The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-09
RIGHTS TO RECOGNITION.

| Washington, January 9.--Treading ABOUT
| on tiptoe, with fingers on their lips. and
| with solemn yisaees. certain senators NUT
| ter TO their colleagues in stage whispers;
Eve must avoid war"
| That is the sum and substance OF the
arguments Of those who would have this
| country continue 10 act as the Hawksnaw
| OF Spain. while the worse than horrors oil
| war ara enacted on the island Of CUBA.
! where innocent women and children are
made the sufferers OF inconsistency ana
| barbarous atrocity. Men OF viriity ana pa
| triot!c instincts. who bclieye that this
country IS guilty Of coInpiicity in interna-
| tional crime. shu1der at the meretricicus
| prstensions OF these peculiar Humanitarian
| phllanthropists.
The recognition OF the bellieerency OF an
| insurreetionary people does not constitute
casus belli In international law. The re-
coznition OF the belligerarcy Of the Confed-
| crate States Of this country nv Spain and
| the other European powers was never re-
sardct by this government as an OCCASION
| for hostiiities between this government and
| those governments which recognized that
! belllgerency. The Confederate states DEM
cnstrated their ability TO hold a certain
| defined territory, and a very large proper
tion Of the territory OF this country; ana
| they were entitled ia recognition as to their
| belligerent rights. The people OF Cuba. now
hUu ICT tNC Years IN u SLalc VI lhSutA tStAS.N.
| have demonstrated their ability IN firmly
| hold and defend very much larger pro-
| portion of the territory OF Cuha. The iecog-
| milton OF their beligerent rights could NOT.
| ny any construction o. International law.
be regarded hy Spain as cause of war
with this country.
| President Mckinley by hts proclamation
to the people OF his country has ackno@l-
edged to the world that the scheme Of au-
tonomy i'll Cuba. under the Sagasta minis
tn. has been a failure ur to date. despite
the i;ociterUus claims ~ Captain General
Blaneo TO the contrary. That prociaina-
ton has angsretl the people az Spain; AID
they fear that their great and good friend
and ally, the government at Washington.
Is about 10 change front, and cease to do
roliee duty for the nation which can not
control end can never subdue the subiscts
who are armed and Disciplined TO fight for
liberty and Independence.
Senators who listen to the whispered
warnings Of the possible calanitias Of war
silently endure the Humiliation of the adj
nitted fact that this country stands in the
attitude OF seryility. while all our people
know thar only by the ri.httul exercise Of
offensive aud defensive hostility can the
freedom and existence OF nations iepead.
when the power OF war departs from peo-
pie they become simply the
crownless metaphors of empire.
and lapse into conditions obliyious. some
times with not even pyramids OF catacoubs
TO mark the site Of their seoulture.
one thing that has bothered and harass-
ed the friends of Cuba in both houses OF
congress, from the beginning OF hoslilities
on the island, has been the shameful men
dacity Of the representatives of Cuba in
this city, Senators aud representatives, who
have relied upon their slatemeats have
been shamefuliy raislpi and thereby grave
errors have been committed in the arena OF
dshate. Not content with telling The truth
which is that General Gomez has a alselp-
lined army OF between 10000 and 1908 eff
fective trouns. these Cuban representatives
IA Washington. as well as in New York
aud ether parts OF the country have as
serted that General Gomez has or has had
an amy OF approximately 100000 afectives
They have also made similar claims cou-
corning the munitions OF wAr at the dis
lotal OF the Cuban general III chief
The Information up9n which careful and
conservative statesmt in congress are bas-
ing their conclusions for future action
comes through the Department of state, and
its duly constituted AGENCIES III the afflict-
cd land.
Facts thus obtained are valuable. But Tor
me department OF state. and particularly
but fer tine saeacity AMI good judgment OF
Consul General Lac. the men OF affairs In
rho National capitIl would he unable to
reach reliable conclusions. because they
have long since learned to disGredit almost
everything that is SAID % them nv repre-
sentatNes ); the insurgen.s, who claim
every thing IN their own fayor. vita an abb
salute disregard OF facts in a majority of
instances. uPon The officially obtained
facts, the congress will undoubtedly take
action In the near future.
The tragic whisperings ard mutterings
that We must AVOID war" are without ef-
feet. 1'hey are as shells without contents
They are as sonnd and fury. meaning MOTH
ins. They are as sounding brass and tink
ling cymbals Conditions are such that the
strongest men IN both hoases OF congress
bhlieye that they have patriotic duty to
perform, and they are going 10 perform It,
There have been conferences ot moment
during the holiday recess in the quiet and
retirement OF certain committee rooms OF
which the general public knows nothing.
But these things have not been done in a |
corner altogether. President Mckinley has |
been duly advised Of what is being done, |
nud oi what Is contemplated to be done He !
knows In amplitude and in friendly conf |
dence That the leaders in congress in the |
management Of the foreign affairs believe
'nAt ne has done more tnan his lnternlton- |
I'll duty 10 preserve peace and good viii !
with Snain, and that noticing the seas OF |
spain NJ our own expense, at the expense |
az the men of mercantile enterprise ana al ,
the expense ~ the 'nsurgent Cuhans. discs |
not meet with approval, or wall lot meet
With approval b. congress. IL II is unduly |
continued
Friends Of Spain aad her policies nave
been enteGvOring To create prejudice
;aSainst The cause g; the insurgent Cubans
because 81 the execution Of the so-called |
peace commissioners Of General Blanco
They viii unioubtealy exnIoit those tories
or the foof of the senate ani on the flo9r
q the hcnse OF representatives They will I
DC met with a recital OF narIlleI ease IN
enr own history. Every schoolboy knows
what happened 70 Peace Commissioner,
Matcr Andre when he came with geld TO
and fell into the hands OF John paulding 4
David Williams ard Isaac Van Writ. Thesa
eaee commissioners" o. General nlanco
cn,erea ne lines OF General Gomez for the r
PURPOSE Of cArruutiup his snIdlarS 49,