Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-04-14

government In substance as Wen az III n"ins
possessed OF the elements of stability, anu
forming de facto, .'if left to itself, s.ale
among the nations, reasonably capaDle VI
dischargng the duties of state mas iln-
posed for Its own grievance In deaiihs WIN
eases like these the further condition that
recognition of independent statehood Is not
due to II revolted dependency until the dan-
ger of Its being again subjugated by the
parent state has entirely passed away ms
extreme test was In fact applied In the case
Of Texas. The Congress 10 whom President
Jackson referred the question as one PROB
ably leading to war, ana therefore propeiL
subject for Il ''previous understanding with
that body by whom war can alone be 1e-
clarcd and by whom all the provisions lor
sustaining Its perils must be furnished, lelt
the matter OF the recognition or IeXas 10 lhe
discretion Of the executive, providing mere
ly for the sending Of Il diplomatic agent
when the President should be satisfied that
the republic of Texas had become IAN inde-
pendent state.
1t was SO recognized by President Van
Buren, who commissioned II charge d'af-
faIres March Z. 1887, after Mexico had apah-
doned an attempt to reconquer the leNah
territory, and when there was at the une
no bona tidc contest going on between the
insurgent province and Its former sovereign.
Recognition Not Necessary.
| said In my message OF December last:
at Is to be seriously considered whether
the Cuban insurrection possesses beyond dls-
pute the attributes of statehood which alone
In It's favor" The same requirement must
certainly be no less seriously considered
when the graver issue of recognizing lnae-
pcndcnce Ia In question, for no less positive
test can be applied to the greater act than
to the lesser, while on the other hand, the
influence and consequences OF the struggle
upon the internal policy of the recognizing
state, which form important factors when
the recognition OF bcligerency Is concerned,
are secondary, IL not rightly elimnable fac
tors when the real question Is whether the
community claiming recognition Is or Is not
Independent beyond peradventurc.
Nor from the standpoint OF cXpediency do
! think 1t would he wise or prudent for this
government to recognize ut the present time
the Independence of the so-called Cuban re-
public Such recognition Is not necessary In
order to enable the United states to inter
venc and pacify the island. To commit this
country now to recognition OF any partic-
uar government In Cuba might subject us
to embarrassing conditions of international
obligation toward the organization so rec
ognized. In case of Intervention our con-
duet would be subject to the approval or
dsapprovnl of such governments: we would
be required to submit to It's direction and
to assume to II the mere relation of a friend
~ ally. When 1t shall appear hereafter that
there is within the island II government capa-
bic Of performing the duties and discharging
the functions OF II separate nation, and hay
Ing as Il matter Of fact The proper forms and
| attributes of nationality, such government
can he promptly aud readily recognized and
the relations and interests of the United
States with such nations adjusted.
There remain the alternative forms of In
PREVENTION to end the war. either as an im-
partial neutral, by imposing rational COM
promise between the contestants or as the
active ally OF the one party or the other
As to the first II Is not to be forgotten that
during the last few months the relations
of the United States have virtually been one
of friendly Intervention In many ways, each
not of itself conclusive, but all tending to the
excrtion of potential influence toward an
ultimate pacific result Just and honorable
to- all interests concerned. The spirit of all
our acts hitherto has been an earnest, I'M
selfish desire for peace and prosperity In
Cuba. untarnished by differences between
MS and Spain and unstaincd by the blood Of
American citizens.
Grounds FOR intervention
The forciblc intervention OF the United
States as 4 neutral to stop the war, accord
ing to the large dictates of humanity and
following many historical prcccdents where
neighboring states have mterfered to check
the hopeless sacrifice OF life by nternccne
conflicts beyond their borders. is justinabe
on rational grounds. 1t involves, however,
hostile conStrnint upou both the parties To
the contest, ns well to enforce truce as to
guide the eventful settlement
The grounds for such Intervention may be
briefly summarized RS follows:
1. In the cause OF humanity and to put an
end TO the barbarities. bloodshed, starva-
ton and horrible miscries now existing
there, and which the parties to the conflict
are HllntT UllNDtc OF uHWllllHR TO SlOn or
mitigate. 1t Ii no answer to say this Is all
In another country, belonging to another
nation. and H. therefore, none OF our bust
ness. 1t is specially our duty, for 1t is right
at our door.
= We owe Il to our citizens In Cuba to
afford them that protection and indemnity
for life and property which no government
there can or will afford. and to that end to
terminate the conditions that deprive them
Of legal protection.
3. The right to intervene may be justified
by the very serious injury to the commerce.,
trade and business OF our people and by the
wanton destruction OF property and devasta-
ton of the island
Fourth.-And which is Of the utmost I'M
rortancc. The present condition of affairs
In Cuba is Il constant menace to our people,
and entails upon this government an enor-
nous expense With such conflict. waged
for years In nm island SO near us, and with
which our people have such trade and bust
ness rclntons-when the lives and liberty Of
our citizens are In constant danger, and
their property destroyed and themselves
ruined where our trading vessels are liable
to seizure and are seized ut our very door, by
war ships of foreign nation, the eXpedi-
lions Of ti!ihustcring that we are poWerless
to prevent altogether, and the irritating
questions and cutauglcmcnts thus arising
all those, and others that | need not men
ton, with the resulting strained relations,
are Il constant menace to our peace and COM
pei us to keep on a semi-war footing with
a nation with which we are at peace.
Destruction of the Maine.
These clements or danger and disorder nj
ready pointed out have been strikingy Illus
tratcd by tragic event which has deeply
and Justly moved the American people. |
have already transmitted to Congress the
report of the naval court OF inquiry on the
destruction OF the battle ship Maine in the
harbor OF Havana during the night of the
10Th OF February. The destruction of that
noble vessel has filled the national heart with
incXpressiblc horror Two hundred and fifty
eight brave sailors and marines and two
officers of our navy, reposng In the fanced
security OF friendly harbor, have been
hurled to death-~grief and want brought to
their homes and sorrow to the nation.
The naval court of Inquiry which, II Is