The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-02-12

administration and Its party. II IS a
plain case OF conspiracy. and the decla-
~lration OF the organs of Mckinley that
the resolution adopted IN April 1885. and
duly signed by President Mckinley.
was a mistake and not binding now
shows this In part The resolution was
as follows:
The United States hereby disclaims
iany disposition or intention 20 exercise
sovereignty, Jurisdiction. or control over
said island except Tor the paciication
thereof, and asserts its determination.
when that is accomplished. to leave the
government and control OF the island
to its people"
That was a very solemn joint resolu-
ton adopted by this country Their about
TO mbark in a war against Spain. 1t
was an appeal TO the world. 1t is the
positive declaration of the congress Of
the United States and the president OF
the republican party. Was il meant
to deceive? Was it only so much rot
or buncombe. or was il honest and
open? But it was a mistake quoth the
organ grinders. Well NAV the Phila-
delphia Times. which has a conscience
sometimes, say OF this promise TO be
broken:
This is quite true. if a nation has no
obligations except those il can be COM
tpelled to perform. We can annex Cuba
and no power will interfere. any more
than the rest of the world has inter-
fered with Great Britain's annexation
of h Transvaal. But Is there no such
thing as a national conscience to be
considered?
1t is not only the wrong to Cuba, It IS
the wrong to the United states thai
makes this proposition SO infamous"
This is a time of casuisty, of decep-
ton, OF Juggling with words. of palpa-
bic deceit and deliberate betrayal. The
conspiracy now on as TO Cuba is both
"political and commercial according to
the Times. The decCivers pirate of in
ternational law and set UP a plea for
breaking vows and oppression. The
New York Evening Post. one of the
ablest and most scholarly of American
newspapers, says Of the resolution
given above. that the congress
went further thar the assertion
that Cuba ought to be indie
pendent: it raised one hand to God,
dS II uTeW lIt sworn WIFI lie OlnST,
and said it would not exercise so much
as control over the island. Control Is
exceeding broad. 1t covers and ex-
cIudes every twist and turn by which
the lodging defenders of the admins
~tration have thought TO keep the letter
of our national promise to the Cubans
while shamelessiy repudiating its
sprint"
TIL. infamy of this conspiracy to de-
prive Cuba FINALLY of its rights is be-
yond belief. 1t is a disgrace to every
fellow who is party to it. 1t is filled
with infamy from beginning to end.
for, as the Times we'll AYERS. it sets at
naught the principles of liberty. the
solemn engagements Of the nation, the
essential demands of right and honor.
with a cynical reliance upon superior
power that is the very essence Of des-
potism. 1t tells US the weak have no
rights the strong are bound to respect.
Washington"
1t is with h gang put a question OF
make, of addition. and to obtain their
selfish cruel ends they are willing to
cast aside forever all obligations of
promise, of trust. of honor. The Hanna
gang do not intend to do the clean thing
if it can be prevented. We wish the
readers Of the Messenger to See what
more respectable and decent northern
newspapers say of the Cuban problem
and our duty. The Chicago Evening
Post says fatty that the way to re-
deem a pledge is to redeem it Cuba Is
a foreign country, and We must leave
its government to it's owr people" The
Wilmington (Delaware) Every Evening
says: IF the people of Cuba are free
and independent what right has the
government of the United States to ex-
ercise sovereignty of any kind over
them, or to restrict them IN the essen
tial duty Of preparing a constitution for
their government" The Philadelphia
lRecOrd holds that the better opinion
among the republicans is that congress
has not the least right to busy itself
with the Cuban constitution Senator
Plat Of Connecticut says h when
SHS oAoli a oSC ooiy
adopted and ratified congress will have
no power to approve. modify, or reject
it" The Prevalence (Rhode Island)
Journal says. that there is no getting
around the fact that we have officially
resolved to cave the government and
control of the island to its people. II
any evidence ppear in the future that
the administration is ~endeavoring to
invent causes for staying in the island
beyond the time when we can properly
leave it to itself. then every honest
American will be justified in institut-
ing an inquiry or entering a complaint"
THE Baltimore American. republican.
holds this. and 1t is a Mckinley organ.
that h "only thing congress car do is
Ito review the document-and that is
possible only through the courtesy Of
the Cubans-and advise its trainers Of
any defects and the best way IN which
NAV ha corrected II this courae