Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-04-21

menace to our peace and compel us to keep on
semi-war footing with q nation with which
we are at peace
The Wreck OF the BattleshiD Maine.
These elements of danger and disorder al
ready pointed out have been strikingly Illus
trated by a tragic event which has deeply and
justly moved the American people have al
ready transmitted to congress the report OF the
naval court of inquiry on the destruction of the
Dattleship Maine in the harbor OF Havana dur
ing the night of February Is. The destruction
OF that noble vessel has filed the national
heart with inexpresSible horror. Two hun
dred and hfty-eight brave sailors and marines
and two Officers of our navy, reposing in the
fancied security of friendly harbor, have
been hurled to death. grief and want brought
to their homes and sorrow to the nation.
The naval court OF inquiry which, it is need
less to say. commands the unqualified conf
dence OF the government, was unanimous in its
conclusion that the destruction of the Maine
was caused by an exterior explosion, that of
submarine mine. It did not assume to place
the responsibility. That remains to be fixed.
In any event the destruction of the Maine, by
whatever exterior cause, is O patent and i'm
preSS1ve proof of state OF things in Cuba that
Is 1ntolerable- The condition is thus shown to
| be such that the Spanish government cannot
assure safety and security to a vessel OF the
American navy in the harbor of Havana on a
mission Of peace and rightfully there
Further referring in this connection TO recent
diplomatic correspondence. dispatch from
our minister TO Spain. CT the 10Th ultlmo, con-
tanning the statement that the Spanish minis
ter for foreign affairs assured him positively
that Spain will do all that the highest honor
and Justice requires in the matter of the Maine
The reply above referred to of the 3lst ultimo
also contained an expression OF the readiness
of Spain to submit to an arbitration all the
differences which can arise in this matter,
which is subsequently explained by the note
OF the Spanish minister at Washington on the
10th inst. follows: As to the question of
fact which springs from the diversity Of views
between the report of the American and Span
oh h00 DC foot fnoa
certained by an impartial investigation by ex-
perts. which decision Spain accepts in advance
To this have made no reply.
Gen. Grants Opinion.
President Grant. in 1873, after discussing the
phases OF the contest as it then appeared. and
the hopeless and apparent indefinite prolonga-
ton, said: In such event. am of the opinion
that other nations will be compelled to assume
the responsibility which devolves upon them,
and to seriously consider the only remaining
measures possible, mediation and fnterven-
| ton Owing. perhaps. to the large expanse OF
water separating the Island from the peninsula,
the contending parties appear to have within
themselves no depository of common conf
dence to suggest wisdom when passion and ex-
element have their sway and assume
the part of peacemaker. In this view,
| In the earlier days OF the contest
the good offices of the United States me-
diator were rendered in good faith, without any
| selfish purpose, in the interest of humanity
and in sincere friendship for both parties, bu
were at the time declined by Spain with tia
declaration. nevertheless, that at future til .
| they would be indispensable. No intimate ~
has been received that in the opinion of Spin
| that time has been reached And yet the st>ife
| continues with all its dread horrors and all its
injuries to the United States and c.
| other nations. Each party seems 5ui.S
| capable of working great injury AID
| damage to the other, well IS
to all the relations and interests depend-us on
| the existence OF peace in the island; bu- hey
| seem incapable of reaching any adjustment
and both have thus far failed of achieving any
| success whereby one party shall possess and
control the island to the exclusion of the other
| Under the circumstances, the agency of Others
| either by mediation or by intervention. seems
to be the only alternative which must. sooner
or later. be invoked for the termination of the
strife"
President Cleveland Quoted.
In the last annual message of my immediate
| predecessor, during the pending struggle, it
was said: When the inability of Spain deal
successfully with the insurrection has become
manifest. and it is demonstrated that her
| sovereignty is extinct in Cuba for all purposes
of its original existence, and when a hopeless
struggle for its re-eStablishment has degen-
| Grated into a strife which means nothing more
| than the useless sacrifice OF human life and the
utter destruction of the very subject matter of
| the conflict. situation will be presented in
which our obligations to the sovereignty OF
| Spain will be superseded by higher Obliga-
tionS, which we can hardly hesitate to recog-
nize and discharge"
| What Mr.. Mckinley Previously Stated.
|
last, speaking to this question. said: The
near future will demonstrate whether the in
| di ,penSable condition of righteous peace, just
alike to the Cubans and to SPAIN well
equitable to all our interests so Intimately in
volved in the welfare of Cuba, is likely TO be
attained If not, the exigency OF further and
| other action by the United States will remain
| to be taken When that time comes that action
| will be determined in the line of indiSputable
| right and duty. 1t will be faced without mis-
giving hesitancy in the light of the
| obligation this government owes to itself
| to the people who have conhded to
| it the protection of their interests
| and honor, and to humanity. Sure of the right,
| keeping free from all ofense ourselves. actu-
ated only by upright and patriotic considera-
| lions, moved neither by passion nor selfish
| ness, the government will continue its watch
| full care over the rights and property of Amer
| lean citizens and will abate of its efforts
| to bring about by peaceful agencies a peace
| which shall be honorable and enduring. II it
| shall hereafter appear to be duty imposed by
our obligations to ourselves to civilization and
humanity to intervene with force. it shall be
without fault on our part and only because the
necessity for such action will be SO clear to
command the support and approval OF the civ
iliZed world"
| The long trial has proved that the object for
which Spain has waged the war cannot be at
| tanned The fire of insurrection may flame or
may shoulder with varying seasons but it has
| not been and it is plain that it cannot be ex-
| tinguiShed by present methods The only
| hope OF relief and repose from condition
| which cannot longer be endured is the enforced
paciflcation of Cuba. In the name of humanity.
| in the name of civilization, in behalf of endan-
! gered American interests which gives US the
| right and the duty to speak and to act the war
in Cuba must stop
Power Asked to Terminate HostilIties.
| In view OF these facts and these considera-
TONS ask the congress to authorize and en-
power the president to take measures to secure
a full termination of hostililities between
the government of Spain and the people of
Cuba and to secure in the island the estab lish-
ment of stable government capable of MAIN
tanning order and observing its in
| ternational obligations insuring peace