The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-10
NOT WHOLLY THEIR FAULT

There Is strong disposition visible
among the Representatives of American
public opinion to regard with the ut
most disfavor the attitude assumed by
the Cuban convention thus far toward
the United States in connection with
the Plat amendments. The feeling is
quite easily justified, and it is not like
ly to be interfered with or lessened in the
! slightest degree by any influence short of
the unqualified acceptance of the Plat
amendments by that body.
But while it is hard for Americans to
regard even with tolerance the position
assumed by the representatives of Cuban
public opinion, there is ample reason
why the utmost charity and forbearance
should be exercised. The latest attempt
on the part of the Cuban representatives
to put given construction on the pro-
posed amendments is not as blamable
| as it might appear at first sight. Their
experience does not show that such an at
tempt is in the slightest measure in
copgruous. What education they have
obtained in public concerns is the edu-
cation which Spanish administrative
agents have alone had to offer, and such
education is certainly not promotive of
clear thinking or fair dealing.
These men do not understand that the
United States supreme court would in the
last event be the deciding tribunal in
such a case applying to domestic concerns
purely. They do not stop to consider that
II the Plat amendments are adopted I'M
qualifedly, the treaty-making powers of
the two peoples can readily dispose of
any questions of uncertainty that might
! be involved in the extent and application
Of any one of these amendments. In
addition to all this the Cuban const tuition
al representatives have heard urged by
men near to the federal executive the
proposal that it would be ruinous to
! cuba to allow her people the absolute
control Of their own affairs Those who
have urged this view most strenuously.
are those who are nearest the White
! House in point OF political and personal
influence. Is it any surprise under the
circumstances that even the most CRATE
full of the Cuban representatives should
regard with doubt and misgfving the DO
sition taken by the American authorities
| on any question which involves the full
and complete political independence of
the Cuban people?
The tendency which is making itself
manifest in every official direction to as
sumo on behalf of the executive author
ity powers and privileges never dreamt
of before as inhering in that department
! OF our government is sufficiently well
marked to create serious n1isgiving in the
Cuban mind as to the entire good faith
of our American officials in this crisis in
Cuban affairs. They do not know that
behind the wish or desire of the poll
ticians and promoters of the admins
tration and above and beyond a plant
supreme court majority there is the court
OF last resort-American public opinion.
They must be forgiven if they cannot
comprehend that in the last event the
EAA4OiiSeblA pSOpIS must De consulted with
reference before the specific pledge of
congress as to Cuban independence can
be ignored
Every demand which has thus far been
put forward by the authorities at Wash
| ington is reasonable che The United
States will take no risks Cuban indie
pendonce must never be used as masked
battery Tor some ili-disposed European
nation from which to attack this country.
More than that: While the Cuban people
may as a free nation hereafter resort to
instruction or revolution against any ex-
Using government. internal turmoil must
not be made the medium Of working sub
stantial injury to the predominant inIu-
ence on this continent of this nation,
1t is the practice to refer to FIle Mon
roe doctrine as having lost its potency
and significance. No doubt the steady
trend Of national events IS undermining