The herald., 1898-04-20

return a man upon platform demand
| ing peace, peace. when there is nc
peace"
The division in each house and be-
tween the two houses turned upon the
| wisdom of at once declaring the inde-
pendence of the provisional government
set up by the insurgents. The majority
in the senate and the minority in the
house maintained that this was the only
true policy, the only safe course, and in
sisted that the resolutions authorizing
the president to intervene by force of
arms and drive the Spaniards from the
island should contain this declaration.
The majority in the house and the minor
ity in the senate contended for the
presidential prerogative, and insisted
in the matter of recognizing the govern
ment in question-discretion to withhold
recognition until 1t shall be determined
IL it indeed be government Of the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the people"
In view of the safeguards contained
in the last paragraph of the measure
finally adopted, and over which there
was no controversy whatever, it is not a
little strange that there should have been
such a stubborn struggle over the
phraseology Of the first paragraph. The
saving clause referred to was not con-
tained in the original resolutions re-
ported hy tho senate comYniftee on for
eign relations, but was subsequently
offered by Senator Teller as an amend
ment to that report, and adopted without
division. 1t does not In terms recognize
the existing government, but fmpliedly
1t does, for if the existing government is
subsequently shown to be the recognized
authority Of the Cuban people. then at
once it becomes the government to be
recognized by the United States, with
proper regard for the will of the people
of this country, as voiced by their ma
tional legislature, The president may not
withhold his recognition a single day
after the disputed fact is determined.
The incorporation, in the resolutions
finally agreed upon, of the Teller clause,
should go long way toward minimizing
the regrets that may be entertained by
the people that a straightforward dec
laration of the independence of the ex-
listing Cuban government was eliminated.
1t doubtless had a large influence in
reconcilfng the radical element in both
houses to the more guarded phraseology
of the accepted measure. 1t disclaims
any intention upon the part of tho
United States to exercise sovereignty.
Jurisdiction or control over said island,
except for the pacification thereof" and
asserts its determination, when that is
accomplished, to leave the government
and control of the island to itsIpeople."
Herein Sovereignty, Jurisdiction or con-
troll" Of the island is to be assumed for
the single purpose, definitely, defined, of
"the pacif1cation thereof" There is
nothing ambiguous or involved in that
declaration. To pacify is, according to
accepted definition, to free from war
or violence bring into a peaceful state.
reduce to quiet; to assuage the agita-
tion Of, to allay the excitement of. to
appease, to calm" The Spaniards driven
from the island, and the paciflcation un-
dertaken in good faith by the president,
sovereignty, jurisdiction and CONTROL"
deemed to be necessary to that end, may
speedily be withdrawn, and the govern
ment and control of the island left to
its people,"
1t may bel questioned if such sweeping
power and discretion was ever before
placed in the hands of a ruler Of any
country provided with constitutional
safeguards. Base is he who would EN-
ploy that power and that discretion for
other purposes than those outlined in the
grant, and which are engraved in the
hearts of a great and humane and
God-fearing people.