The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-16

Indiana Bar association, eX-
Il Senator Lindsay, of Ken
lucky, one Of the ablest
constitutional lawyers, read a paper
on the legal and constitutional as
poets of the pacification of Cuba, in
which he made the point clear that
the course which our government is
taking in regard to Cuba, that is TO
say, it's interposition to end the SOW
ereignty of Spain, followed by it's re-
fusal to take over that sovereignty it
self, and by it's exercise of admins
trative funtions, wholly for the pur-
pose of preparing the Cuban people
to maintain in organic forms the in
dependence which we have recognized
as their natural right, is absolutely
unprecedented in human history and
without any warrant in our con-
stitution, either express or implied;
yet it has come about by the praCti-
cally unanimous wish and will of our
people and finds sufficient authority
in their institutional genius. 1t is an
illustration of public opinion rising
above every fetter of convention or
precedent to discharge a duty which
could not longer be evaded; 1t is the
imperialism" of common sense and
common humanity, which will be vim
dicated through the benefits which
it will contribute to mankind.
BY solemn resolution we are pledged
to leave the government and control
of Cuba to the people thereof upon
the accomplishment of the islands
pacification. General Wood has lately
asserted that cuba, in the ordinary
acceptance of the word, is pacified as
we'll as it is ever likely to be. The
island IS at peace. Serious discord
there is none. Life and property are
as safe as in New York or Pennsyl-
vania. Mob violence is as rare as in
Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Every
natural condition of pacifCation is
present, and the question therefore
arises, when will the United States
withdraw?
In his last message to congress the
president said that whatever might
be the outcome of our Intervention in
Cuban affairs, 1--WE must see to it that
free Cuba is a reality, not a name;
perfect entity, not a hasty cxperi-
ment bearing within itaclf the ele-
ments of failure. Our mission is not
to be fulfilled by turning adrift any
| loosely framed constitution to face the
vicssitudes which too often attend
weaker states, whose natural wealth
| and abundant resources are offset by
the incongruities of their political or
| for internal rivalries to sap their
| strength and dissipate their energies"
| In other words, the administration
construes "pacifcation" to mean not
simply the momentary absence of dis
order, which might occur as a lul
between revolutions, but the establish
| ment of government upon a basl,
broad and true enough to make i'm.
probable a recurrence of serious dis.
order. Its policy is to do so well the
work now in hand that 1t will no
have to be done over again after al
|
eliminating in a new dispensation Of
chaos.
This attitude squares with common
sense and with our moral responsible
ity to the family of nations. We have
no right to add to that family a weak
ling, calculated to involve it in trou
BILE When we made other nations
keep their hands off Cuba we tool
upon ourselves the obligation TO do tn,
work of pacihcation with thorough
ness. This we shall do, regardless o
impatient clamor, either in Cuba o.
at home, The Democratic platform
says untrully that still the admins
tratlon keeps the government of tn
island from its people, while Repub
lican carpetbag officials plunder Ii
revenues. and exploit the colonia
theory" The people Of Cuba toda,