Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-14

ID
that during the last few months, the rela-
ton of the United States has really been
one OF friendly Intervention in many ways,
each not of itself conclusive, 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 pros
perity in Cub, untarnished by differences
between us and Spain and Unstained by the
blood of American citizens to end the war
by imposing rational compromise between
! the contestants and Intervention in favor of
one or the other party. Ispeak not of for
chile annexation for that cannot be thought
Of That by our code of morality, would
be criminal aggression.
Intervention Is JustIfiAbie.
The forclble Intervention of the United
States as neutral, to stopthe war, accord
Ing to the larg, dictates of humanity, and
| following many historical presidents
where neighborlng states have interfered
to check the hopeless sacrifice of life by In
ternecine conflicts beyond their borders, is
1ustihable on natural grounds, 1t involves
however, hostile onstraint upon both the
parties to the contest, as we'll to enforce
truce as to guide the eventual settlement
An HumanIty's Cause First
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, blood he'd, starvation and
horrible miseries now existing there, and
which the parties so the conflict are either
unable or unwilling to stop or mitigate.
Our Duty as Our Door
1t is no answer to say this is all in an
other country belonging to another nation,
and is therefore none of our business It
&c al 10 10
door. Second, we owe IL to our citizens in
Cuba to afford them that protection and
indemnity tor life and property which no
government there can or will afford and to
that end to terminate the conditions that
| deprive them of legal protection
Our Commerce Demands 1t
Third-The right to intervene may be JUS
titled by the very serious injury to the
commerce, trade and nsiness of our peo-
pie and by the wantOn lie tructlon of prop
erty and devas tation II the island
A Constant Menace to Our Peace.
Fourth-And which is of the utmost i'm
pOrtance. The present condition of affairs
in Cuba is constant menace to our peace,
and entails upon this government an enor-
nous expens.. With such a conflict wagcd
for years in an island so near US and with
which our people have such trade and bust
ness relations'+when the lives and liberty
of our citizens are in cons tant danger and
their property destroyed and themselves
ruined where our trading vessels are liza
BILE to seizure and are seized at our very
door, by war ships of foreign nation, the
expeditions of fill ustering that we are
powelless to prevent altogether, and the
| irritating questions and entanglements
thus arising-all these and others that 1
need not mention, with the resulting
strained relations, are constant menace
to our peace and compels US to keep the
country on a semi-war footing with ma
ton with which we are at peace.
The Loss of the Maine
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 peo-
pie. have already transmitted to Congre IS
the report of the naval court of inquiry on
the destruction of the battle ship Maine, in
the harbor of havana during the night of
the 18th of February. The destruction OF
that noble vessel has filled the national
hear with inexpressible horror. The two
hundred and ffty-eight brave sailors and
marines and two officers of our navy, repos-
| ing in the fancied security of friendly
harbor, have been hurled to death grief
and want brought to their homes and sor-
row to the nation.
An Exterior Explosion Did It
The naval court of inquiry, which, 1t is
needless to say. commands the unqualified
confidence of the government was unani-
nous II its conclusion that the destruction
of the Maine was caused by an exterior ex-
| plosion, that of a subma Inc mine. II did
not assume to place the responsibility. That
remains to be fixed.
| In any event the destruction of the
Maine by whatever cause, is patent and
impressive proof of state of things in
| Cuba that Is intDlerable That condition is
thus shown to be such that the Spanish
government cannot assure safety and Sc
curlty to vessel of the American navy in
the harbor of Havana, on mission of peace
and rightfully there.
Spain Would Arbltrate.
Further referring in this connection to
recent diplomatic correspondence, dis
patch from our minister to Spain of the
26th ultimo contained the statement that
the Spanish minister for foreign affairs as
sured him positively that Spain would do
all that the highest honor and justice re-
| uulres in the matter of the Maine. The re-
ply above referred to of the 9lst ultlmo
also contained an expression of the read
| mess # Spain to submit to an arbitration
all the differen: es which can arise in this
| mdLlGI WHICH - ouDSNHuCuhlJ NApAdluEu ny
the note of the Spanish minister at Wash
ington of the 10th instant, as follows:
LAS to the question Of fact which springs
from the diversity of views between the re-
port of the American and Span sh boards
Spain proposes that the fact be ascertained
by an impartial investigation by experts,
which decision Spain accepts in advance"
To this have made no reply
Not q Now Condition.
President Grant, In 1875 in discussing the
phases of the contest as it then appeared
and its hopeless and apparent indefinite
prolong alton, said: In such event 1 am of
opinion that other nations will be comp lie d
to assume the responsibility which devolYes
upon them aud to seriously consider the
only remaining measures possib e-media-
ton and Intervention. 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 confidence to sug-
gest wisdom when passion and excitement
have their sway and assume the part of
peacemaker.
spain Again Declined.
TN this view in the earlier days of the
contest the good ofices of the United States
as a mediator wore 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 indis-