
dealing with Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines the United States will even
tually learn that "honest is the best
policy" in the long run.