Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-03-21
INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA.
Rational and CommendabIe Course
of President Mckinley I'm Trea-
ing with the Island.

The anti-admin Stration journals tell
us that our governments intent upon
"robbing' the Cubans of their inde-
penGence and making o: the island o.
Cuba an American colony and so re-
pudiating the solemn pledges of con
gress ir 1saS. The answer of the presi-
dent to these outrageous charges
which have not the slightest foundation
in fact. was the attachment Of his sig.
nature TO the army appropriation bill
which embodies the provisions touch
ing the relations of the United States
with Cuba and the Philippines.
The president has thus emphasized
the position of this government and ma
tion on this important subject. The
position is in the highest sense com
mendabie, rational. concilatory and
calculated to bestow upon Cuba the
strongest reality of independence and
local autonomy and to insure the reign
of law and order. peace and justice on
the island and insure il against a lapse
into the chaotic condition of Hayti.
Having freed the island from Spain. our
government has, in every step ii has
tahfu. give lIt I ubd rs ~ uUttIS ldlC
that it purposes to be guardian of the
island and to establish the stable gov
ernment required by the treaty OF
Paris. 1t declared, in the call for the
Cuban constitutional convention. that
the constitution framed by the conven-
tion must be submitted to the United
States congress for approval. There
n Halgnata a n, ha ;,,
who did not perfectly understand that
the work of the convention would be
subject to such supervision. Even men
like Cisneros understood this and made
no objection when the convention met.
They all knew that they were expected
to define the relations Of the island to
the United States. Intelligent Cubans
saw that as the United States hold the
sovereignty of Cuba as trustee, the
trusteeship cannot be turned over to
any persons or government who does
not have the right and ability TO act in
the place of the United States. If the
constitution were eminently accept
able, the Cuban government elected 90
days after its promulga ion would have
to be Installed under tie protection Of
our troops and the United States would
have to see that the elections were
properly held and the machinery Of the
insular government put in operatio
successfully. The Cuban constitution
itself devotes several sections 10 the
subject of the transfer of government
plainly conceding that the elections
must be held in accordance with the or,
ders of the United States issued July
%, 1900. Obviously, the trusteeship OF
the United States over the island does
not end until a stable government shall
have been established there. and the
United States has properly and lawful
ly insisted that the Cuhans shall give
certain guarantees protective of he in
terests of both parties, and either to
be made part of the organic law or
to be embodied in permanent treaty
between the United States and Cuba.
1t is a. small thing for the United States
TO require American supervision of
Cuba's treaty-making and debt-makiny
power. The United States reghteously
demands that the last. state of Cuba
shall not be worse than the former
state under Spain. Ii is the truest
craftsmanship to insist taat Cuba shall
not fall into he hands % Revolutionary
Juntas which will prcwh destructive Of
the real welfare of lie Cubans and
make it the desolatc stalking ground
for a series of dictators.
Fortunately. the administration of
President Mckinley is c4uaI t o the duty
and responsibility OF dealing with thd
Cuban matter. which will be settled in
a statesmanlille way. conducive to the
highest interests of Cuba and the Unit
ed States.-Minneapclis journal.