The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-03-25
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
New York, March 2L-Mr. Frederic r.
COudert. who is a recognized authority
on international law. when asked what In
his opinion would be the result Of recog-
milton by the United States Of the Cuban
insurgents, replied:
II presume that By recognition Is
meant recognition Of a state OF belliger-
ency which would give Cuban insurgents
a status as a belligerent power do not
think II Il intended. however, by that
expression 10 intimgte that the president
will recognize the cuban republic a. an
independent and established power IL
does not seem 10 me that Il has yet
reached the stage Notwithstanding its
stubborn hght Tor freedom during the
last three years. where We can rank II
among the states that are entitled 20
diplomatic intercourse. Assuming that the
president will recognize that there is a
state Of war on the island and that there
are two parties to the war, namely, Spain
on one side and the insurgents on the
other. the effect would be far-reaching.
Whether il will aid the insurrection as
much as expected by its many friends is
doubtful II would certainly subject us
10 some Inconvenience. Heretofore We
have required that the Cuban sympathiE-
ers should not fit out expeditions against
Spain, which Is friendly power, We have
only recognized one authority In the ISL
and and Spain having on her part re-
fused 10 admit that there was a war in
Cuba could not exact from us what she
might exact from neutrals.
After the recognition OF a state OF
belligerency We become neutrals and are
forbidden to give aid or comfort 10 either
OF the powers our ships will BE- liable 10
search and our commerce To much har-
RAISING and annoying interference. Pos
sibly the new position OF Cuba may enable
Il to raise funds Whether this will be so
OF not is a matter Of conjecture. Il would
certainly increase the moral force OF the
insurgents and give them a status which
they do not now possess. This will not Of
itself justify Spain in taking offense.
I'VE simply recognize fact. and we
are the sole judges Of the existence OF
that fact, Three years is a long time for
great power and one very difficult to sub
due. President Cleveland stated two years
ago that the state Of affairs then existing
in Cuba must be stopped within a reason
able time. President Mckinley has stated
the same thing. The question OF reason
able time is one for us to determine and
Tor no one else
"The president I'm acknowledging a con-
dition Of belligerency will be acting strict
~ within his right and ! have no doubt
will be supported by the country. our
citizens generally have entire faith in
his intelligence his sense and his patriot
ism. Whatever he decides will be best
will find general acceptance.
what effect. II any, would recognition
by the United States have upon
Spain's right to treat as pirates the Off
GERS and crews of any insurgent vessel
they captured on the high seas? This
is question which would depend very
much upon the view that Spain would
take. We cannot change the situation as
between Spain and cuba by mere decla- /
ration of our opinion as to the existence
of certain fact We declare that a fact /
exists, Spain denies IT, As there is no
court and jury 10 decide. each nation must /
act upon what It deems proper and eN- /,
pedient under the circumstances. Spain is /
not bound to treat her rebellious subjects +
as belligerents because we declare that !
they are entitled to that designation At /
the same time she must be consistent, or ]
ought TO be, and If in her dealings with us |
she acts on the assumption that there is
u state OF war and she applies the ben.
eft of that theory as against the ueu-
trails, it is difficult to see how she can in
the same breath declare privateers to be
pirates and to treat them as such
I'VE must remember that she was not
one of the powers that joined in the declO-
ration of 1856 against privateeriug and
could not avail herself of the
treaty of Paris to declare privateers OF
any nation to be pirates At the same
time, we must not forget that war is a
great foe to considerations based on rea-
son, justice and the equity of men ana
things, The object of war is merely 10
establish the right of the stronger or the
strongest to have his own way II he
'ails he is proved to he in the wrong II
ne succeeds then he has demonstrated the
correctness of his position