The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-22
W. |. WILSON ON
CUBAN QUESTION.
Accepted Policy Of This Government
in Regardtb Cuba,
MEANS ULTIMATE ANNEXATION,
Self Government Can Come Only BY
Long Experience and TO a People
Trained to Understand the Prin-
ciplcs Of Freedom.

|
President Wilson. in his address before
the University body this morning discuss
| cd the Cuban resolutions passed by Con-
eress. which. he said. were in effect a
favorable response by that body to the
recent message Of the President. and
could. therefore. be accepted as the policy
| OF this government with reference to the
Cuban question
After calling attention briefly TO the
language of the resolutions. he confined
his remarks 10 a discussion Of the proba-
BILE results OF this action Of Congress
upon the future relations of the United
States to Cuba, especially with reference
TO the last Of the resolutions which de-
clares in effect that this government does
not intend 20 exercise any control over the
island except for its paciiication.
HOW FAR
Quoting the language Of an English
| statesman that we never go as iar as
when we do not know where We are go
ing" MIR. Wilson said that so far as ne
had seen. no one authoritatively concern
ed i'm shaping the policy OF the tnited
states had attempted to forecast the pre-
point at which we can safely remit the
government Of Cuba 10 its own people.
He could see no other result from the ac-
ton Of Congress than the ultimate an
! nexation OF Cuba TO the United states,
although If Spain were expelled from the
| island as she would be II the forces or
| the United States were brought 10 bear
upon her. an effort at self-government
would doubtless be made by the Cubans
themselves. people unframed to self
| government. about one-third or whom
were negroes.
PRICE OF FREEDOM.
IF" said Mr.. Wilson governments
could be made by writing on paper We
might hope for the success Of this el-
fort but a central truth OF history is
that there is no liberty except historic
liberty: no free government except by
people trained through long experience
TO understand the principles OF freedom,
and TO administer the machinery Of rep
resentative government II had taken
| our ancestors who came from Germany
to Britain eight hundred years 10 develop
q workable system of self-government,
and almost 10 the present time TO enable
the people Of England TO perfect that
system so as 70 permit Of the control OF
colonial dependencies.
\ VALUABLE LESSON.
Mr.. Wilson in drawing a comparison
between the colonial policies of England
and Spain. said that the most beneficial
| lesson in English history was that taught
her by the American colonies I'm l176; that
| prior TO that time England had largely
| followed the same policy as Spain the
| MANAGEMENT of the colonies for the bent
| Mt of the people and government az home,
but that since the lesson taught her 10y
| the American revolution. her policy had
| been 20 extend the privileges and bene-
| fits of local self-gOvernment TO her coll
onies as soon as they We're able 10 eXer-
else st. with the result that her domin-
I ions extend to-day over all parts or the
| civilized world. and that the colonies are
| as free and contented as are the people
| Of England themselves; while Spain. adj
herring To the old policy Of exploiting the
colonies for the benefit of the home peo-
pie and officials had lost one after an
| other until she has only Cuba. Porto RICO
| and the PHILIPPINE Islands left. and the
| government finds its resources wasteI IN
| fruitless efforts 10 put down colonial re-
bellions. and its strength Slapped by cor
ruption resulting from this policy.
MOVEMENTS TO ACQUIRE CUBA.
Mr.. Wilson stated that movement had
| been made TO acquire Cuba as far BACK
| as Mr. POlks administration
In Mr.. FilmOres administration hh-
clustering expedition started from the
United states for the purpose Of taking
| the island. but was defeated by the
| Spaniards and a number of those who
| took part executed That soon after
/ this movement France and England had
proposed to the United States that the
| three powers JOIN in an agreement never
20 take cuba from Spain and never allow
i H. H.. Il. rrfIff
| tion had been declined by the United
! States.
lie then explained the movement I'm Mr..
Pierce's administration resulting In the
, Ostend manifesto which urged. AMONG
| other things that the United states
| should buy Cuba for $l2O 100000 or, In GER
| tain contingencies wrest 1t from Spain.
| but the proposition was rejected by Spain
| as were similar propositions made dur
| ing the administration Of Mr.. Buchanan.
WE DON'T WANT CUBA.
Continuing Mr.. Wilson declared that
he believed that the public sentiment of
! the United States to-day was against
| the annexation Of Cuba: that the expert
ence Of the past thirty years had shown
how difficult 81 Is 10 conduct a pure aud
economical government where there is
mixture Of races. and that the problems
resulting from the emancipation Of the
negro. and the extension Of the privileges
| Of citizenship TO that race. had taught
the people OF the United States many
things which the gentlemen who issued
the Ostend manifesto could not antci-
pate.
The government OF the United States
said Mr. Wilson. rs not adapted to the
| administration OF colonies and dcpenden-
! cies as is the government OF Great Bri-
! tain"
MUST BE a STATE.
If We acquire cuba. upon our theories.
| il must he with the expectation that
| sooner or later she will be admitted as
| one Of the States or the Union. j do
| not believe that any thoughtful man
wishes to sec that brought about. Yet II
seems that sooner or later II must be
the result OF our present course unless
that happens which mas never happened
before. unless we witness a miracle which
human history has never yet produced.
that a people without knowledge Of the
principles OF sef-government. Tthout
| the training and experience OF genera
tions in the administration OF the mat
chinery of government and the develop
ment Of institutions shall prove them
selves competent 20 this task which even
as vet taxes the intelligence and states
manship OF the most advanced nations.
IL Is only by such a miracle that self
government I'm Cuba can prove sue
cess. and that she can take a position in
the sisterhood Of nations. or be fitted for
n place as a sovereign State 0f the
American Union.
z
DR., DAVIDSON ELECTED.