The San Francisco call., 1899-08-24
AND NOW CUBA.

THE Portland Oregonian has the merit OF PLAIN
speech, and the denerit OF peryertng national
4 honor and obligation to ambush a dishonOrabie
purpose,
1t Is helping to lead the country up the point OF
violating our declaration TO the independence OF
Cuba Alter an extended argument it says: 1t IS as
suned By the anti-expansionists that our attitude
toward Cuba makes it incumbent upon to get out
when the Cubans wish US to leave Here is innocence
indeed Whenever has the United States any other
civilized government resting upon moral basis SUD
rnitted lis policies the determination OF an inferior
or a subject people? We shall deal with Cuba as
better judgment shall define her needs, and we shall
give small concern to the consent OF the governed
And il in the enforcement OF this policy it shall be-
come necessary to take up arms in Cuba as we have
done in Luzon we shall be found in the attitude
in the one island as we stand in the other There IS
no other way OF honor and self-respect."
When the Cubans were fighting Spain Our Govern
nent did not consider nor treat them inferior
people but declared them OF right free and indepen-
dent Our Senator'S and Representatives never tired
OF the highest Inscriptions OF courage, culture, honor
and patriotism to them all, from Maceo and Gomez
to the Senora Cisneros. When did they acquire the
stamp OF inferority? When did they shed all these
high attributes, lose the right freedom and inde
pendence, undergo the great physical and moral
change and lose the right OF consent to their govern
ment? Why has Our concern in their independence,
sei-governnent and consent to government become
less than it then?
What has made them our subjects" and given us
the right to preserve our honor and self-respect by
shooting them down if they make move toward Sc
curing that independence which our Congress said
was theirs Of right? What has happened to deprive
them OF that right and make them rebels against
il they claim it now? The Oregonan and those who
stand with it employ the same language and back it
with the same reasons that used by the butcher
nations in the hacking OF Poland and by the Gar
the blow he has recently struck the Firms.
When the Oregonian speaks in lofty phrase OF the
folly OF "a civilized government resting moral
basis" consulting the wishes Of a subject people, it
means Just as the Gar MEANS strong Government
resting upon army and refusing to consult the
interests OF the weak whom it can crush.
The lion does not consult the wishes of the lamb
as to the dinner hour.
We don't know the definition of moral basis for
government which would please those who coolly
propose to complete in Cuba the buchery that Spain
began. 1t is supposed that the basis of right and
wrong the elementary definition of the two principles,
may be found in the Bible, and that there the rights
Of the weak against the strong have some support.
It is not that the strong covet what belongs to
the weak
"And Ahab spake unto Naboth saying, Give me
thy vineyard that may have for garden of herbs
And Naboth said to Ahab The Lord forbid it me that
1 should give the inheritance Of my fathers unto
thee And Ahab into his house heavy and dis
pleased. And Jezebe his wife said unto him
when has any civilized Government resting on a
moral basis submitted its policies to the determine
ton OF an inferior subject peope?-"Dost thou
now govern the kingdom OF Israel? Arise and eat
bread and let thy heart be merry. will give thee
the vineyard" In the enforcement of this policy
Ahab prevailed and Naboth was killed, as there was
no other way of honor and selfrespect for Ahab and
then came the prophet asking the king, Hast thou
killed and also taken possession? In the place where
the dogs licked the blood OF Naboth shall the dogs
lick thy blood. even thine"
The day that a shot is fred in Cuba because those
people rise for independence and sef-government
which we solernny said of right belong to them, will
be day OF reckoning