The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-28
This Nation Has No Valid Ground
for lbs Failure TO Take Early aud
Decisive Action i'm Putting n stop
to Spain's Crimes on the Islamh
OF Cuba.


For this humanity of ours is one and no
political or geographical divisions have
any power to nulIify the laws which bind
US together in a common interest. These
laws antedate all human compacts and
institutions, and give to these whatever
OF sacredness or worth they happen to
possess. Human governments have the
right TO be only as they serve humanity,
and they have no moral right to enter
debars them from any action which hui
manity requires. There is something
higher, something UNNECESSARILY more
sacred than the sovereignty of any ma
ton, and thar is the sovereignty of the
law to which every nation owes ale
giance-the sovereignty of the law writ
ten in the constitution, of the living man
being wrought into the very structure Of
the universe of which he is a part-the
law which binds all nations to the right,
TO justice. to humanity.
THE testimony of even the most re-
luctant witnesses reveals state of
things in Cuba, which is not only
damning to Spain, but a blot and dis
grace on our whole modern civilization.
BY a system of misgovernment and OPP
preston, to which no liberty-loving or
self-respecting people could possibly
submit, Spain has driven the best peo-
pie of Cuba into determined rebellion.
BY her cruel and tyrannous rule she has
awakened in the breasts Of a people
once ostensibly loyal an undying hatred
Of her name and flag.
In her efforts 10 subdue this rebellion
she has deliberately penned up and
starved to death hundreds of thousands
Of peaceable men and women. She has
committed indescribable crimes against
helpless women and unoffending chill
dren. disregardng every dictate of de-
cency and humanity civilization holds
dear
And christendom and pagandom alike
have looked on, Witnessing the horrible
spectacle and made no demand that the
I iniquity should cease.
''Other nations have some excuse, since
Columbia allows no interference by Eu-
/ ropean powers on this side of the water.
But this nation has no valid ground of eX-
! cuse for its failure to take early and de-
| cisive action. If IL be said that ii did act,
/ ! reply no. it only intimated that Spain
! had better hurry up and whip the rebels
| into subsection. or public sentiment in
| this country would. before very great
| while, oblige the United States to take a
| hand. But even this intimation, made in
a most friendly manner to a friendly ma
| ton, is an assertion of our moral right
TO interfere some time TO prevent the con
| tinuanCe OF such conditions.
When the time comes on what ground
! will we base that right? On the GROUND
| OF loss TO Us in dollars and cents? o.
| interference with our commerce? w
| surely cannot afford TO do this. We can
not afford to say 10 the world that tn,
/ injury to our commerce is a matter Of
/ more Importance in our eyes than any
considerations Of justice and humanity
But if We put it on grounds OF humani
ty, how shall we excuse the delay which
has resulted in death by starvation o
| hundreds OF thousands of our brother
| and sisters.
1.-The plain and humiliating fact is thi
| great nation has been derelict in duty. /
has not only had the power TO prevent tn
/ existence of the evils described; it ha
had the exclusive power and. therefore
on ii alone rested the special obligation
Had this country acted promptly whel
the starvation policy was first adopted
and even granted to Cuba belligeren
rights she would have won her independ
ence long ere this.
But we have Joined hands with Spail
in her internal business. We have put on
whole detective and police force at he
service, and sought TO prevent Cuba from
| getting men, arms or ammunition from
this country.
our Government has treated Spain a
a friendly and honorable nation, deserv
ing to have her government upheld, ant
her rights over the Cubans restored
knowing all the time that her government
has been one of the most tyrannicai ant
Infamous in all history and that the res
tOration of her rule meant the utter ruiz
Of the Cuban people.
And all this while processing to believ
that all just governments are based o.
the consent Of the governed and tina
when government becomes subversive o
the ends they are instituted to secure 4
is the right, ii is the duty OF the peOpI
TO throw off such government and to pro
vide new guards for the future security
And yet our Government dealt with thes
people heroically striving TO do just wha
the charter of our liberties declares it
| their right and their duty TO do as if the
We're rebels against good government. "
have been basely and traitorOusly falls
TO all our professions. What right hav
we to pose before the world with our re
publican pretensions, holding out the hop
! Of liberty and independence to the down
trodden and oppressed Of earth. if. in tn
hour Of their struggle and need, we ar
| 70 strengthen the hands Of their Cypress
ors and rivet more firmly the chains G
their b0udage2
'Of what advantage is 1t to the worl
that we are a great and powerful repuT
3 lie If our giant strength is never to /
used in the interest of humanity an
freedom. Neither Russia nor Turke
, could have done worse for Cuba if eth,
had been in our place And what hay
, all our shutting and diplomacy accom-
/ plished? Have we won the good will ar
| respect OF Spain? On the contrary. "
have Incurred her bitter hatred and III
I disguised contempt. And even Cub
should we now interfere and demand h,
[ / freedom. can never feel toward US
/, she would have done had the claims
/ humanity moved us at the first v
have lost the opportunity TO do our dut
: / al the proper time and in the prop
way, but we still may succor Cuba al
2 ! secure for her the freedom and the ind
- 1 pendence for which she has so brave
= and herolcally fought.
we can afford TO say to Spain-a
Stunning her guilt in the matter Of Il
] / Maine-we are willing to drop this out
the account altogether. We ask I
money indemnity for the injury that h;
! been DONE or the sorrow and misery thi
have been brought but we demand IL
, complete and unpurchased Independent,
Of the Cubans. We demand that yC
withdraw your army and your flag fro
every foot OF the island you have bligh
Cd and cursed, and from the country
the people you have miserably misgo'
arned and oppressed hundreds of tho
! sands of whom you have inhuman
/ butchered and starved and shot
Il do not say that we should ask I