The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-04-15

United States has virtually been one Of friend
~ Intervention In many ways, each not Of itself
not conclusive. but all tending to the exertion
OF potential influence toward an ultimate pa
chic result just and honorable to all interests
concerned. The spirit of all our acts hitherto
has been an earnest. unsefish desire for peace
and prosperity In Cuba, untarnished by differ
enceS between us and Spain and unstained by
the blood Of American citizens
The forcible Intervention of the United
States as q neutral 10 stop the war. according
TO the large dictates of humanity and following
many historical proceed ents where neighboring
states have interfered to check the hopeless
sacrifice of life by intsrnecine conflicts beyond
their borders. is justfiab BILE on national grounds
It involves, however. hostile conStraint upon
both the parties to the ltest as we'll as to en-
force q truce as to gui lie the eventual settle
ment
Grounds for Intervention.
The grounds for such Intervention may be
briefly summarized as follows:
First-In the cause OF humanity and to put
an end to the barbarities. bloodshed, starva-
tiOn and horrible miSeries now existing there
and which the parties to the conflict are either
unable or unwilling to stop or mitigate 1t is
no answer to say this is all In another country
belonging to another nation, and is therefore
none Of our business It is specially our duty
for it is right at our door.
Second-We owe it to our citizens In Cuba
to afford them that protection and indemnity
for life and property which no government
there can or will afford, and to that end to ter
inmate the conditions that deprive them Of lie.
gal protection.
Third-The right to intervene may be justi-
fed by the very serious injury to the commerce
trade and business OF our people and by the
wanton destruction OF property and devastation
of the island.
Fourth-And which is of the utmost impor-
lance The present condition of affairs in Cuba
is constant menace to our peace. and entails
upon this gov eminent an enormous expense.
With such a conflict waged for years in an is
land so near us and with which our people have
such trade and business relations-when the
lives and liberty OF our citizens in cons tant
danger and their property destroyed and them
selves ruined-where our trading vessels are
liable to seizure and are seized at our very
door. by warShipS of a foreign nation. the expe-
ditionS of filibustering that we are pOwerleSs
to prevent altogether. and the irritating Ques-
| tions and entanglements thus arising-a these
and others that Leneed not. mention. with the
resulting strained relations. are a constant
menace to our peace ana compel us to keep on
a semi-war footing with Il nation with which
we are at peace.
The Wreck OF the BattleshtD Maine.
These elements Of danger and disorder al
ready pointed out have been strikingly illus
trated by tragic event which has deeply and
justly moved the American people. 1 have al
| naval court Of inquiry on the destruction Of the
battleship Maine in the harbor Of Havana dur
ing the night of February l5 The destruction
of that noble vessel has filled the national
heart with inexpressible horror. Two hun
dred and ffty-eight brave sailors and marines
and two officers OF our navy, repoS1ng In the
| fancied security of a friendly harbor, have
been hurled to death. grief and want brought
| to their homes and sorrow to the nation
The naval court OF inquiry which. 1t Is need
less to say, commands the unqualified conf1-
dence of the government. was unanimous in its
conclusion that the destruction Of the Maine
was caused by an exterior explosion, that OF a
submarine mine 1t did not assume to place
| the responsibility. That remains to be fixed.
| In any event the destruction Of the Maine, by
whatever exterior cause, is a patent and i'm
preSSive proof OF a state Of things in Cuba that
| is intolerable. The condition is thus shown to
| be such that the Spanish government cannot
assure safety and security to a vessel OF the
| American navy in the harbor of Havana on a
| mission of peace and rightfully there
| Further referring in this connection to recent
| diplomatic correspondence, a dispatch from
| our minister to Spain, of the 26th ultimo con-
| tanning the statement that the Spanish minis
| ter for foreign affairs assured him positively
| that Spain will do all that the highest honor
| and justice requires in the matter of the Maine.
| The reply above referred to of the 3lSt ultimC
| also contained an expression of the readiness
Of Spain to submit to an arbitration all the
differ which can arise in this matter.
which is subsequently explained by the note
| Of the Spanish minister at Washington on the
| 10th inst. as follows: As to the question OF
fact which springs from the diversity of views
between the report of the American and Span
iSh boards, Spain proposes that the fact be as
certained by an impartial investigation by ex-
| perts. which decision Spain accepts in advance
| To this have made no reply.
| Gen. Grants Opinion.
| President Grant, in 1873, after discussing the
phases of the contest as it then appeared, and
the hopeless and apparent indefinite prolonga-
| ton, said: I'm such event, am of the opinion
| that other nations will be compelled to assume
| the responsibility which develves upon them,
and to seriously consider the only remaining
measures possible. mediation and interven-
| ton Owing, perhaps to the large expanse OF
water separating the island from the peninsula.
the contending parties appear to have within
themselves no depository of common conf
| dence to suggest wisdom when passion and ex-
element have their sway and assume
| in the earlier days of the contest,
| the good offices of the United States a me-
diator were rendered in good faith, without any
selfish purpose, in the interest Of humanity
and in sincere friendship for both parties, but
| were at the time declined by Spain with the
declaration. nevertheless. that at future time
they would be Indispensable. No intimation
has been received that in the opinion Of Spain
that time has been reached And yet the strife
wit ha11 a