Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-15

three members representing the American
National Red Cross and the religious and
business clements Of the community. The
efforts Of that committee have been un
firing ami accomplished much. Nearly
s2t"."1 in money and supplies has already
reached the sun, rers. and more IL forth
coming. Thousands of lives have already
been saved. The necessity for a change
Is recognized by the SianiSh gov
eminent Within few days past
the orders OF Gen Weyler have
been revoked the reconcentrados
are. it j. said. Ia be permitted 10 return
To their homes. ana aided 10 resume the
sef-supportng pursuits of peace: public
works have been ordered TO give them
employment. and sum OF 100000 has
been appropriated for their relief.
The war in Cuba is of such a nature
that short of subjugation extermina-
ton a final military victory for either side
seems impracticable. The alternative lies
in the physical exhaustion of the one
the other party, or perhaps of both-a
condition which in effect ended the ten
years war by the truce of Zanion. The
prospect of such a prOtractiOn and con-
clusion of the present strife is con-
tinecucy hardly TO be contemplated with
equahimity by the civilized world. anG
least Of all by the United States. affected
and injured We are. deeply and init
Realizing this. it appeared TO he my du
ty. in a spirit of true friendlinesS. no less
to Spain than to the CubauS who have
50 much 10 lose 10y the promugatinu or
the struggle. Ia seek "a bring about an
immediate termination of the war To
this end submitted on the 9th utimo..
as result Of much representation and
correspondence through the United States
minister dt Madrid propositions 10 the
Spanish government looking to an armis-
tiCc until oct l. for the negotiation Of
pea"e with the good Offices OF the presi-
dent.
The reply Of the Spanish authorities
WAS received on the night Of the 3lst
uliimn. II offers. a. the means to bring
about peace in Cuba. 10 cOniide the prep
arat'ou thereof TO the insular Department.
lnaSmuch aS the concurrence OF that body
would he necessary TO reach fnal result
il heiH@ however. understood that the
powers reserved by that constitution 10
the central government are not lessened
or diminished As the Cuban parliament
does not meet until the fourth of May
next. the Spanish government would not
object. for its part. to accepi at once
suspension of hoStilities if asked for nv
the Insurgents from the Senrral-in-,-hief
to whom it would pertain. i'm such case
II determine lhe duration and conditions
Of The armiStice. From gen Woodfords
explanatory reports of preliminary discus
siOnS preceding The final conference il is
understood that the Spanish government
stands ready To give The inSlIlar congress
full powers To settle the terms If peace
with the Insurgents. whether Y direct
negotiations or indirectly by meanS of leg
iSlat.on does not appear
With the last overture in the direction
al immediate peace and its IiSapDointin"
reception by Spain. thu executive was
brought to the end OF his effort.
Ia annual u4.SS;tue of iD.rpr1hpr
last | said:
'pf tn. untried measures there remain:
Recognition of the insurgents as beliiger-
ents recognition of The Independence of
cuba. neutral Intervention 10 end the war
10y imposing rational compromise he
tween !hc contestants and Intervention i'm
favor of one or the other party. speak
not of forcihle annexation. for that can
not be thought of. That. by our code OF
morality. would be criminal aggression.
Thereupon | reviewed these alterna-
tives. in the light Of President Grants
measured words uttered i'm 49,. when
after seven years of sanguinary. destruc-
tive and cruel barbaritie.s i'm Cuba he
reached the conclusion that the recogn-
ton OF the independence of Cuba was i'm
practicable and indefensibIe and that the
recognition of belligerence was not war
ranted 10y the facts according To the tests
of public law. commented especially up
on the latter aspect of the question. point
ing out the inconVenienreS. and positive
dangers of "A recognition OF beligerency
which. while adding 10 the already oner-
Gus burdens of neutrality within our own
jurisdiction. could not in any way extend
our Influence or effective offices i'm the ter
riiory Of hoStilitieS. Nothing has since.
occurred Ia change my view i'm this re-
garland rerosnze as fully now as then
that the issuance of II proclamation OF
neutrality by which proces s. the so-called
,sT.
could. OF itself and unattended by other
action accomplish nothing toward the one
end for which we labor. the instant paci-
hcation of Cuba and the cessation Of the
misery that atfiicts the island
Turning To the question OF recognition
at this time OF the independence of the
present inSurgent government i'm Cuba we
find safe precedents in our history from
an early day. They are well summed up
IN President Jackson'S message TO con-
Sress. Dee. q. 1876. on the subject of the
recognition OF the indie pendence of Texas
He said: The uniform policy and practice
"f the I nit"d States * to avoid all inter
ference in disputes which merely relate To
the internal government of other nations
and eventually Ia recognize the authority
OF the prevailing party without reference
TO our particular interests and views or
TO the merits Of the original controversy.
But on this, as on every other trying |
adherence to principle. BY pursuing it,
we are but carrying out the long eStab-
llShtd policy of our government "A policy |
which has secured to us respect and influ- |
ence abroad and inspired confidence at |
home"
The president continues:
II do not think il would he wise or pru- |
dent for this government to recognize at |
the present time the independence of the |
so-called Cuban republic. To commit this /!
country now To the recognition of any par
ticular government in Cuba might subject ,
us To embarrassing conditions of internal
tionai obligation toward the organization |
so recognized. When it shall appear here
after that there is within the island a gov
eminent capable of performing the du-
ties and discharginS the functions of a |
separate nation. and having. as a matter |
OF fact. the proper forms and attributes |
or nationality. such government can be |
promptly and readily recognized and the |
relations and interests of the United
States with such nation adjusted
There remain the alternative forms of |
TO end the war either as an |
impartial neutral 10y imposing "A rational |
compromise between the contestants or
az the active ally of the one Marty ar tbe |