New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-14


famine and disease. There has been no distinc-
ton Of sex or age In this protracted and tortur-
Ing massacre. The children OF this generation
have been starved to death. and the immolation
OF womanhood has destroyed the possibility Of
posterity.
There can be no doubt that the contrver OF
this unexamped scheme Of atroclty intended to
depopuate. to the full extent OF an ability un-
deniably great in the conception and perpetra-
ton OF colossal crime. the Island OF its native
people. and to repeople it by natives Of Spain.
We cannot consent. upon any conditions. that
the depopuated portions Of Cuba shall be re-
colonized by Spain any more than she should be
allowed to found a colony in any other part
OF this hemisphere island thereof. Either act
Is regarded by the United States dangerous
TO y peace and safety. That Government has
violated the laws Of civilized warfare in the
conduct Of her military operations. Her troops
have slaughtered prisoners after their surrender.
and have massacred the sick and wounded In
surgent soldiers and their physicians and nurses
in their captured hospitals.
When publicsts and jursts speak Of the right
Of sovereignty OF parent State over people
or a colony. they mean that divinely delegated
supremacy in the exercise OF which man should
show 'lkest God" They never mean that a
the plea that It Is sovereignty none the less than
that Of a well-ordered and humane government
Against such reasoning the
Moral laws
OF nature and OF nations speak aloud
And declare that the State which thus perverts
and abuses It's power thereby forfeits It's SOW
ereignty.
SPAIN WORSE THAN TURKEY
And this principle has been the foundation Of
the repeated interventons by the States OF Eu-
rope IN the affairs Of Turkey. who. abomnab BILE
and atrocious as her cruelty has been toward
her subjects In Greece and IN the northern part
o. her domnons In Europe and IN Armenia.
has not approached the eminence az which Spain
stands In solitary and unapproachabe infamy.
The recognition OF the ndepend ance 81 the
people OF Cuba would not be a jusfhable cause
Of by Spain against the United States.
Upon this principle ;he best esteemed authori-
ties are agreed. Among their opinions the fol-
lowing declaration OF Mr. Webster IN his letter
to Mr.. Hulsemann stands pre-cmnent:
IT, therefore. the United States had gone
FAR a+ formally 10 acknow edge the independence
- Hungary although az the result has proved.
Il would have been precip!tatA step. and one
from which no benefit would have resulted %
either party, Il would not. nevertheless have
beSN an act against III" INV ol IhNl'H9 plV-
vlded they took no part in her contest with
Austria
II no, an act against tho law o, nations. Il. or
course. could not be justlnahle ground for war.
The recognition Of the Independence Of the
people OF Cuba entities the United States TO In
sis; that tho war should be conducted IN nc
cordance with those humane laws which have
been ordained by tho common consent OF the
civilized world. and which haze done so much %
mitigate the horrors of warfare s. long ~
this Government absta'ns from So h recognition.
Spain is entitled 70 insist that we agree with
her that the Instruction is merely reasonable
riot and not formal and organized rebellion.
and that she IT, therefore. entitled 70 execute
upon the insurgents and upon American citi-
zens and all persons upon the Islands the penal
ties ~ domestic code which Is an a~ront TO
civilization.
The United States has been IN this attitude o:
concurrence ever since the beginning o., tho war.
II has as a consequence. IN a spirit - forhear-
are submitted 20 many atrocities Ierpctratcd
BY Spain upon our own citizens which. under
recognition. would have had no warrant In in
ternational law ard would have Afforded Just
grounds Of procedure by his Government under
its acknowledged principles.
TIE COMPETITOR CASE
citizens Of the United states have been con-
dernned 10 death b. military tribunals IN Viola
ton Of the'r treaty rights The eNposiula lions
o. this Government have been IN effect merely
petitions for royal clemency. The Competitor
prisoners captured under our flag. were I'm
pr!soned nearly seventeen months and were
never brought 70 trial. though they were sub
tec,ed 70 many harsh. Illegal and degrading
preliminary examinations
The entire proceeding against them
lawful ard IN derogation u their rights and of
our honor But as they were technically. IN the
a,t,,,,d. which the United States had assumed
and had placed them In refusing recognition 81
bellgerency or Independence. merely ordinary
criminals prosecuted by Spain under her do
nestle penal code, this Government Il was logic
ally insisted by Spain. had nc night 10 make
the question one Of international obligation. Il
accented royal clemency and IN the person OF
IT'S citiznns received pardon FOR a crime IN
stead o, demanding PREPARATION FOR A violated
right.
SPANS UNWILLING ALLY.
The United states had been compelled by rs
o..,,,,ac ., non-recog7ition 10 assist Spain by
IT'S execution OF our neutrality statutes II there
ga no war and the insurgents are merely an IN
lawful confcderasy Of common !nsurreotionlsts.
they can have no legltimat, commercial dealings
with the citizens Of the United States. Nor can
the Insurgents object 10 Spain having such deal
ings Of every character including the purchase
OF SUPPLIES which had recognition been ac-
corded would be cOntraband Of war and. there
,r ro, 10 b. furnished except through breach
~ neutrality The United states has. therefore.
hecn An assistant Of spain. The supplies FOR
that power have been largely purchased In this
country. The unrccognized insurgents have had
no right - complain. on the other hand. they
and their adherents have been prohibited from
making such purchases and from exporting any
supplies. however acquired
There has therefore. been no real neutrality
nv this Government throughout the entire bust