Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1899-08-11
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE COUNTY.
FRIDAY, G II, 1859.
AMI CUBA.

Senator Foraker has given out
an interview in which he advocates
the withdrawal of American troops
from Cuba. His reasons for rec
ommending such a course, how
ever, amount to little else than an
argument against it, says the
Chicago Inter- Ocean, for he says
that everything is peaceable and
orderly on the island. The pri-
mary object Of stationing United
States soldiers in every province
Of Cuba was the maintenance Of
order and protection Of the people
in their personal and property
rights. That this object is being
attained without the shedding Of
blood is proof positive that the
policy is a success.
But the chief reason of the Ohio
senator for advocating the evacua-
ton of Cuba probably has nothing
to- do with proper government in
Cuba, That reason is doubtless
nothing more or less than his
anxiety to be consistent. He
wishes to appear before the
country as standing still in the
position he took in what is known
as the Foraker resolution, declar-
ing that Cuba was and of right
ought to be free and independent.
The resolution was a part Of the
stupendous effort necessary a year
and a half ago to rescue the
country from the clutches Of the
peace-at-any-price conspirators in
Washington. The peril of the
hour was great, and all who real
lied it were called upon to unite
against it, irrespective Of shades of
opinion or secondary details.
The real situation in Cuba was
not known at the time. The sup
position was that "Cuba libre"
stood for a civil government and
an army Of emancipation, that if
the United States went to the res
cue it would find ample civil and
military forces to cooperative
with it, and that when once Spain
should be driven out the machin-
cry would be found ready to adj
minister Cuban affairs. Events
proved that all this was a misap-
prehension. There was no civil
government. There was no army
Of emancipation. It is now over a
year since the fighting ceased, and
not only has no scheme Of a "re-
public" been formulated, but no
movement Of any moment has
been made to formulate one.
There is nothing on the island to
fill the place that would be left
vacant by the withdrawal of
American authority. The retire
ment of our forces would be fol-
lowed by anarchy pure and simple.
It seems increditable, therefore,
that any member Of the senate
committee on foreign affairs should
lay down the propositions found
in the Foraker interview. Sena-
ator Foraker ought to be warned
by the example Of Senator Mason,
who, for persisting in a similar
attitude, has earned for himself
the contempt and %execretion of the
whole Republican party of Illinois.
To be sure, Senator Foraker does
not touch in his interview upon
the Philippines, but the logic of
his position regarding Cuba is the
recognition Of Aguinaldo in Luz
on.
If Senator Foraker does not
wish to go SO far from home as
Illinois for a warning, let him re-
call the fate Of one of his prede-
cessors as senator from Ohio.
Not even the wonderful popularity
of Thomas Corwin could save him
from being crushed by the train
of events which accompanied and
followed the Mexican war. Ohio
and the rest Of the United States
are moving on now, as then, in the
I,,o oa.~. c -e