The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-02
LET Us uNMAsK


Los Angeles woman, of generous i'm
pulses and high ideals, asks if the
United States, as Christian nation,
ought not to give evidence that the war
Is for humanity and justice alone, by
returning to Spain both Porto Rico and
the Philippines and by paying our own
war debt.
Let us see AS Christian nation. we
stood aloof during the ten years war
for freedom in Cuba, the appeals for
assistance from the struggling patriots
falling upon deaf ears. There was an
abundance Of individual sympathy en-
tertained and expressed for them, and
doubtless more or less practical assist
ance reached them clandestinely from
our shores, but intervention with force
was at no time generally or seriously
demanded.
The present revolution had progressed
for year and half, perhaps, before the
very serious concern of the Christian
people of the United States was attract
ed to the nature of the contest and the
unusual methods resorted to by the
Spanish authorities to suppress the re-
volt 1t was not, indeed, until the terri
BILE effects Of Weyler's plan Of system
affixed starvation by wholesale had come
to be understood in this country that the
popular conscience revolted.
We are prone to boast Of our morality
and to parade our humanity, while dis
counting those attributes in other peo-
pies, but we submit that some other
impulses not quite so commendable have
been disclosed, and become so widely
diffused as to stamp them as national.
We question whether we should have
engaged in a war with Spain If only in
dependence for the Cubans had been
involved. We recall the reluctance
with which the executive entered upon
the task of expelling the Spaniard from
the western hemisphere. even with the
added incentive of unloosing the shackles
ufrom a million Of bondsmen. We have
q distinct recollection of his hands being
forced, nor have we forgotten the long
and bitter struggle that was precipitated
by the demand, made at the outset, that
the independence of the Cubans should
be recognized. The point was finally
yielded, with an If.
other peoples as worthy our humane
consideration, and not much further re-
moved from our shores, have in like man
ner made prolonged and desperate strug-
giles for freedom without arousing more
than a sentimental sympathy in our
breasts. We seriously question whether
the humane consideration alone would
have moved us as a nation to intervene
when we did. 1t was the existence and
growth of other considerations that rem
dered Intervention absolutely essential.
The government had been unable to
strictly enforce it's neutral obligations.
The insurgents were being sustained al
most wholly by contributions from the
United States. Money and munitions
of war were coming only from this coun-
try. The Cuban junta in New York,
without much effort at concealment, was
recruiting men for the army, and help
ing it to all needful supplies. 1t was
aIarmingly obvious that, in the event
of the success of Spain in subduing the
revolt. she would have the same reason
for demanding heavy damages from us
that we had for pressing our claims
against England at the close of the civil
war, because Of our unwillingness or
our inability to enforce respect for the
obligations imposed by international
law. The indefinite prolongation of the
struggle also threatened to completely
destroy our commercial interchanges
with the islanders. Our trade had fallen
on from 800, 900, 900 to $25, 900, 900 per an
mum, and promised soon to become ex-
tinct. So long as Spain continued to
assert her supremacy over the island, so
long would its tranquility be disturbed
and the peace of the country be men
aced. The conditions had indeed become
lntolerable. and London newspaper, at
declared that they were such as would
aot be tolerated by England, were she
related to them as was America, for
..orty-eight hours. They were sufficient
" aggravating and threatening as to
fully Justify the action taken by the
United States. wholly independent of
I 3ur duty to suffering and outraged hui
mantty.
But smother consideration was not