Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-27
Cuban Light and Leading.
(New York Tribune,

The report of the commission on
he Platt amendment and the favor
lble reception of it by the constitu-
tional convention illustrate once more
The value or information. Senior VII
'uenda admits that before the com
nissioncrs visited Washington he
hought the Platt amendment the work
If only party. which might be un-
lone and reversed If the other party
anne into power Now. however. he
s convinced that it is not the work OF
party, h,it of the whole American
nation. II represents the policy upon
which the United States has decided
and which it proposes to permanently
MAINTAIN. Therefore. he favors the
acceptance of the amendment by Cuba.
We have no doubt but that the COM
nissioners who came to Washington
md the majority of men in Cuba are
men of light and leading and all might
iruly make similar confessions. The
listing commissioners have done n
Inc service in enliehtening their
'ountrymen regarding the true state
)f affairs. and their work will he fiu-
ally continued and completed II. as
row seems probable. they lead the con-
'tltntional convention to definite ac-
oeptance of the terms proposed by the
United States.
Current dispatches Indicate that a
conviction of the reasonableness of
those terms is rapidly being impressed
lpon the Cuban mind. The cause
providing for United States interven.
lion in certain contingencies has per-
haps been the chief stumbling block.
But II Is evident that those contingent
lies are such as viii never occ,ir--and
30 the United States will never have
occasion to intervene--if the Cuban
government proves itself worthy OF its
estate Aud they are such as would.
I they should occur. make all reason
bic Cuhans Instantly and earnestly
'esirous of United States Intervention.
It is not conceivable for a moment
hat in case of foreign aggression,
With which Cuba was unable to cope,
cubans would wish the United States
o go by on the other side and leave
The island to its fate. Nor could
hey wish this country to look on with
unconcern in ease domestic insurrec-
''ch PiN'6'' tnt islduI lHtD anarchy
and both Frustrated its own indus
tries and destroyed United States in
terests. Let it be granted that the
Cuban government viii Se so wise and
strong that neither of these calamities
VIII come upon the island. Then
there will never be intervention by
the United States. But If one of them
should come, there ought to be such
Intervention, and the Cubans them
aelves would be the ones to call for it.
That Is all there is In that matter.
And as for the coaling stations. it
might be evident to the Cubans that
our possession Of them is, apart from
their general value. If not necessity.
to this nation for its own uses and Sc
curity, quite essential TO our adequate
protection OF Cuba itself from even
the menace Of foreign aggression.
1t viii be well TO bear in mind. upon
our own part. that since the Cuban set
| tlement Is the act. not of party. but
OF the whole nation. and Is accepted
| by the Cubans as such. burden of
| comparable responsibility is laid upon
the whole nation. 1t is made incum.
bent upon the United States to treat
this settlement as n consistent part
of the permanent policy OF the ma
ton, which is not to be used for play
ing ducks and brakes" for party pur-
poses, Similarly the economic a.d
other questions naturally and newt
ably growing out OF 1t are to be re-
garded and dealt with upon the broad
ground OF the honor and interest OF
the whole nation. The Platt amend
ment is a modest assertion OF what we
hold to be some OF our national rights
in Cuba II will not. we trust. fall to
be followed. rs circumstances may re-
qulre, with an equally frank discharge
of our national duties toward Cuba