The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-08
Keco5nize ReIligerency.

Recognize BeIligerency.
The one sensible and logical thing
which this Government could do, with
out being placed in the position of Of
fering "casus belli." would be to rec
ognize the belligerency of the Cuban
Republic. That course would relieve
the strain Of the present situation. and
would not justify Spain in resorting to
war: neither would it afford the least
excuse for European intervention.
Having done that, We could await
events. If Spain chose to consider rec
ignition as an affront. then the onus
of the Initiative would be upon her.
Since she lost no time in recognizing the
belligerency Of the Confederate States,
as soon as Fort Sumter was fired on,
and did not hesitate to make Havana
the most valuable base for naval oper-
ations that the seeding States had, the
precedent is unassailable.
Every American knows today that
Spain is striving desperately to goad us
into a condition of hostility in which
we may be made to appear as the ag
gressor. The government Of Spain, for
a long time. has known that such po-
sition was necessary to the plan of an
ultimate peace settlement. under the
auspices and direction Of a congress
Of nations. backed by the military
/ power of Great Britain. France and
/ Germany Senior Sagasta and Mr.. Nc
| Kinley's advisers have been at one in
/ the hope that some solution might be
found conservative of the interests OF
4 the Cuban-Spanish bond deal
/ If we were to acknowledge absolute
and irrefutable facts, we would be COM
PEELED to concede that the position of
/ the Spaniards, in refusing TO allow an
| official American vessel to land sup
! plies in their nominal territory, against
their protest. would be an act of armed
| Intervention, and, hence. OF war. We
have not the remotest doubt that this
was what Sagasta had in mind when
he made his demand.
He had considered the innocence Of
our Administration as to matters of in
ternational law, construction and us
age: and it was not bad bit Of finesse
to attempt the game which he did. He
objected to war vessels. and, on Sunday,
the Canton agriculturists were inclined
to take water and send lighthouse ten
| deTs to carry the relief goods to the
reconcentrados. Apparently it was not
until Adee. or some other trained man
in the State Department, had been
consulted, that il was discovered that
for all the purposes n the Spanish con-
tention, tugboat in the employ Of the
! Quartermaster' Department would be
as much an agency OF invasion as a
first-class battleship.
( Whether or not the Administration
viii stin insist upon landing relief sup
plies from the cruisers Montgomery
and Nashville is still open to question
There can be no doubt, under the ca
mons OF international law, that this So
luton would amount TO a cause of war
and would place US in a position t.
legally Justify Spain in assuming thai
We had begun war. Then. we being
in the attitude Of aggression, the weak.
er power, after making what fight /
could, would be possessed of the righ'
To call for neutral Intervention. Thi:
would be the opportunity Of the syndi
cate
On the other hand, If we were to rec.
oenize Cuban belligerency, and suspend
diplomatic relations with Spain, be
cause Of her insults and treachery, W.
would be in merely a defensive posi-,
ton. and European interference would
be obviated and rendered impossible
But that would be neither to the ad
vantage of Spain nor TO the bono
sharpers Of Wall Street, Lombard
. Street. Paris or Berlin.
Consequently, the chances are tha'
we shall be forced to strike the frs
blow: whereas if we would only per
form the simple national and interna-
. tional duty which has been mandatory
upon US for three years, and recogniz,
Cuban beIligerency. the problem would
be solved.
The American people are more thar
willing To go to war; but they do no
like the idea OF pouring out treasure
and spilling blood for the benefit Of {
gang OF bond robbers