Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-05
VITAL POINTS AGREE
No Substantial Difference Between
the President and Congress.
OUTLINING TIE COMING MESSAGE
In Harmony on the Necessity Of
Spain Clearing Out.
INTERVENTION JUSTIFIED

The general outline of the Presidents
message to Congress is now known to lead
ers in Congress. But one point is under
stood to be unsettled, and that is not one
which will be likely to affect the action of
Congress. There is an agreement between
the leaders in Congress on this question
and the President in the determination that
Spain shall relinquish all claim to sover-
eighty in the Island of Cuba. At this hour
the only difference of opinion between the
President and Congress is on the question
whether any other government has been
established to take the place of the fallen
Spanish government. The view of Con-
gress is that the Cuban insurgents have
established a republican form Of govern
ment. The President has never been con-
vinced that this is the case. He is con-
WINGED that Spanish government on the
island has failed and that Spain should be
compelled to relinquish that claim Of SOW
ereignty which merely cloaks a condition
of barbarism. From this point of view the
Island OF Cuba is in state of anarchy,
without government of any form. He is
said to hold that government is yet to be
established, and that it's establishment
must follow, as 1t has not preceded, the
withdrawal of the Spanish from the is
land.
No Serious Difference.
This difference of opinion between the
President and Congress is not SO serious
as it appears on the surface, since both
the executive and legislative have in view
the same end-the establishment of a Gu
ban republic on a sound and permanent
basis. 1t Is possible that the President
may, before his message is sent In, con-
clude to yield the point to Congress and
include the recognition of independence in
his recommendation. His principal reason
Tor not desiring to do this is said to be his
wish to maintain a perfect consistency and
logical order in the policy of the admins
traton. He has heretofore declined to rec
ogn1ze the independence of Cuba on the
ground that the Cuban insurgents have not
yet established an Independent civil gov
erEment The Cubans have not recently
done anything to demonstrate more clearly
than heretofore the establishment Of their
government. The events which have led tn
the proposition Of armed Intervention or
war have not been developments of strength
on the part of the insurgents, but uncon-
troVertlbie evidences of weakness. inca
pacity, barbarity and treachery on the part
OF spain Therefore, from the Presidents
point OF view, If the Cuban republic was
not entitled to recognition prior to the de-
structlon OF the Maine she is not now en-
Titled to 1t, and will not be until her gov
ernment has been established
Qualification of Intervention.
This view Of the situation does not de-
tract from the Justice of ths course of this
government In insisting that Spain shall re-
hnquish her claim to sovereignty over an
Island which 1t has been demonstrated she
cannot control and maintain the forms of
civilized government. In other words, the
paroarity and inhumanity Of Spain in Cuba
ana the destruction Of the Maine furnish
GROUNDS Tor this government to intervene to
Tree Cuba from Spanish misrule and to go
10 war to drive the Spaniards from the is
land If they do not themselves retire: but
40 not cnange the status of the so-cailsd
Cuban republic This is consistent with the
course of the administration, and II is said
that the diplomatic correspondence between
thls country and Spain on the subject is
not Of character to Justify an imm sdiate
recognition Of the Cuban republic though
1t will justify this government IN using its
good offices to establish an independent re-
publican form of government on the island
after the Spanish claim to sovereignty has
been overturned
Contention of Congress.
1t Is entirely logical and consistent, on
the other hand. for Congress to desire the
immediate recognition of the independence
OF Cuba, in advance Of Intervention, since
the contention in Congress all along has
been that the civil government had been es-
tablished and is maintained by the Cuban
In
been from the first that Cuban independ-
ence should be recognized, and that no fur
ther demonstration was necessary to es-
tatlish the existence Of a republican form
Of government on the island 1t is not
maintained by Congress, however, that the
destruction of the Mains has any bearing
on the question of whether or not there
exists civil Cuban government.
Which Will Yields
The whole question turns upon whether
Congress shall insist that it has all along
been right and that the President must
now yield or whether it will grant the
propriety of the Presidents course in the
past AID preserve him from possible in
consistency, in view of the fact that the
result desired by both is to be attained
in any event. If the recognition of the in
dependence Of Cuba and the vindication
Of the intention Of Congress prior to the
destruction Of the Maine Is a thing to be
insisted upon, 1t is held that that would
be accomplished by the simple recognition
without any resolution of Intervention. It
has been fully demonstrated, however, that
this would be entirely unsatisfactory to
Congress- and that those who are insisting
upon action want either Intervention or a
declaration of war and base their demand
for one or the other. at least, almost solely
Upon the destruction of the Maine.
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
tions has made the treacherous destruc-
ton Of the Maine the principal Indictment
against Spain, and the purpose Of the
House committee Is to follow the same
line. 1t is understood that the President
Old not at first desire that this course
should be followed.
Destruction of the Maine.
He has now decided, however, to make
the destruction Of the Maine, and other
burbarities of the Spanish in Cuba the
grounds Of Intervention. His message
&C 60 fully into the history Of Spanish mis-
rule. uncivilixed warfare, starvation of