Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-04-13

last: ''It is to be seriously considered
whether the. Cuban instruction possesses
! beyond dispute the attributes Of state
! aOOd which alone can demand the recOg-
| milton Of belligerency 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 land the in
| f1uences and consequences Of the struggle
| upon the internal policy of the recognize
ing state, which form important factors
when the recognition of beligerency is
! concerned, are secondary. if not rightly
eliminated factors when the real question
| is whether the community claiming rec
ignition IS or is not independent beyond
| peradyenture.
Recognition Not Necessary.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
dO L think 1t would be wise or prudent for
this government to recognize at the pres
ent time the independence of the so-called
| Cuban republic. Such recognition is not
necessary in order to enable the United
! States to intervene and pacify the island.
| 10 commit this country now to the recOg-
milton OF any particular government in
! CUBA might subject us to embarrassing
! conditions OF international obligation to-
| wards the organization so recognized In
case of intervention, our conduct would be
subject to the approval or disapproval Of
such government; we would be required
| 10 submit to its direction and to assume
| to II the mere relation of a friendly ally
! When 1t shall appear hereafter that there
! IS within the island Il government capable
Of performing the duties and discharging
! the functions of separate nation. and
| having, as a matter Of fact, proper forms
and attributes of nationality such gov
eminent can be promptly and readily rec
ognized, and the relations and interests
! of the United States with such nation ad-
! juSted.
There remain the alternative forms of
| intervention to end the war. either as an
impartial neutral, by imposing Il rational
| compromise between the contestants, or as
| the active ally of the one party or the
! other.
AS to the first, it is not to be forgotten
| that during the last few months the rela
| ton of the United States has virtually
been one of friendly intervention in many
ways, each not of itself conclusive, but
all tending to the eXertOn of a potential
| influence toward an ultimate pacific re-
suit just and hOnOrableto all interests CON
cerned. The spirit of all our acts hither-
! to has been an earnest, unSeltiSh desire
| for peace and prosperity in Cuba unfair
nished by differences between us and
! Spain. and unstained by the blood of
American citizens.
The forcible Intervention of the United
States rs neutral, to stop the war. ac
! cOrding to the large dictates of humanity.
and following many historical presidents
| where neghbOring states have in
terfered to check the hopeless sacrifice of
| life by internecine conflicts beyond their
borders, is justifable on rational grounds.
| 1t involves, however. hostile cOnstraint
upon both the parties to the contest as
well to enforce Il truce us to guide the
! eventual settlement.
The grounds for such Intervention may
| be briefly summarized as follows:
tTSt-ln the cause of humanity and to
pCt an end to the barbarities. bloodshed
starvation and horrible miseries now ex-
listing there, which the parties TO the con-
fict are either unable or unwilling to stop
or mitigate. 1t Is no answer to- say this
is Ill III another country. belonging to an
other nation and is therefore none of our
business. 1t is specially our duty for it is
right at our door.
SecUnd-Ne owe to our citizens in Cuba
to afford them that protection aInL indem-
nifty for life and property which no gov
ernment there can or will afford, and to
that emu to terminate the conditions that
deprive them of legal protection.
Thirf-The right to intervene uray be
justified by the very serious injury to the
commerce. trade and business of oTr peO-
pie. ana by the wantOn destruction of
property and devastation of the island
FOurtIf-And which is of the utmost
Importance The present conditions Of af-
fairs in Cuba is a constant menace to
our peace. and entails upon this govern
ment an enormous expense. With such
Il conflict waged for years in an island
so near us, and with which our people
have such trade and business relations
when thelives and liberty of our citizens
are in constant danger and their prop
Crty destroyed and themselves ruined
where our trading vessels are llabe to
seizure and are seized at our very door
by warshiDS of other nations, the eXpe-
ditions of fIlibUstering that we are pow
erlesS to prevent altogether, and tire IT.
ritating questions and entanglements
thus arisiug-aII these and others that I
need not mention, with the resulting
strained reIatiOns-are a constant menace
to our peace and impel us to keep on Il
semi-war footing with Il nation with
which we are at peace.
The Maine Calamity.
These clements of danger and disorder.
already pointed out, have been striking
ly ilustra ted by a tragic event which
has deeply and justly moved the 1Ameri-
can people | have already transmit
ted to Congress the report of the naval
court of inquiry on the destruction of
the battleship Maine in the harBor of
Havana danrIng the night of the 18th of
February. The destruction of that noble
vessel filled the rational heart with in
expressible horror. Two hundred and fit
ty-eight brave sailors and marines. and
two officers of our navy, reposingy in the
fancied security of friendly harbor.
have been hurled to death, grief and
want broWgh+ to their homes and sOrrow
to the nation.
The naval court Of inquiry. wki7If. it is
needless to say, commands the unqrsali-
fled confidence of the government, was
unanimous in its conclusion that the de-
structiom of the Maine was caused by an
! exterior. EXPLOSION. that of n S;l5Slmarina
mine. It did not assume to place the re-
| sp0nsibiTity. That remains to be fixed.
In amy event. the destructiom of the
Mane, BY whatever exterior cause, is q
patent and impressive proof of 81 state
of things IN Cuba that is intolerable. That
condition is thus shown to be such that
| the Spanish government cannot assure
! So fetL and SecuritN to q vessel Of the