The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-28
DANGER OF CUBAN INDEPEN
DENCE.

Just now one hears something, more
or less frequently, about the danger OIL
independence in Cuba Isn't it some
thing new for anyone claiming to be
an American to talk of the danger OF
independence? Such talk should sound
harsh and grating to American ears,
should arouse a feeling of revulslon IN
the breasts of Americans.
What danger can there be in indie
pendence for the Cubans? For CEN
fury and a quarter Americans have
thought and taught that independence
and liberty appraised men, and that
danger lay in tyranny and oppression.
1t has been the proud boast of Ameri-
cans THAT all men are created equal;
that they are endowed with certain
inalienable rights, among Which are
life liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness; and for a people they have held
that these can only come through in
dependence and liberty.
The American people have been pro-
claiming to the world for a century
that men are capable of self-govern-
ment, and that, given the opportunity,
they will always show their capacity
in this. They have taught that free
dom was blessing; that only through
freedom could the greatest happiness
be secured to the greatest number; and
there are those who are crying aloud
that there is danger in Cuban indie
pendence. What does Cuban indie
pendence threaten? American indie
pendence has threatened, through the
spread of political ideas, developed and
carried into successful operation in the
United States, the monarchial systems
of government of the world. Countries
with such systems of government have
ever seen a danger in American indie
pendence. What other danger than
this can Cuban independence threaten?
If it is said there are great problems
in Cuba to be met and solved, it may
be asked if great problems have not
had to be met and solved in the United
States? And have they not always
been successfully solved when Europe
said they could not be solved? And to
what has their successful solution been
chiefly attributed? Has it not been to
the freedom of our political inshtu-
tions, and the participation of the peo-
pie in the government?
The greatest force in American insti-
tutions today is public opinion, and it
always has been; our constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof
are but channels for its expression.
What would be the. force of public
Z ~, 70 10
opinion be, without independence and
freedom? If independence and freedom
have brought to the people of the
United States such peace and bless
ings, have developed man in his po-
litical capacity and rights as he was
never developed before, will they not
bring peace and blessings to the Gu
bans, develop their political capacity
and rights until they are equal to our
own? II there be virtue in indepen-
dence and freedom, they will.
One of the greatest problems the
United States have ever had to deal
with was that of the political status
of the slaves. And what was the final
solution adopted? The bestowal of
freedom and political equality. And
the progress, politically and economi-
cally, of the negroes has justified the
adoption of the solution. Three and
half centuries of Spanish oppression
in Cuba is no more calculated to unfit
men for self-government than two
and a half centuries OF American
slavery are calculated to unfit men for
disagreement. Are independence
and freedom the natural heritage of
those only who speak English, or are
they the heritage of the people of all
tongues?
There is no danger in Cuban indie
pendence; there is grave danger in the
denial of it. If this country should
deny to Cuba that which it claimed for
itself and fought for, it would be de-
nyins a fundamental principle of the
declaration of independence Not only
would it be doing this, but it would be
substituting the greed and covetous-
ness Of tyrannical governments for the
hberality and truth of republics. If
natural and inherent rights are denied
to the Cubans, how long viii it be
before it Will be denied that there are
any natural and inherent rights at all?
When one nation robs another of its
rights, the day is not far distant when
the strong in that nation will rob the
weak Of that nation of their rights.
There is no danger in Cuban indie
pendence. And the Cubans are lust as
capable of exercising intelligently the
right of self-government as of voting
intelligently on the question of an
nexation.