The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-06-28
Washington Post.)

He was for many years counse
for the Mexican legation, and he mas
been Secretary of State, Minister to
Spain. agent of the United states Ill
many delicate diplomatic negotiations
and the agent of hin III her settlement
of the Japan-China war.
Mr.. Foster has made a profession Of
diplomacy and to-day he is acting as
the agent of the Department of State in
negotiating with Sir Julian Paunceforte
the British Ambassador, and represen-
tatiyc of the Dominion government at
Ottawa. Il treaty which shall settle the
bnundary line hetWeen Canada ana the
United States. His diplomatic mission,
Mr.. Foster explained, prevented HIM
talking as freely as he might otherwise
have done about matters now pending
or which NAV o come before the State
Department.
1T is possible said Mr.. Foster, that
Spain will retain the Canary Islands
when the conflict is over. but not II the
war is prolonged.
DO YOU believe that the War Will
extend over any considerable periOd!'
Il don't see" said Mr.. Foster. how
that will be possible. | don't see how
Spain can afford to p%rolong it. She has
no resources. And if, as is probable, we
destroy her fleets. she cannot replace
them. They talk of sending troops to
the Philippines. Spain can never do
that. She has not got them to send.
She can raise any number OF men to
defend her own coast but not send to
her colonies.
AN INEVITABLE CONFLICT.
Il have lived in Spain and | know and
have the kindest personal feeling for her
leading men. | have the kindest feeling
for the Queen. But ! cannot see how
this war could have been avoided. Spain
had to choose between giving up Cuba
and fighting the United States, and if
Spain had given up Cuba. there would
have been Il revolution which would
have overthrown the present dy-
nasty
Then you think war was inevitable!'
| asked.
"What could have prevented it? Yes,
it was inevitable. and since it was in
evitable the ooner it came. the better.
Spain had been destroying our peace and
interfering with our and we
must have interviewed. Since Buchanan's
time it has been the policy of the United
States to free the people of Cuba. In
fact. for nearly Il century. we have had
in mind the removal of Spanish authori-
ty from the island.
Spain once offered us great CONNER
cial advantages if we would guarantee
her sovereignty by treaty. but we re-
fused to do so. Twice Spain and France
approached us to ask that we assure
Spain's control of Cuba, but we would
not do it. Grant recognized the right
of Cuba to be free in his message to
Congress in 1869. Secretary Hamilton
Fish recognized it when he said that
autonomy might postpone but it could
ba's fight for freedom.
War has been inevitable since Mr.
Cleveland made the mistake Of suppOs-
ing that Spain would settle the Cuban
question by granting autonomy to the
Cubans. Mr.. Mckinley inherited that
policy and he lad to give it a fair trial.
But that tria' Shove how hopeless it
was and how inevitable was the con
fict. 1t was as Mr.. Fish had said-au-
tonomy could only postpone the freedom
of Cuba.
ABSURDITY OF AUTONOMY.
"Why couldn't the Cuban people be
satisfied with autonomy?' | asked.
How cOuld Spain offer an autonomous
government to one of her colonies. when
spain HtjStli ii IL htu dtitollolI.
1t would take a long time to explain the
system of Spanish rule. but. briefly, it is
this: When Il new administration comes
in Governors are appointed for the forty
odd Provinces: these Governors go out
within Il day or two to take control of
affairs. They appoint their projects and
their subprefects. Then the election is
held. 1t always goes in favor of the Gov
ernors. 1t always will.
"Spain's rule in Cuba has been worse
han her rule at home. 1t could not be
expected that she would break up en-
tirely the system under which so many
representatives of Spanish families have
lived in Cuba. and Il system of self-gov-
inc which would leave the reins of
power in the hands of Spaniards would
be Il missioner.
I'VE have no right to expect the Cuban
people to accept autonomy from Spain.
Suppose that in 177S, when the heroes of
the Revolution had been battling for in
dependence for three years. and after
they had beaten Burgoyne. LORD North
had said: We were mistaken. We will
grant YOU representation in Parliament
and Il voice in the matter of taxation
for which we had entered into the war
for independence. Would our forefathers
have done we'll if they had accepted this
compromise! Would we have been salts
fed with them if they had?
1.-The Cubans had held out against
Spain for three years. Two hundred
thousand troops had been sent against
them; there were 100000 of them in
Cuba when this war broke out: we do
not know how many nave died slnce-
and the reports of our Consuls and of
trustworthy men who went into Cuba
last winter were tina: the Spaniards held
the cities by force of arms. that they
had abandoned the rest Of the country
and that the war might go on indie
%finitely.
INTERVENTION WAS NECESSARY
Under the conditions. it was our
business TO interfere. Mr.. Cleveland
thought that we could persuade the Gu
bans to lay down their arms under a
promise of autonomy. Rut no nation has
the right to guarantee what it cannot
enforce. The Cubans refused to accept
autonomy. and it was our duty to follow