Arizona silver belt., 1900-10-11

Nll Jdll. l, loScf Nilt NhiNCN 't'too had been for more than century the one nauon in the world which stood for the right of man to govern him self It was founded on the Declara- ton of Independence, which pro claimed as self-evident truths that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and that "all men are created equal" These words were not restricted to men of any race or color. Let it be remembered" said the continental congress at the end of the revolution, that it has ever been the pride and boast of America that the rights foI which she contended were the rights of human nature" Year after year these propositions had been reaf1irmed by every statesman and every party until they had become the gospel of America cOuntry's message to mankind.
 On Jan. l, 1898, the government of the United States was in the hands of the republican party, which from its birth had ever promised to support these principles, which in 1892 had de- clared that the republican party has a.wayS been the champion of the op- pressed, and recognized the dignity of manhood, irrespective of faith, color or nationality and in 1896 had said, We watch with deep and abiding in- terest the heroic battle of the Cuban patriots against cruelty and oppres- sion, and our best hopes go out for the full success of their determined con test for hoerty."
 Again in his message to congress on April IS, 1898 the president had said, Il speak not of forcible annexation, for that, under our code of morals, would be criminal aggression"
 The country, the party in power, the president personally, Were all sol emnly pledged. if not to aid men struggling for freedom, at least not to intervene against them.
 On the other hand, Spain had owned Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine islands long before the United States had come into existence. Her title was as clear as England's title to Ja- maica or Bermuda. Under no prln- ciple of international law could her right to sovereignty be doubted. In Cuba and in the Philippines her abuse of her sovereign rights had driven the people into insurrecIion, and in the attempt ito restore order to borrow the phr St of the president, she had resorUed to methods not very differ eut from those which England pro poses to employ against the Boers. The cruelty of her warfare excited our indignation and on April Il the president asked congress for authority to terminate the struggle by armed intervention. On April l9 congress passed a joint resolution declaring
 Il. That the people of the island of Cuba are ana Of right ought to be Tree and Independent.
 ''2. That 1t is the duty of the United States to demand, and the govern ment of the United States does hereby demand, that the government of Spain at once rUliuqui5u its authority aud gOlernment ln the island of Cuba.
 fl. That the United States hereby discldims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over said island except for the pdclGcation thereof, and asserts it's de- rermInation when that is accomplished to leave the government and control of the island to it's people"
 Just before the final steps which led to war, on April :, the ambassadors of the six European powers urged fur ther negotiations to avoid war and President Mckinley repiied:
 The government of the United States appreciates the humanitarian and disinterested character of the com munication now made on behalf Oi the powers named, and for it's part Is confident that equa appreciation will
  unselfish endeavors 70 fulfill duty to humanity by ending situation the indefinite prolongation of which has become. .insufferable."
 These official declarations of congress and the president announced to the world that Spain had forfeited hei sovereignty in Cuba by her abuse oi power. Ihe statement in the joint resolution that "the people of the isand of Cuba are free and independ euU" can mean nothing else. The reso Iution of congress did not free the CuOans-it recognized the fact that the sovereignty of Spain had ceased She was still in actual possession ano control of Cuba more than the United States has ever been of the Phiilp pines, but her oppression had ter minated her legal title.
 Can any one say in what respect th' case of the Philippine islands differed from that of Cuba? If oppression fol lowed by unsuccessful insurrectiol and cruel attempts to suppress Il ter minated Spain's title in Cuba, wh! dId not the same results follow in tn
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