The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-06-30

was never QueStiOneu until IN CalnOun 8
| time II was sought to DO denied In the
effort to extend human slavery into the
| territories.
| THE supreme court of the United
States has more than once determined the
| question. and the contention concerning
1t now by our opponents Is not because
| anybody believes that the laws we have
| enacted for the government of the island
| are unjust. but in order to embarrass the
| administration In dealing effectively with
| our now possessions. The flag went to
Mexico In 1S4S. the constitution did not.
| The flag went TO Cuba and was carried
| into Santiago, and Is there yet. But our
| constitution not only Is not there. but
| we are busy encouraging Cuba to prepare
| a constitution OF her own. When any
| portion of our territory becomes a SOW
ereign state, then is our constitution Its
corner stone In the territory of the
United States not included within state
boundaries congress alone determines the
extent to which the provisions of the
constitution extend.
THE circumstances associated with our
possession of Cuba are new and unparal-
leled In the history Of conquests. The
cruelties practiced upon its people in
duced the war. Before we commenced
hostile proceedings, however, and that
the world might know that our hands
were clean and that we were not ami
mated by lust for territory. we solemnly
exercise sovereignty. jurisdiction or con-
troll over the island except for its pacifi-
cation, and asserted our determination,
when that was accomplished. to leave the
government and control of the island to
its people
ITO this declaration we still rigorous
ly adhere. When we took possession at
the close OF the war we found the con-
ditions existing in Cuba to be deplorable.
Under the conservative and wise manage
ment OF Gems. Brooke and Wood vast i'm
provements have been effected. and we
have given the people the first good gov
eminent they have ever known. We found
its cities beds of pestilence. We have
stamped out yellow fever and made Ha-
vana as healthy city as exists in that
latitude. We took Its starving reconcen-
trados who had survived the war, and Its
other poverty-stricken people. and fed
and clothed them. We organized a pub
lie school system. and have everywhere
established law and order. This had first
to be done. Then followed compliance
of the terms of the treaty which gave the
Spanish inhabitants until April II to de-
termine whether or not they would regis
ter as citizens or preserve their allegiance
to Spain. Meanwhile a careful census of
the island was made. Then came the
fixing of the qualifications for the right
of suffrage, which were fairly bestowed
The island was divided into municipali-
ties and the registration provided for.
And on yesterday, the 18th of June mu-
nicipal elections were held all through
the island. as the first and preliminary
step towards the establishment of a ma
tional government and the adoption of
constitution.
And in this connection 1t is fitting to
say that the peculations and frauds COM
mitted in Cuba by subordinate officials
have made every American blush with
cb nd la OF M the guilty
men Is arrested and convicted and sem
fenced that shame will know no abate-
ment. 1t is no more to be charged to the
party than would a theft by a trusted
employee be charged against the character
of the merchant who employed him. The
party that shields and protects dishonest
officials forfeits public confidence, not
the party that exposes and Furnishes
them. The republican party has been
rarely the victim of misplaced confidence
in its officials In this instance the APP
pointments were made with the greatest
care, many of them from the classified
service. Whenever fraud has been dis
covered the guilty have been pursued un-
sparingly and with the greatest publicity.
So 1t has been with these thieving post
office officials, so 1t has been always. In
the vast aggregate of bSjiness transacted
by the government the dishonest man is
rare. and his detection certain. The great
humiliation Is that the thefts were from
the people of an island towards whom we
sustain a fiduciary relation, and whose
confidence we ask. That this govern
ment makes good the loss Is not enough,
and perhaps the lesson has not been in
vain If 1t shall serve to stimulate US to
even greater care in dealing with these
people for whom we have poured out
blood and treasure, and whom we hope
some dav to welcome on terms of closest
friendship as citizens of sister republic.
a Itt,er tbn IN,
not only of fairness but of generosity and
OF absolute unselfshness, and whenever
the inhabitants of that island evince and
declare their ability to take over It's gov
eminent and control, that day they shall
receive 1t: and until then we shall con-
tinue to administer its affairs under
rule salutary and satisfactory to all good
citizens in Cuba, and creditaole to the adj
ministration at Washington under whose
orders the government is conducted.
Had there been no war with Spain.
this republic. inclined by principle and
instinct and tradition to peaceful ways.
would have continued the development of
our national resources and character
within its existing borders. content In the
future, as throughout the century just
ending with that path of national duty.
We are not a warlke or quarrelsome peo-
pie. We have never coveted the possess
sions OF foreign principalities, and land
lust Is unknown among us. We would
fight to the death to protect that which
Is rightfully ours; to avenBe wrong
sought to be perpetrated upon US, and to
guard this hemisphere from any attempt
by foreign powers to further extend their
rule over Its soil. This has been our
creed, and we have looked forward with
hope and with confidence to the time
when these United States, lying between
the two oceans, should lead among the
nations of the earth, not by right OF the
sword, but because the character and
high intelligence of our people and the
marvellous resources of our country would
enable us, in the peaceful rivalry of com
merce, to dominate eventually the mar
kets of the world. To that end we had,
for more than a hundred years, held our
selves aloof from foreign complications
and sought to make ourselves strong from
within with no thought of colonial con-
quest
1.-THE future of nations, however, like
the future of man, is hid from mortal VI
sion, and, no more than man may ma
tion choose its own duties. When this
war ended and we faced our victory In
all Its completeness we found 100000 of
people living upon uncounted islands de-
livered into our hands. Abandonment of
them would be confession that, while
the oppression by Spain of a million and
a half of Cubans demanded our armed
Interference, greater barbarity and cruel
A.. - LII. - Ia a.