The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-04-21


to wit. that the revolted state shall '.con-
stitute In fact body polite. having a
government In substance as well as In
name, possessed Of the elements of sta
bility." and forming de facto ''if left to
itself state among the nations, rea-
sonably capable of discharging the duties
Of state, has imposed for its own gov
ernance In dealing with cases like these.
the further condition that recognition Of
an Independent state is not due to re-
volted dependency until the danger of
| its being again subjugated by the parent
state has entirely passed away" This Elk
treme test was, In fact, applied in the
case Of Texas.
The congress to whom President Jack
son referred the question as one probably
leading to war, and therefore an appropri-
ate subject for q previous understanding
with that body by whom war can alone
be declared, and by whom all the provis-
ions for sustaining its perils must be fur
nished, left the matter Of recognition Of
Texas to the discretion Of the executive,
providing merely for the sending of diplo-
matte agents when the president should
be satisfied that the republic of Texas had
become an Independent state"
It was so recognized by President Van
Buren,, who commissioned charge DAFT
flares March Z, 1887, after Mexico had
abandoned an attempt to conquer the
l y,
time no bona fde contest going on be-
| tween the insurgent province and its for
mer sovereign.
Cuba Not Rightly a State.
| I said in my message Of December last:
1T Is to be seriously considered whether
the Cuban government possesses beyond
dispute the attributes Of statehood, which
alone can demand the recognition of bel
| ligerency, in its favor"
The same requirement must certainly
| be no less seriously considered when the
graver issue of recognizing independence
| Is in question, for no less positive test
can be applied to the greater act than to
the lesser, while on the other hand the
Influences and consequences of the strug-
gle depending upon the internal policy of
the recognizing state, which form impor-
| tant factors when the recognition Of bel
| ligerency Is concerned are secondary If
| not rightly eliminable factors when the
| real question is whether the community
| claiming recognition is or IL not independ
ent beyond peradventure.
Recognition Inexpedient.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
| do I think it would be wise or prudent
for this government to recognize at the
present time the independence of the So
called Cuban republic. Such recognition
| Is not necessary III order to enable the
| United States to intervene and pacify the
! island. To commit this country now to
the recognition Of any particular govern
ment in Cuba might subject us to en-
| barrassing conditions OF interest obliga-
| ton toward the organization so recog
nized. In case Of Intervention, cur con-
| duct will be subject to the approval or
disapproval Of such government. We
would be required to submit to its direc-
| ton and to assume to 1t the mere rela-
ton OF q friendly ally. When 1t shall
| appear hereafter that there Is within
the island government capable Of per-
forming the duties and discharging the
functions OF a nation, and having as
matter Of fact, the proper forms and at
tributes of nationality, such government
can be promptly and readily recognized
and the relations and interests Of the
United States with such nation adjusted.
/ Possible Alternative.
There remain the alternative forms OF
intervention to end the war, each as an
impartial neutrality. by imposing a ra-
| tional compromise between the contest
| ants or as the active ally of the one party
| or the other. AS to the first. 1t is not to
| be forgotten that during the last
few months the attitude of the
| United States has virtually been one
| Of friendly Intervention in many ways.
| each not of itself conclusive, but all tend
| ing to the exertion OF a potential infiu-
| just and honorable to all interests con-
cerned. The spirit of all our acts hither-
| to has been an earnest, unselfish desire
| for peace and prosperity in Cuba, unfair
nished by differences between the United
States and Spain and unstained by the
blood Of American citizens. The forcible
Intervention of the United States as a neu-
trail to stop the war according to the
large dictates of humanity and following
the historical presidents wherein the
United States has interfered to check the
hopeless sacrifice of life by internecine
conflicts beyond their borders, Is justifi-
able on national grounds. 1t involves,
however, hostile constraint upon both par
ties to the contest, as well as to enforce
a truce as to end the eventual settle
ment 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,
starvation and horrible miseries now ex-
listing 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 explicitly 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 terminate the conditions that
deprive them of legal protection.
Third-The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious injury to the
commerce, trade and business of our peo-
pie and by the wanton destruction of prop
erty and devastation of the island.
Fourth-And which IL Of foremost i'm
portance, the condition Of affairs In Cuba
Is q constant menace to our peace and
entails upon this government enormous ex-
pense. 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. their
property destroyed and themselves ruined
when our trading vessels are liable to SELF
ure and are seized at our very door by war
ships Of q foreign nation, the expeditions
Of flibustering that we are pOwersess to
prevent altogether, and the irritating ques-
lions and entanglements thus arising-ali
| these and others are constant menace to
| our peace and tend to keep US on war
footing with that nation with which we are
at peace.
The Maine Incident.
These elements Of danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
| illustrated by a tragic event which has
deeply and justly moved the American
people: I have already transmitted to con-
+ gress the report of the naval court OF IN
quiry on the destruction Of the battle ship
| Maine In the harbor Of Havana during the
night Of the 18th Of February. The de-
struction Of that noble vessel has niled
the national heart with indispensable hor-
ror: IS brave sailors and marines. and
onacers Of our navy, reposing In the fan
cied security Of friendly harbor have
| been hurled to death. Grief and want are
brought to their homes and sorrow to the
nation.
The naval court Of inquiry. which, It Is
needless to say. commands the unqualified