The record-union., 1898-07-21
rom European domination

from European domination. We
watch with deep and abiding inter-
est the heroic battle of the Cuban
patriots against cruelty and oppres
sion, and our best hopes go out for
the full success of their determined
contest for liberty
The Government of Spain having
lost control of Cuba. and being nm
able to protect the property or lives
of resident American citizens or to
comply with its treaty obligations
we believe that the Government of
the United States should actively
use its influence and good offices to
restore peace and give independence
to the island
In the same year the People's PARTY
adopted a platform at st. Louis from
"hlch the following extract is taken:
we tender the patriotic people of
cuba our deepest sympathy in their
) heroic struggle for political freedom
ana independence, and we believe
the time has come when the United
states, the great Republic of the
world, should recognize that Cuba
is, and Of right ought to be- a free
and independent State
The words of the Peoples party plat
form were Incorporated in the declara-
ton of war, and thus a platform de-
claration became the basis of national
action.
THE MORAL ASPECT.
At last the Cuban question assumed
moral aspect. When a national oues-
ton becomes moral issue. its solution
cannot be postponed. For more than
100 years the relations of Spain with
her American colonies have demon
strated her inability to maintain gov
ernment over them. According to the
doctrine enunciated by one of the great
est and wisest Presidents of the United
States. when a nation is not strong
enough to maintain her sovereignty
over distant territorial possessions, that
sovereignty ceases, and the independ-
ence of the people over whom that SOW
ereignty is sought to be extended is
established, and such people are, and
of right out to be, free.
Spain has adopted measures for the
suppression of a rebellion in Cuba
which has existed for a period of more
than fifty years. OF that method the
President of the United States has said:
The only peace it could beget was
that of the wilderness and the
grave
AS if conscious that the government
and authority which she was feebly en-
deavoring to maintain over distant in
sular possession were in their expiring
throes, Spain resorted to a policy the
most barbarous and cruel in all the
annals of history, every page of which
is dark with the record of tyranny and
cruelty. If she could not govern, she
could at least destroy The condition
was intolerable. Every humane in
stinct of the nation was aroused. The
logical decree of all our history was
about to be invoked, and on April %,
1898, the Congress Of the United States
declared:
That the people of the island are
and of right ought to be free and
independent.
That it is the duty of the United
States to demand, and the Govern
ment of the United States does
hereby demand, that the Govern
ment of Spain at once relinquish its
authority and government in the
island of Cuba, and withdraw its
land and naval forces from Cuba
and Cuban waters.
That the President of the United
States be. and he hereby is directed
to use the entire land and naval
forces of the United States and to
call into actual service of the Unit
ed States the militia of the several