Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-11

end to terminals the conditions that deprive
them Of lega, protection.
Third. The ito intervene may be tus-
titled by The verSySfrious injury to the COM
merce, trade and-business of our people
and by che waef9p destruction of property
and devastation Of the island.
Fourth. and which is Of the utmost inn
portznce. The PRESENT condition of affairs
in Cuba is cQRstAnt menace to our peace
and entails upon,Fais government an eaor-
nous expense. s.wI IN such conflict wased
for years in anAisland 80 near US and with
which our people Rave such trads and bust.
ness relations w4l9n the lives and liberty
Of our citizensIaretin constant danger and
their property!sdestroy and themselves
ruined-whsre our trading vessels are liable
to seizure and are seized at our very door,
by warships OF a foreign nation, the expe-
dittons Of flibustering that we are power
less to prevent altogether, and the irritat-
ing questions and entansiements thus aris-
ing-all these and others that need not
mention, with the resulting strained rela-
tons are constant MANAGE to our peace
and compel usto keep on q semi war foot
ing with nation with which we are at
peace @-ss-
Destruction of the Maine.
These elements of danger and disorder
already pointed but have been strikingly
illustrated by a; tragic event which has
deeply and justly moved the American peo-
pie. have already transmitted to Con-
gress the report of the Naval Court of In
quiry on the destruction of the Battle
ship Maine in the Harbor of Havana
during the night of the 18th Of February.
The destruction OF that noble vessel has
horror. Two hundred and ffty-eight brave
sailors and marines and two officers of our
navy, reposing in the fancied security Of
friendly barber. have been hurled to
death, grief and want brought to their
homes and sorrow to the Nation.
The Naval Court of Inquiry, which 1t is
needless to say commands the unqualified
confidence Of the Government, was unani-
nous in it's conclusion that the destruc-
ton of the Maine" was caused by an ex-
terror explosion. that Of a submarine NINE
1t did not assume to place the RESPONSE
bility. That remains to be fixed
In any event. the destruction of the
Maine by whatever exterior cause. is a
pate.lt and impressive proof of a state OF
things in Cuba that is fntolerable That
condition is thus shown to be such that the
Spanish government cannot assure safety
and security to vessel of the American
navy in the harbor of Havana on a mission
of peace and rightfully there.
Further referring in this connection to
recent diplomatic correspondence, dis
patch from our minister to Spain, of the
18th ultimo, contained the statement that
the Spanish minister for foreign affairs
assured him positively that Spain will do
all that the highest honor and justice re-
f71,iy> in, fta -
ply above referred to of the 31st ultimo also
contained an expression of the readiness of
Spain to submit to an arbitration all the
differences whbah can arise in this matter,
which Is Substantially explained by the
Eote of the Spanish minister at Washing
ton of the 10TH inf ant, as follows:
AS TO the question: of fact which springs
from the divefsfttg of views between the
report of theo american and Spanish
boards, spain1S,fpoto1ios that the fact be
ascertained byrearm impartial investigation
by exports, whysi aaecision Spain accepts IN
advance. ...,so ,..,ao, o..
10 this hasa made 70 reply. 'ss5.7"
president Grsntjn 1876. after discussing
the phases OF .efei1ffcon.est cas- it then APP
peared, and aitsl6opeless and apparent in
definite pro,onEgaIi9n; Said:
I'm such event, 7 am of opinion that other
nations viii KIT B 81 asqy1le1 to assume the
responsibility MoWl1cb n daVslves. upon them.
and to seriously consider the only remain
ing measures possible, mediation and inter-
vention. Owing, perhaps, to the large ex-
panse of water separating the island from
the peninsula, the contending par
ties appear to have within themselves no
depository of common confidence, to sug-
,gest wisdom when passion and excitement
have their way, and to assume the part Of
peacemaker. 2. -.
In this view, In the earlier dayssof the
contest the good offices of the United
States as mediator were rendered in good
faith, without any selfish purpose, in the
interest Of humanity, and in sincere friend
ship for both parties, but were at the time
declined by Spain, with the declaration
nevertheless that at future time they
would be Indispensable. No intimation has
been received that in the opinion OF Spain
that time has been reached. And yet the
strife continues with all its dread horrors.
and all its injuries to the interests of the
United States and of other nations.
Each party seems quite capable of work
ing great injury and damage to the other,
as well as to all the relations and interests
dependant on the existence Of peace in the
island: but they seem frcapabie Of reach
ing any adjustment and both have thus
far failed of achieving any success whereby
one party shall, possess and control the
island<t the exclusion of the other. Under
the circumstances, the agency of others,
either by mediation or by intervention.
seems to be the only alternative which
must. sooner or: later. be invoked for the
termination of the strifes"ra4 -.
In the last annual message Of my fnme-
date predecessor, during the. pending
struggle. it was said:
.'when the inability of Spain to deal sue
cessfully with the instruction has become
manifest, and it. Is demonstrated that her
sovereignty is extinct in Cuba for all pur-
poses of it's rightful existence. and when
hopeless struggle for It's resestablishment
has .degenerated into strife which means
nothing more than the useless sacrifice of
human life and, the. utter destruction of
the very suhject-matter :of the conflict,
situation will be presented m. which our
obligations to the sovereignty Of Spain will