The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-04-13

eStS of the On1leu SldleS with SuCH ma
ton adjusted.
There remain the alternative forms of
intervention to end the war, either as an
impartial neutral, by imposing a ra-
tona compromise between the contest
ants, or as the active ally of the one
party or the other.
AS to the first it is not to be forgotten
that during the last few months the
relation of the United States has virtu-
ally been one of friendly intervention
in many ways, each not of itseslf conclu-
sive, but all tending to the eXertion of a
potential influence toward an ultimate
pacific result, just and honorable to all
interests concerned. The spirit of all
our acts hitherto has been an earnest.
unselfsh desire for peace and prosperity
in Cuba, untarnished by differences be
tween us and Spain and unstained by
the blood of American citizens. The for
chile intervention of the United States
as a neutral, to stop the war; according
to the large dictates of humanity and
following many historical precedents
Where neighboring states have inter-
fered to check the hopeless sacrifices of
life by internecine conflicts beyond their
borders. is justifiabe on rational
grounds. 1t involves, however hostile
constraint upon both the parties to the
contest as well as to enforce a truce as
to guide the eventual settlement. Thu
grounds for such Intervention may be
briefly summarized as follows:
First-In the cause of humanity and
to put an end to the barbarities. blood
shed, starvation and horrible miseries
now existing there, and which the par
ties TO the conflict are either unab or
unwilling to stop or mitigate. It is no
answer to say this is al in another coun-
try, belonging to another nation and is.
therefore, none of our business. 1t is
specially our duty, for it is right at our
door.
Second-We owe 1t 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 terminate the
conditions that deprive them of leg;%
protection.
Third-The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious injury to
the commerce, trade ana business of our
people, and by the wanton destruction
Of property and devastation of the ISL
and
portance)-The present condition of at
fairs of Cuba is a constant menace TO
our peace, and entails upon this govern
ment an enormous expense. With such
conflict waged for years in an island so
near us and with which our people have
such trade and business relations
when the lives and liberty of our citizens
are in constant danger and their prop
nrtx hnt -al rDG
where our trading vessels are liable to
seizure and are seized at the very door
by warships of the foreign nation, the
expeditions of filibustering that we are
powerless altogether to prevent and the
irritating questions and entanglements
thus arising-all these and others that l
need not mention, with the resulting
strained relations, are a constant men
ace to our peace and compel us to keep on
semi-war footing with war nation
with which we are at peace.
These elements of danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
illustrated by tragic event which has
deeply and justly moved the American
people. L have already transmitted to
congress the report of the naval court
of inquiry on the destruction of the bat
teship Maine in the harbor of Havana
during the night of the 18th of February.
The destruction of that noble vessel has
filled the national heart with ineXpressi-
BILE horror. Two hundred and fifty-eight
brave sailors or marines and two officers
of our navy, reposing in the fancied Sc
curity of friendly harbor, have been
hurled to DEATH grief and want brought
to their homes and sorrow to the ma
ton.
The naval court of inquiry, which, it is
needless to say, commands the unquali-
fled confidence of the government was
unanimous in it's conclusion that the de-
struction of the Maine was caused by al
external explosion, that of 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 q
potent and impressive proof of a state OF
things in Cuba that is intolerable. That
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 q mission of peace and rghtfullS
there. Further referring in this connec
ton to recent diplomatic correspondence
dispatch from our minister to Spain, o.
the 26th ult., contained the statemen
that the Spanish minister for foreign af-
fairs assured him positively that Spain
Will do all that the highest honor anC
justice required in the matter of tn,
Maine. The reply above referred to o
the 3lst ult. also contained an expression
of the readiness of Spain to submit t.,
an arbitration all the differences Whicl
can arise in this matter, which is sub
sequently explained by the note of tn
Spanish minister at Washington o
the 10th inst, as follows: AS to tn
question of fact which springs from tn
diversity of views hetM zen the rnnnrt