The record-union., 1898-04-14

States did intervene by threat and show
of force in the affairs of Mexico and
France, and compelled the evacuation
of that Republic by European Power
whose prior Intervention in Mexican
affairs had overthrown a republic and
established monarchy upon the ruins.
No publicist has ever asserted that
either of these policies is part of the
law of nations.
Further justification for intervention
in the present case is found in the
fact that it is the only means of eX-
tirpating an otherwise incurable and
dangerous evil.
The conduct of the European Pow
ers respecting Turkey has been pursu-
ant to the policy which impels one
nation to intervene in the affairs of
another State to stop cruelty and mas
sacre, and if necessary to depose it
from sovereignty. The fact that Spain
is a Christian State does not give her
greater warrant to exterminate her
subjects than Mohammedan Turkey
possessed to exterminate hers The re-
cent intervention of the European Pow
ers in favor of Turkey and against
Greece in her endeavor to assist the
y .
So, also, is the intervention of the
same Powers which checked the ad-
vance of the armies of Turkey into
Greece"
The committee then quotes from the
messages of President Cleveland of
December II, 1896, and from President
McKinley's message of December 6,
1897, in support of the committees con-
hot 4
States toward the present question has
been based on the right of interven-
tion to exercise it in certain contin-
gencies.
These declarations" the committee
says in conclusion, more than implied
that this Government would interpose
in the event of failure within a rea-
sonable time to conquer the insurgents
or to induce them by concessions Of
home rule to lay down their arms.
They have not been subdued.
THE autonomy proffered was spe-
cious and illusory. 1t has been rejected
by the insurgents, not because it was
specious and illusory, but because they
would accept nothing short of complete
national independence The suggestion
of a more complete autonomy has also
been rejected by them. They declare
to the United States and Spain alike
that no terms short of independence
which those Powers may attempt to
prescribe to them will be accepted.
Spain refuses to grant independence.
The war, then, must go on, and the
misery which has shocked the civilized
world must continue and increase un-
less it is terminated by the triumph Of
Cuba or SPAIN or by the interposition
of the United States.
NOW THE TIME TO INTERVENE.
1T is the opinion of this committee
that the time to intervene has arrived; /;
that intervention which will stop the
war and secure the national independ-
ence of Cuba should at once take place.
If, under all the circumstances, Spain
shall choose to regard such action by
this Government as a cause of war,
that consequence, however deplorable
will be accepted by the American peo-
pie with all the fortitude that conf
dence in the justice of their action can
inspire.
Such intervention is justifiable and
necessary for the following reasons:
The present situation in Cuba has
become menace to the peace of the
world. and especially to the peace and
safety of the United States Spain
has bid for European Intervention, thus
far apparently, without success, but
the conditions which make such inter-
vention possible should be removed at
once.
For nearly three years the hostili-
ties in Cuba and the Spanish adminis-
tration of that island have involved
this Government in perilous relations
with Spain and raise questions of right
and responsibility in which no pros
pect of settlement is apparent So long
as these conditions are allowed to re-
main unsettled, they will increase an
irritation which has already become in
tolerable, and which will ineyita bly,
ultimately require adjustment by meas
ures much more vigorous than now
seem adequate to compose existing diff
f1culties. Spain has failed to perform
her treaty and other International obli-
cations toward the United States. To
give minute specification of these
derelictions would necessarily extend
this paper They are the familiar mat
ters of current history. American cit
izens have been seized and imprisoned
without a shadow of proof, and have
been proceeded against by violent and
irregular forms in violation of treaty
regulations.
THE assassination of Ruiz, an Amer
lean citizen, was the act of Spanish
officials, who held him in custody un-
warranted by his treaty rights. No
reparation has been made for this act
although it has been demanded by this
Government.
"A justifable cause for intervention
has been afforded by the barbarity with
which Spain has conducted her mill
tary operations; by her slaughter Of
captured insurgent soldiers and by her
determination of not less than 200 900
of her own non n-combatants-men, wo-
men and children-by driving them
from their homes into places of con-
centration and there suffering them to
die of starvation and disease.
In 1893 there were $50,000OO0 of
property in the Island of Cuba belong
ing to citizens Of the United States
Much of this has been DESTROYED and
much of that destruction has been by
the acts of Spain. The destruction of
the remainder she has been unable or
unwilling to prevent. The claims on
file in the Department of State against
Spain for indemnity for this destroyed
property are about Sic, 100000 in
amount.
THE military officers have levied con-
tributions upon American planters as
the price for preservation of their es-
tates and the continuance of their ag-
ricultural operations. In 1893 the COM
merce of the United States with Cuba
had reached the annual sum of nearly
S1QQ Q0n lNM Since that tina IL hac