The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-12

unwilling 10 Htop OF Mitigate. II - no
anzwer "a, say this " Z all In another
country. belonging to another nation.
and 10 therefore none II our business,
It is especially our duty FOR II ID right
ut our door. ssL ~ G 2 "a e (, i.l'
Il Second We owe its TO our citizens In
Cuba 10 afford them that protection ana
Indemnity FOR life and property which
no government there can or win afford.
and 10 that end TO Terminate the lcon4
di.iens that deprive them OF legal pro-
lection. ,li X t 4as2 a.4 g
Third-The right 10 intervene may 30
Justified by thelyery serious Injury 10
the commerce. trade and business II our
people md by the wanton destruction
OF property and devastation OF the ISL
and. = q n fg1 "A I,ii
Boprth-And which Is OF tho utmost
importance-the present condition OF
affairs In Cuba Is o constant menace to
our peace, and entails upon this gov.
ernment IN enormous eSpAtscl With
such o conflict waged for years In an
island SO near us and with which our
people have such trade and business
elationst----wheni the lives and liberty OF
our citizens are In constant danger and
their property destroyed and them-
selves rulnel---where our trading yes.
sells IRE liable TO seizure Mt our very
door. by wnrshIps OF n foreign nation.
the expeditions OF illlbustering that we
are powerless to prevent altogether.
and the Irritating questions and en-
Engagements thus arising--all these and
others that / need not mention, with
the resulting strained relations, are
constant menace to our peace and COM
n a a..
with a nation with which we are at
peace. 81 aiA
These elements or danger and dlsor-
der already pointed out have been
strikingly Illustrated by. a tragic event
which has deeply and justly moved tho
American people. NJ {{.l,
Destruction OF III, Maine, 81.
have already transmitted to con-
gress the report OF the naval court OF
inquiry on the destruction OF the bat
t!eship Maine, In the harbor OF Havana,
during the night Of the fifteenth OF
February. The destruction OF that no.
bic vessel has filled the national heart
with inexpressible horror. Two hun
dred and 'hfty-elght brave sailors and
marines and two officers ofsour navy,
reposlng in the fancied security OF o
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, II
Is needless to say, commands the un-
qualified confidence OF the government,
was unanimous In It's conclusion that
the destruction Of the Maine was caused
by an exterior explosion, that OF n sub
nrsine mine. 1t did not assume to
place the responsibility. That remains
to be fixed.
What Maine Disaster Proves.
In any event. the destruction OF the
Maine. by whatever exterior cause. is
apatent and impressive proof of state
OF things in Cuba that is intolerable.
That 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 q mission OF peace and
rightfully there. 81
Further referring In this connection
to recent diplomatic correspondence,
dispatch from our ministerto Spain. OF
the 10th ultlmo, contained the state
ment that the Spanish minister for for
eign affairs assured him positively that
Spain will do al that the highest honor
and Justice require In the matter of tho
Maine. The reply above referred TO OF
the 3lst ultiino also contained an, ex-
preston OF the readiness OF Spain 10
submit to an arbitration all the differ
ences which arise in this matter, which
Is subsequently explained by the note
OF the Spanish minister ut Washington
OF the 10th instant as follows:
AS to the question OF fact which
springs from the diversity OF Views be-
tween the report OF the American and
Spanish boards. Spain proposes that the
fact be: ascertained. by an. impartial in
vestigdtion iby experts whose decision
Spain accepts in advance"
To this 1ahave made no reply.S .it
/ President Grant, in 1915, after DISCUSS
Ing the phases OF the contest nsit then
appeared. ard its hopeless and apparent
indefinite prolongat!on, said:
I'm such event, I am OF the opinion
that other nations will be compelled to
assume the responsibility which devolv-
es upon them, and to seriously consider
the only remaining measures possible,
mediation and intervention. Owing,
perhaps, to the large expanse of water
separating the islands from the penin-
sula, the contendins parties
appear to have within themselves no
depository of common confidence, TO
suggest wisdom when passion and ex-
element have their sway, and to as
sunie the part OF peacemaker. In this
view. In the earlier days OF the contest,
the good offices OF the United States as
anedia tor were rendered in good faith.
without any selfish purpose, In the. in
tercst OF humanity and In sincere
friendship FOR both parties. but were at
the time declined by Spain with the
declaration nevertheless. that at a fu-
turc time they would be Indispensable.
No intimat!on has been received that in
the opinion OF Spain that time has been
reached. And yet the strife continues
with al its dread horrors, and all Its In
jnrles to the Interests OF the United
States and OF other nations, Each party
seems quite capable OF working great
injury and damage to the other as we'll
as TO all the relations and interests do
pendent on the existence OF peace In
the island; but they 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.
Mediation or Intervention.
Under the circumstances, the: agency
OF others, either by mediation or by In
Prevention. seems to be tho only alter
native which must, sooner or later, be
invoked for the. termination of the
strife.
In tho last annual message OF my I'M
mediate predecessor during the pending
striIptyln II troc sot6. srf#f..s VI RI l.s7a