The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-04
TIE SITUATION.

Unless some unexpected change in the
situation shall occur to-day the Cuban
crisis viii eliminate tomorrow. Washing
ton dispatches state that the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations has unanimous
ly agreed to report a resolution recogniz-
ing the independence Of Cuba and recon-
mending armed Intervention by the United
States If necessary to secure it. The Presf-
dents special message will probably go to
Congress tomorrow, and whether he rec
ommends any action or not it is highly
probable that Congress will take the action
indicated. The dispatches say the resolu-
ton reported by the Senate committee will
follow the general lines of the Foraker res
olution. This resolution, introduced by SEN
ator Foraker on March %, is as follows:
Be it resolved, BY the Senate and the
House of Representatives of the United
States of America:
First-That the people OF the Island OF
Cuba are, and of right, ought to be Tree
and independent.
Second-That the government of the
United States hereby recognizes the Re-
public of Cuba as the true and lawful gov
eminent Of that island.
Third-That the war Spain is waging
against Cuba is so destructive of the COM
United States and cruel, barbarouS and
inhuman in it's character as to make 1T the
duty of the United States to demand, and
the government of the United States does
hereby demand, that she at once Withdraw
her land and naval forces from Cuba ana
Cuban waters, . ,
Fourth-That the President Of the United
States be and hereby is authorized, en-
powered and directed to use, If necessary,
the entire land and naval forces of the
United States to carry these resolutions
into effect.
This IS not a formal declaration of war,
and it would depend on circumstances
whether it would lead to war. The chances
are strong that it would, because it is not
at all likely that Spain would accede to a
demand to evacuate Cuba. The resolution,
it will be observed, bases the proposed in
tervention on the great damage done to
our commercial and property interests and
the cruel, barbarous and inhuman character
OF the war waged by Spain. This is strong
and defensible ground, and it will be made
still more so If a resolution is added hold
| ing Spain responsible for the destruction
of the Maine. No amount of diplomatic
fencing or squirming will enable Spain to
parry or evade the force of this position.
Spain having declined to stop the war on
other grounds, this will justify recognition
| of Cuban independence and armed inter-
vention to make it effective.
| Whether the adoption of this resolution
| by Congress would lead to war or not
would depend somewhat on circumstances.
Assuming that Spain would not accede to
the demand to withdraw her land and naval
| forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, some
| thing would depend the promptness
and rapidfty of President McKinley's ac-
| ton. The resolution authorizes and directs
naval forces of the United States to carry
| it into effect, but does not specifically re-
| quire immediate action. Probably the
| President would act very promptly. He
| certainly should. and failure to do so would
| be very injurious to the national honor and
prestige. Nevertheless, delay might pos
sibly result in some new combination or
| development that would bring about the
desired result without actual hostilities. II
| is possible that the recognition of Cuban
! independence by the United States would
put new life and strength into the insur-
rection and that the insurgents would dem
onstrate their ability to drive Spain out OF
Cuba without actual Intervention by the
| United States. That, however, would in
volve more delay on the part of the United
States than the people would tolerate, and
would weaken the Presidents support in
| Congress and throughout the country. The
present outlook is that Congress will adopt
the Foraker resolution tomorrow or the
| next day, and that this action will be fol-
lowed by a demonstration of force on our
part that will compel Spain to get out of
| Cuba or fight