Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-09
THE CUBAN CUES TON
Some of Its Ethical Aspects Set Forth at
Some Length.
The Moral Right of This GOvernmen
to Interfere in Behalf Of the
Insurgents.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:

ban cause still nave serious QOuDtS OF Inc
moral right of this government to interfere
in behalf of the insurgents. There are
many others, 1 suspect, who have scarcely
viewed the subject In a moral light at all,
but have taken their position-if they have
taken one-simply on grounds of interest. 1
desire to offer some considerations bearing
on the moral side of the question.
1. An objection felt by many will be:
Spain owns Cuba; therefore any action on
our part tending to the independence of the
island is an infraction of SPANS property
rights.
of Cuba Conventional rights and absolute
rights are very different. Conventional
rules are doubtless of great Importance
and are not lightly to be transgressed They
form standard for deciding questions,
which is far better than none, even where
absolute justice is not secured. Order pro-
notes the general well-being more than
disorder, even if the system is not all that
could be desired; and conventional rules are
means Of maintaining it. But, on the
other hand, as society progresses the con-
ventional right must be more and more con-
formed to absolute right. When situations
have place in which conventional rights be-
comes the shelter of mOnStrouS and intoler-
able evil, then it is time to shatter the con-
ventionality. Our fathers did that when
they rebelled against Great Britain. The
Cubans are doing that in rebelling
against Spain. They are acting under the
higher law. They have a right to do So
and we have right to help them. What
ever just right Spain may have had to rule
Cuba she has long since forfeited by out
rageous abuse. Ownership OF territory
brings the right and duty of securing order
and promoting the prosperity of its in
habitants. Ownership gives no right to rob
and Cypress. Spain has owned Cuba mere
ly to bleed and fiay. 1t has no moral own
ershp ceased.
Inc time is coming when fnterna tional
law will regard it crime for any power
to hold territory merely as tributary to it's
own wealth. and will regard it as piracy
Tor any power to seize territory for that
purpose Now is the time for this country
to take its stand on that principle If
there is no precedent then make one.
= But 1t viii be argued: While it may be
right for the Cubans to rebel, it may not
be right for us to interfere in the matter:
it is not our affair
l concede that it is not generally advis-
apie to mix in other peoples uuarreIs
either Individually or nationally We can
not regulate the conduct of all our neigh
bors: it is not wise for us to try
The present, however, is no time for nell
trality. This is the case of an oppressed
people seeking freedom-that not on the
olner SIDE OF the globe, but at our very
door Wher cur national neighbor falls
among thieves we as q nation are under
the same obligation to help him which we
should be under as individuals if the in
Jured we're an Individual
). But it will be said further: We nnust
look out for cur own interests We can
not afford to disturb business conditions
and incur loss of life and treasure.
Ihis objection may come wholly from a
base selhShress, with which there is not
much USE of arguing, or it may be more or
less deeply felt that there are national in
tereSts involved which we cannot ration
ally afford to sacrifice. Let us see, then,
how our real interests would be affected nv
interposition in Cuba.
How our national wealth would be af-
1ected L cannot and do not care to discuss,
except in one point. We have a rational
interest IN the prosperity of our neighbors
on our own account as well as theirs. A
country which has nothing to sell cannot
trade with US, and an interchange of pro-
ducts is universally regarded as an econom-
&c advantage We have, then, just grev-
ance against a power which needlessly laws
waste or holds back the DEVELOPMENT of a
country standing in natural commercial re-
lations with ours. Further than this. we
nave Just grievance against power that
keeps an open sore before our ewes even
If that sore is not on our own body 1t IS
a nuisance which we have a right to abate
But, in higher view, the United States
has rational interest In the establishment
ahd maintenance of free institutions
throughout the new world. The prevalence
81 free institutions extends that moral and
intellectual fellowship which is as good for
rauons as it is for individuals. If we use
our influence to clear the way for freedom
IN Cuba, We are promoting our own inter
ests as well as those of Cuba
Here some enc will throw in the objec-
ton that the Cubans are not fit for self
government: This. 1 fear, is partly true;
but they will hardly become more SO under
the Spanish regime. They Will have to
learn self-government by experience. 1t
VIII not be many generations before every
one OF those South American republics
whose frequent revolutions have brought
them into contempt will have a stable free
government
If Intervention in Cuba should result In
war II would doubtless cost the sacrifice of
some lives. Let us hope that our country
has not yet reached the point that she has
no lives to offer to the cause of freedom
and right.
Some Generalization necessarily attends
upon war; but any which would result in
this case would be far more than offset by
the moral uplift which would be secured by
doing our national duty. This introduces
an aspect of the case which requires a few
words further.
Washington and his compatriots by wae.
ing the war of independence and by es-
tablishing free government made an
epoch In the history of the world. Their
example has been a moral inspiration ever
since. They stood not merely for interest
In the low sense, but for noble idea The
idea thus embodied has been forming and
TRANSFORMING 1Orce-haS shaped the char
acter of our citizens and has modified the
thought of the world. We are now upon
trial as to whether we will re-embody that
idea or will deny our faith in it, Ii we
countenance the Cubans and render them
solid assistance, If need be, we shall re-
announce Our faith in free government and
our determination to stand for that idea
III We do otherwise we shall be traitors to
our history and set an ignoble example 10
our children, which will do all 1t can to
negative the examples of Washington and
Lincoln. We shall enroll ourselves on the
same Infamous scroll with the nations of
Europe which have allowed the Turk to
devour both Armenian and Greek, rather
than sacrifice ease and selfish ambition.
1t Is not discretion that holds us back
but commercialisn, accompanied by a slug
gish conservatism and a certain worldly
wisdom. The warm impulse of the SYM
pathetic and freedom-loving heart Of the
people is pitted against the brutal indif-
ference of the money power. If the latter
wins 1t can bring us only shame. however
the case may go with Cuba. If the tnsur-
gents should succeed, with what Ill grace
would the American government congratu-
late them On their independence after re-
naming an Indifferent spectator of their
struggle. If on the other hand they are re-
duced again to servitude, the blame will
be ours. and shame will be stained indel-
IDLY on our record.
The cynic will say that all this Is merely