New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-23
THE RIGHT TO RULE.
THE ABILITY OF THE ISLAND AAn
FROM SPAIN TO GOVERN
THEMSELVES

tho divine right to rule independent OF the popular
will. Are wo sure that he is altogether wrong
oar own Declaration of Independence bases tho
right to govern on the will Of the Nation But are
not all nations equal in right? Each nation mas
the right to govern Itself to choose It's rulers 10
frame its constitution laws and government III t9
own way after the desire OF It's own heart ana WILL
The right Of the German nation TO be an empire Is
the same as our right to be n republic
Whatever we may say Of natural right, practcaily
n nations right to exist ard to rule turns on
question of power Can It maintain Itself agains-
all corners from abroad and against all eVi-doers
at home? II It's right to exist and TO rule IS pe-
yond question ard its will IS nscrutable. nation
is an infinite force organized for the benefit or its
people In the order OF the world-the Cosmos OF
ciyIzation-the right OF a nation TO exist depends
/ on It's power TO rule No less than the Kaiser
nations rule and exist IN virtue OF right Whoily
divine.
The United States and Spain are the two nations
standing before the august Areopagus OF the MOD
ern civilized world awaiting its Judgment Nations
ore but corporate individuals. In the domain or
JURISPRUDENCE and morals and IN the eye OF history
they are ultimate facts. They are the creations
OF force and exist in the order OF nature for 'ne
! glory OF God and the good OF mankind The wei
fare OF man Is the glory Of God. Nations are the
embodiment ot power and It's exercise Is their chiet
function The rationale OF their existence IS 10
maintain order among men, The maintenance OF
order and the Just administration OF law In It's up
holding arc the rason d'etre OF their being. ana
failure In that office IA the one Sin which Naturs
never forgives. Nothing IS more true than thae
national power is n trust. The people-nat'on-
,r,t cannot discharge its trust by the exercise of
rs powcr is doomed. History is tho only supreme
court OF appeal for universal justice. We may
bo sure that all her judgments are Just ana her
DEGREES memorable.
! The r,cht Of revolution Is said to depend on tho
rower 70 achieve succcs1 by oyerihrowing tho ex-
! istng government 1t is no less true that the
right 70 govern depends on the power 10 na'''a''i
order and peace at home well as abroad IN 'he
grand inquest what answer can bo made to tho quo
| warranto? What Is nation for that cannot 90
| c,thero A party without power Is plainly not en-
titled 10 govern and n nation that cannot rule mas
/ no right 10 exist.
! The inability OK Spain TO put down the insurrec-
ton and the inability ot tho Insurgents 10 thro"
of the Spanish yoke have been demonstrated oy 'he
logic OF fact and time before the whole world four
Years Of fatuous and bloody strife tell the tale
STAINS FAILURE IN CUBA
For half century Spain has failed to rule her
| household our next-door neighbor The long re-
bouion or instruction which came TO an end ABOUT
twenty years ago smo.hered In massacre ana
cruel blooishod witness the executions at 'i
tiago stopped by the chivalrous. even thouBh soio
what high-hanied, protest Of tho English captain.
/ Sir Iambton Lorraine. II broke out afresh iour
| voors nco Tho Spanards have always said that
| tho Insurgents were bandits and robbers. few IN
number and that tho bulk OF tho population tho
owners OF property md the business classes In the
country regions as we'll as In the cities were ioya'
10 Spain.
It's long story that. OF tho Spanish dominion IN
| Tho Arnericas-four hundred years. tenth OF the
! FOUR thousand from Adams tlme down to to-day
| Has Spain failed in her stewardship Read the
| long story Of blood, o, dlrc mssovernment. OF
| chronic tyranny As Bismarck said. "Fate settles
these questions IN her way. and let's fan out OK
! ficou -ho IS
Ono fact is decisive. For four years, with hugo
armies O, one hundred and MY thousand men, with
ships guarding tho coasts and closing al ts ports
md harbors IN island Of less than forty thouSana
square miles. Ions md narrow in the range OF us
territory with total population less than that OK
| Chicago with n large part OF It's surface wnsted
! by tho hands Of insurgents-no effective steps In
sunduing the disorders have been made. SEQ whas
can be donc with small force OF less IMAM twenty
nyo thousand mon: General Shafter has taken their
stronghold Santiago. the whole province ruled from
H. md nm army exceeding In numbers his own.
! Ana all the generals and armies OF Spain FOR tho
four years o, warfare. aimor!shed md warned as
they have been again and again. were hardly nearer
an end than they wcrc ut hrst. The best Observers
| have said that neither party could overcome the
other. Absolute ineflclency. sheer impotence. OF
| nation calling iisct great playing tho gnme OF
| destiny with the iron dice OF fate. What is 70 be
| thought os n patton and rs government. sending
feet % four ha,tle-ships 10 encounter n dreaded
and powerful foe. with tho ndmrals flagship with
| out her great guns1 The Colon. which boro Ad-
| niral Cervcra, might well have been armed with
pistols or shotguns when opposed TO the Brooklyn
| and tho Oregon with their mighty armaments 1t Is
| Ike n Chinese brigade beating toutoms and letting
Of frccrackers nsains. regiment o. United States
| Regulars We loss sight OF the men thus sent TO
| destruction-the thought which shocks and fills us
with wonder Is for tho homo authorities. As II TO
crown n tragic drama with unspeaknhle but fitting
horror tho ordsr was sent 10 Admiral Cervera to
throw himself and his nnc but impotent ships with
their bravo crows before the guns that were ready
aud waiting to annnlatc them
Think OK tho cost and waste OF that warfare
100000 spent since the last insurrection broke
out: tho whols land laid waste: tho sacrifice Of
human lie frightfui to think OF. The loss OF life
In battle was but triho compared with that by sck
ness Both thcs, Items dwindle into nsignlAcance
when compared with tho misery and deaths from
savage famine an tho wasting pestilence that goes
with famine and want Half million human
beings arc believed to have persisted in this way In
the last three years all OF them helpless. nil un-
offondlne all guitless OF wrong-bu for being born
and living subject 20 tho Spanish rule.
DISPOSITION OF CONQUERED TERRITORY.
1t IS but n short time since tho great question of
the day was whether or not we should have war
with Spain. The present question Is how shall we end
i.-whcther by giving back to her tho West India
and Philippine islands or keep them ourselves.
Cuba is liberated from tho Spanish rule; with Cuba
goes Porto Rico, and the Philippines thrown into
the bargain. Events have tied them together.
What shall be dono with them? With the Philip
pines It Is annexation or independence. The sou-
ton OF this question - obvious. ono fact Is be-
yond doubt or dispute That fact IL decisive The
Islands cannot maintain an independent national
existence: therefore cannot let them go. The
American people will hardly consent to give them
back to Spain present.
The two islands in the West Indies may first be
considered. They longer Spanish. Can
they singy together maintain a separate exist
ence as Independent nation? We beg attention
thc ndi n furnishing m nh oil