The Yale expositor., 1898-04-15


this nation and the Kingdom of Spain.
President Mckinley has submitted to
Congress an able message giving a sum-
mary of the treachery, inhumanity and
wanton cruelty of the Spaniards OH the
island of Cuba during the present re-
bellion, and makes the following state
ments or propositions:
|. The war as waged by the inhuman
tyrant Weyler and also by his success
ors has been so barbarous that the
cause of humanity demands that it be
stopped.
2. That it is against the policy of this
nation to adopt war measures for the
purpose of conquest or to increase our
territory.
3. That a recognition of the Cubans
as an independent nation is not favored.
4. That Congress should empower
the President to intervene and make
such use of the Army and Navy of the
nation as is necessary to stop the war,
restore peace, establish a sound and
stable government on the island of
Cuba
That he now leaves the matter for
! the final determination of Congress but
that he, as President of the United
States, is ready and willing "to execute
every obligation imposed" upon him by
the Constitution and laws.
The President has been severely criti-
cised because he did not urge a declar-
alton Of war and recognition of the
Cuban insurgents as free and indie
pendent nation. But to-day Consul
General Lee, just from Havana. ap
peared before the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs and states that in his
opinion there is no such thing rs a
Cuban government on the island; that
their so-called government is one on
paper only. This being true the wis
dom of the Presidents course is at once
apparent Before this nation can rec
ogniZe the Cubans as nation it must
be certainly determined that they have
the ability for self-government and
must have put the governmental ma
chinery in motion. 1t is also asserted by
those who have studied the question
that the insurgents are composed of so
many disunited bands, and there are so
mauy negroes and other classes untitled
for government, among them, that
it is doubtful that, if left to themselves,
they could form and maintain stable
government. With these matters fully
before him and as furnished by General
Lee, the prudence and wisdom of the
plan is this: The Army and Navy are
to go to Cuba and put stop to hostil-
tiles; to compel Spain to quit her cam
paign of determination and starvation;
to stop al war; "to secure full and
final termination of hostilities between
the government of Spain and the peo.
pie of Cuba and to secure on the island
the establishment of stable govern
ment"
1t will be seen at once that us soon as
this is done; rs soon as Spain is com
PEELED to stop hostilities, and the army
and navy of tie United States are plac.
ed on guard over them to enforce peace
then the Cubans are placed in posi-
ton to complete stable government
TO install their Governors and other
civil officers in the various provinces OF
the island and to adjust themselves to
the conditions necessary to become il
fact nation instead of rowing bands
of patriots with "a government Oh pa
per only" as stated by General Lee.
President McKinley's course is wise
and in the best interests of the Cubaus
themselves, and for that reason it is tC
be hoped that it will be put in force by
Congress. And if it is, war will surely
follow, for Spain, poor, proud, treach
erous Spain, will fight for the poor
} pitiful privilege of continuing to starvt
helpless women and children, and tC
murder the patriots who are fighting
for freedom.
And what of the end? 1t is quite
certain that some of the most terrific
naval battles ever known to history
must take place. With all of her weak
ness Spain has done well in securing
and maintaining modern navy. HeI
torpedo equipment is among the best
in the world. Her gunners come from
all nations, and especially from France
and Germany. These are prepared tC
make use of that most deadly eXplo
] sive, dynamite, and also gun-cotton tC
larger extent than has ever been
known in naval warfare. These viii
be met by stronger navy and by the
same sort of explosives and weapons
and American gunners are said to be
the most skillfuI in the world. And
the result Of it all must be the destruc
ton CT SPANS only hope--her navy
the freedom of Cuba; the ultimate
, t,.,,t-:,,~- 81 I.yot,ich l-ipcr,l la