The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-31

is the general agreement of mankind, in
structed by experience, which the world
cannot afford to see rejected, that has es-
tablished the proposition that no cause
whatever, except the necessary self-de-
Tense of a nations material interests, or
of the national honor, which is its high
est, interest, can Justify fornible interfer-
ence in the affairs of another country
with which it is at peace.
The proffer of mediation or of friendly
assistance may always be made. 1t may
be accepted or declined by the govern
ment to which it is addressed. But when
declined the attempt to intervene by
force of arms is ii crime, the sad and
bitter consequences of which have been
demonstrated on many page of history.
And especially, and above all. does this
apply to the case of interference in aid
Of an armed rebellion against another
government by its citizens.
The idea that this country, or any other
is justified in undertaking a moral or po-
ltioals supervision over the affairs OF its
neighbors, and in correcting by armed
inavsion, the faults of their institutions
or the mistakes of their administration,
or administering charity to them by
force, is absolutely inadmissible and in
definitely mischievous.
1t has been claimed by some of the adj
vocates of war that Spain must be held
responsible to us for the loss of the
Maine, whether her government is to
blame for it or not. This proposition
they will find it difficult to support.
But if even her negligence were the cause
of the disaster, her liability is question
able.
Does it occur to these gentlemen that
the rule they invoke works in either as
pect of the case both ways? If Spain
must guarantee the safety of our ships in
her ports whether herself in fault or not,
we must equally guarantee to her that
armed expeditions to subvert her govern
ment shall not be fitted out and de-
spatched from ours. And II negligence
in the one case is the criterion of liabil.
ity, it must be equally so in the other.
We recovered $1,000 600 from Great
Britain for the depredations OF the Ala
baina, only built, not armed, manned.
or fitted out in that country. on the
ground that her government was not Wig
liant enough in preventing the sailing of
the vessel. Is it to be doubted that a
much stronger case of negligence could be
made out before a tribunal of arbitration
against our government IN respect to
these expeditions?
Tho final ground on which the preach
ers of aggression plant thmselves is, that
we must go to war for humanity's sake
1t has generally been supposed that it
was for humanity's sake that war is
chiefly to be avoided, and that the cause
of humanity can be in no other way so
well served.
1t is true that international law recog-
nizes as sole and rare exception to the
rule above stated in respect to interven-
ton that nation may interfere where
to prevent unjustifable slaughter and
outrage in another country it becomes alb
solutely necessary. But this exception,
which has very rarely been acted on, APP
plies>only in extreme and very clear cases,
and has no application whatever to this
case.
1t is worth a moments consideration
to understand distinctly what the de-
mands OF humanity" in the present
case are, and what they are likely to
bring to pass if complied with. Are they
reason or an excuse, a. motive or the
pret6nC9 tDaE COuC0dlS d ulOtlpe1
The suffering that it is said we are
oallsd upon to redress by fire and sword
| is the restitution that has overtaken
part of the Cuban people, and which
! has been depicted in the most intamma-
| tory colors They are those who are
| called the reconcentrados-peopl whose
| homes, plantations and industries have
| been destroyed in the course OF the rebel
| lion, and who are now gathered in tenn
CHI r,rnviGQd nv the Snan1Sh
government.
How came these people in that condi-
| tion. and who wrought the destruction
that brought them to itp They are repre-.
sented to us as a body of patriots who are
ssstruggling for freedom aud whose
property and livelihood have been de-
stroyed in that struggle. 1t this is true,
then the reason for our interference in
behalf of rebels against thier government
is that they have not succeeded, are get
| ting the worst of the contest and are thus
reduced toIdistress.
No one pretends that Spain had not
the right to put down the rebellion.
The complaint is that she has not put it
down. If these people are to be regarded
depicted, it would seem that it results
from their own fault, and that the con
test, so far as they are concerned. has
come to-an end. Nor can it be main
tanned that any cruelty or outrage IL
visited upon them by the Spanish govern
ment, or that their restitution results
from any other cause than the poverty
that the civil war has occasioned, as Il
generally does, and the inability of thu
government to relieve it fully.
Who, then, are the real insurgents
They are body of men Of unoertai
number, who keep out of Esight, wht
have no capital, or abiding place, or Mt
tempt at organized government unless il
a Junta in the city of New York;, mere
guerillas and bandits, who have been car
rying on what they call warfare by act
not recogni zed as war in any civilized
country; by destroying the homes ant
industries of the people of the island no
in arms, until it has become desolation
by blowing up with dynamite train
which contained only peaceable travel
lers, and numbering in cold blood
Spanish officer bearing under flag o
truce the offer of autonomy.
Their force is made up of CubaDs, ne
groes, renegades and adventurers of al
sorts from the United States and else
where Is theirs The cause we are to tax
up? Can it be claimed to be the office o
humanity to drive out the established
government of the island, the only gov
eminent of the island, the only govern
~ tn tt1rr, h