Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-22
A SPANISH MILITARY POLICEMAN.

cally independent, and bound TO the
mother country by purely voluntary
tie Such form Of government in Gu
ba, with merely bond Of sympathy
and affection TO attach her 10 the Unit
ed States. is scarcely conceivable. nj
least at present.
For some time TO come there can DO
but little doubt that the government OF
the island by the United States will lie
quasi military in its character. The le'
gal und other public officials, whether
appointed afresh or continued IN office,
will be supported by our soldiers in the
performance Of their functions Doubt.
less the military regime will be OF the
mildest possible character and will not
make itself felt unless circumstances
render il necessary.
But this manner Of ruling Cuba,
though undoubtedly the best and the
only one possible at first, can only he of
temporary duration. Neither the people
Of Cuba nor those Of the United States
could wish for such a condition OF
things to remain permanent.
In the presidents message proposing
intervention in Cuba he uses the follow
ing language: 1.-The only hope OF relief
and repose from condition that can DO
no longer endured is the enforced pa
cification of Cuba. In the name Of hu.
mainly. In the name Of civilization, in
behalf OF endangered American interests
which give Us the right TO speak and to
act, the war in Cuba must stop.
To engage in n war from motives so
noble is something that could be but
rarely credited to any nation during the
history Of the world. The personal ele-
ment has almost invariably been an i'm
portant factor in all wars, and however
lofty might be the pretenses national
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT has largely been the
ruling motive
We cannot for moment attribute
any such Interior designs to Mr. McKin'
ley. He meant undoubtedly precisely
what he said Our nation interfered for
the cause Of humanity. and unless we
would fall from this lofty pedestal It is
incumbent upon US to show to the world
that this was our reason for going to
war with Spain and no other. This OF
course imposes certain restrictions upon
rs in our dealings with Cuba Ii was
we'll understood at the time the war he
gan that we were in duty and honor
bound to give the struggling Cubans IL
possible those privileges Of a political
liberty which forms the cornerstone of
our constitution Since our Declaration
Of Independence we have held, whether
rightly or wrongly. that governments
can exist only by the consent Of the
governed, and holding this political
creed it is difficult to see how we can
refuse the Cubans what they have been
fighting to gain for so many years
The war resolution adopted by both
houses of congress ON April 10 is still
more explicit and comedies to the Gu
bans the right TO be free and independ.
ent. The full text Of the momentous
resolution that precipitated the conflict
with Spain can be appropriately intro
duced in this connection:
Whereas Tho abhorrsnt conditions which
have existed for more than three years In the
island of Cuba, so near our own borders. have
shocked the moral sense Of the people Of the
United States, have been disgrace 90 Chris
tian civilization. eliminating. as they have
In the destruction Of q United States battle
and Ia Lac on
\ friendly visit in the harbor of Havana. and
cannot longer be endured. rs has been set
forth By the president Of the United States In
which the action Of congress was invited:
be IL resolved:
Fifst.-That the people OF the island Of Cuba
are and Of right ought to 10 free and indie
pendent
sesond. II IL the duty Of the United
States to demand, and the government OF the
United States does hereby demand. That the
government OF Spain at once relinquish its au-
thority and government In the island OF Cuba
and withdraw Its land and naval forces from
Cuba and Cuban waters
Third. That the president Of the United
States be and he hereby Is directed and EN-
powered to use the entire land and naval forces
OF the United States and to cnll into the actual
several states to such an extent as may be
necessary 70 carry these resolutions into effect
Fourth.-That the United States hereby dis
claims any disposition or intention to exercise
jurisdiction or control over said
island. except for the pacifcation thereof, and
asserts its determination when that Is accom-
piished 10 leave the government and control
Of the island TO its people.
This resolution goes much further
than to declare the right Of the strug
Cling Cubans to freedom and independ-
enca Ii declares. in fact that the
United States would secure them that
right and would afterward leave them
10 govern themselves a. soon AZ the
Of the island bad been 81
cured. This last Is the saving clause
From present indications in the island
It will undoubtedly be some time yet
before peace shall be 70 completely re-
tored as to warrant the removal Of our
troops and the delegation Of all author
ity in Cuba to ite inhabitants
The right to freedom aud self gov.
srnment conceded In the Declaration Of
and admitted in the war
resolution quoted presupposeA ! Pre-
NINE. that the people % b fsee to gov
Nm themselves ssO capable q doing - |
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