The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-03
as applicable to the present case. and how
lar We are bound by them
Must Observe PrincinIax

mere seems to be an impression among
unrehecting people that what is called inter
national law is merely scholastic science
| OF no practical Importance and to which
americans are quite superior. They do not
perceive that it is as inpos ib,e for a nation,
! 10 make law for itself in its relations with
other countries as it is fer an individual to
community In which he lives
me ornamental principles of international
law have been establi he'd by the general
concurrence of civilized and Christian ma
tions because found by long experience to
| De beth just and Indispensable. Hence, they
derive even higher sanction than always
aLtehcs the law that is enacted by legislatures
or promulgated by judges.
Every government is alike bound by these
principles, for the sake of its own protection
as well as for that of others and the gen
| eral peace, and is under an implied covenant
with mankind to observe them. If a naticn
deports from them it violates this agree
ment, sets itself against the enlightened
conceded to be wrong and establishes the
dangerous precedent which, sooner or later.
| with unfai-ing certainty. will come home to
| Itself. No nation can afford to take such a
| course.
The Limits eli Intervention.
Among the rules of conduct that have thus
| become imperative none are more clearly de-
fined than those which limit the right Of
military intervention by one nation in the
internal affairs of another-certainly the
most important and delicate of all questions
that can arise in international concerns, for
| it involves the peace of the world
lhese rules are not new, for they have
been long settled and not doubtful, for they
are universally acquiesced in. 1t is the gem
| era! agreement of mankind, instructed by ex-
| perlence which the world cannot afford to see
rejected. that has established the proposition
/ that no cause whatever EXCEPT the neees-
sary sef-deferse Of nations material in
! terests or of the national homer, which is lbs
nlgnest interest, can justify forcible inter-
which it is at peace
The proffer of mediation or of friendly as
! sistance may always be made. 1t may be
! accepted or declined by the government 70
which it is addressed But when declined
the attempt to intervene by force of arms is
crime. the sad and bitter consequences OF
which have been demonstrated on many a
| page OF history. And especially and above all
| does this apply to the case CT interference
| in aid of an armed rebellion against another
| government by its citizens
! The idea that this country or any ether is
! Justined in Undertaking a moral or political
| supervision over the affairs of its neighhors
and in correcting by armed invasion the
| faults of their institutions or the mistakes
| Of their administration Or administering
charity to thnm by force is absolutely mad,
missible ard infinitely mischievous.
What just Grounds Appear.
In the light of these considerations let us
| inquire upon what grounds it is claimed that
| we ought to intervene in the affairs of Spain
| IN the Island or cuba, and precisely what
will intervention" turn out to mean
Spain is a friendly nation and always has
| been. The most industrious agitator for war
| mas been unable to hunt up in any history
since under Spanish auspices this country
was hrst opened to us by Columbus any
cause OF quarrel between us. She has not
attacked US. is not proposing to attack us
and is virtually incapable of it. She has
| manifested every desire and made every eff
: fort to avoid hostilites, which, to her, as
| she well knows. must be calamitous She
| is struggling with rebellion against her
| government in Cuba, thus far without sue
| cess. for the seat of the conflict is more than
| 5000 miles from the mother country. and
| the military genius that might have ternin-
| ated it has not yet appeared among her gen
| erals.
! But the rebellion would long ago have
| persisted from exhaustion had 1t not been
! supported and supplied by continual expedi-
| tons from this country, in violation of our
/! own neutrality laws and treaty obligations.
| Our government has not, It is true, counte-
| nanced these expeditions and has made some
| efforts to suppress them, sincere, no doubt
but always Intellectual, through United States
marshals who have usually arrived at the
| wharves from which the vessels sailed soon
| after their departure. A twentieth part OF
the naval force which We are now ransacking
| the world to collect for what are called ''tht
| purposes of national defense would have
! put an end to the only source from which the
| rebellion has been kept alive.
The Matter of Liability.
1t has been claimed b. some Of the advo-