Evening journal., 1898-04-12
LETTERS FROM The PEOPLE
THE JUNTA'S ATTACK UPON THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

THE JUNTA'S ATTACK UPON THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
Sir; The Junta--a sort of monde
script government or organization rep
resenting the Cubans-has Just declared
that were the United States gov
ernment to intervene by force of arms
and drive the Spaniards from Cuba.
without having first recognized Cuban
Independence, the United States gov
ernment being in possession Of the is
land, would annex 1t. In other words.
that the policy OF the present Admins
tration, in intervening by force of arms,
would be not TO give freedom to the
CuDans, but to gain possession OF Cuba.
1t would seem as If the peOple and
government of this country have been
for some years foolishly espousine the
cause OF these Cubans. whose author-
lied representative has Just made nnb-
lie the above declaration and sunnle-
mented it by adding that il the limited
States government resorted to ARMED
Intervention, without first recognizing
Cuban Independence, they. the Cubans
would attack United States troops. II
will be seen at a glance that the Cubans
do not trust the government of this
country-and that, too, after all the
present administration has endeavored
to do for them-and that they regard
what seems to us the ill-advised and
misplaced sympathy which has been
expended upon these Cubans by the
American people, as being selfish and
unreal and actuated by some sinister
OF mercenary motive. We have a dim
ldea-perhaps not so dim, after all
that the American people. when svmna-
hn1c OF
and their cause, have been WASTING
their sweetness on the desert air"
1t is ridiculous in the extreme fo,. tho
Cubans to command this government
to recognize their independence: for II
has been stated time and again that
Congress has no power to recoenize
cuban Independence when the Clibans
nave no government to recognize-the
Junta Delng an organization which no
government upon the face of Gods
earth could possibly acknowledge. Were
congress to act so lin
gally and illogically as TO admit
that the Cubans have at this moment
reputable or established form of gov
ernment, then not only would every
principle Of international law he frac-
tured, but Congress would become. bv
It's own act the laughing-stock of ali
other Powers.
1t is to be hoped that this latest in
surrectionary declaration of the Junta
"a declaration which takes rank with
the famous De LONE act of ingratituda
will open the eyes of the government
and people Of this country to the real
nature of the character and condition
OF these much oppressed" (?) Cubane.
ana II Is further to be hoped that the
united States government will favor
ana lndorse liberal autOnomistic Dol-
icy only In their behalf. II these Gu
pans. whose base and rascally inqrati-
tuue mas Just come to light, should con-
tlnue 10 refuse to accept an arrange
int ilreiS u! Dased upon such policy. then
~ ~, Ine united States government wash
, l.s Idn1s OF that end Of the question
ii.t enI ieC SPAN, by force of arms, forth
with quell them into Obedience 1TSbeso
CuDan Insurgents never deserved a.
any stage of the game political NOR,
than liberal and euuitable disnensa1
ton OF Home Rule. with no voice In.
imperial matters. And verv certain ~
Is, Jhat, after the Junta's recent attack
upon the Cuban policy of the limited
oIates government, they do not deserve
more than that It is just on the cards
Ilat they deserve less. Were Cuba an
bnglish, French, German or Russian
possession, then the inhabitants of that
island would not have even a liberal
measure OF autonomy granted them
ana no people are more aware OF tbe
truth OF this statement than the Cubans
themselves. Let the people of this
country cease exhibiting a species of
slckly and unreasonable svmpathv for
tnese Cuban insurgents. Let the peo-
pie remember that Spain is not a phiI-
anthropic institution: that she never
posed before the world as such. and
tnat It is no more incumbent upon her.
70 give her land away as represented bv
her Cuban possession, than it is for
any mercantile firm to give away its
merchandise. The sooner we recognize
Ine principles and rights of Meum and
Ieum-Mine and Thine-the sooner
shall we be able to form a just and cor
rect estimate of that which is due alike
TO nations and individuals.
ERNEST ISITT.
| PhlladelDhia a nril & 1903