New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-04
AMERICA CUBA AND SPAIN.
TIE OBLIGATIONS OF NEUTRALITY AMPLY Full
FILLED ny THIS COUNTRY.
Theodore s Woosey professor Of international law
In, Vol ~, In, Tho Indeucndfnf

Theodore s Woosey. professor Of international law
In Yale University. In The Independent
There has been an instruction In Cuba. which
FOR three troubled year, has disturbed our friend
snip with Spain. At contidcraelc expense and with
good success. our Government has prevented the
dispatchng Of armed expeditions against the span
ish power in Cuba. Tho revenue cutters. and also
and Few convictions TESTIFY 20 the Gdei;y Of tho
United states in this respect Military supplies for
the Cuban Insurgents have been sc IT Out from on,
preventing /, belongs to the Spanish authorities ir
Cuba. Those authorities inefficient In the dischars:
OF our negligence. They appear to have completcly
failed to appreciate our diligence In Hreserying OR
Of better one. though there If no neutrality tech
Ically speaking. when there is no recognized war
Spain also has our Government to thank that no
recognition OF belligerency has been accorded This
would have been lawful step though In my
opinion an impolitic one for our own interests
recognition Of cuban independence would not have
been lawful at any time during these three years
except a deliberate war measure.
It Is. then. my conviction that this country hat
not failed in Us duty TO spain, though tho per.
will preserve It's neutrality In war at all costs ant
AS matter Of course hut 1t IS fair question
whether. In case OF Insurgency. indefinitely pro-
longed. the same state is bound TO the same duties
ton toward spain which is Important our very
considerable trade with cuba has been reduced to
a fraction 81 It's former volume. Many millions or
the property Of our cltlzens IN sugar ana tohhcco
have been destroyed by both Spanish and Cuban
ignition Of cuban belligcrency. Spain Is legally
sponsible. Yet who lmagnes that such osses can
trade cut on our commercial intercourse hhmpcred
I'm a variety Of vexatious ways. yet with no end In
sight. In President Grants time We bore with II
similar state Of things for eight years. Are We
called upon suffer such losses. to make such
rnccs for uaapprccatvc Spain indefinitely?
And thirdly there is the argument based upon
tina claims Of humanity. SO long as the rules OF
civilized warfare Observed so long that H..
as the -combatan population was not interfcred
with there was little choice between the Two par
tlss Occasional atrocities might be committed by
either side but neither side was SO conspicuous a
sinner as to warrant outside Interference The
Cubans at least held their own But there came Il
change OF policy. The non-combatant country pop
/ ul1tion forced [" settle within range OF the
guns OF the Spanish. ln'rcnched In the towns. and
there destitute OF food or OF the means OF growing
or getting food. II starved.
A repor; Of consuls upon the condition Of
these people is soon TO be made public which very
possibly may strengthen this argument. As Ma
ton We have special racial or religious sym
pathy with the native cuban population. But T.
would be inconsistent with tho spirit Of our age
and with the character OF our civilization II We
showed no horror at such a measure Of coercion.
no desire in some way to relieve such suffering.
Can any relief he effective which does not remove
the cause?