Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-08-13
CUBAN ANNEXATION.

party, with policies controlled by
the slave holding oligarchy Of the
South was ever sche1ning to ac-
quire Cuba by purchase, by force
or, indeed, by any means what
ever whether fair or foul. Wker
the "I.ost Cause furled lis BAN
ners at Appcmattox the purpose
to acquire possession Of Cuba be-
came one Of the worthless assets
of the democracy. Slavery was
dead, territorial expansion was no
longer necessary, to the South,
and Cuba was sa fe from Southern
cupiditv. Through TIE years its
acquisition had been opposed by
those who were arrayed against
the extension of slavery and the
consequent increased power of the
pro slavery element TO shape and
direct our national policies.
While Our people clung to the
Monroe doctrine and would not
willingly have seen Cuba pass
into the hands of any other Eu-
ropean power they were satisfied
that Spain should continue i'll
possession of the island.
After the civil waf Our own
affairs required our attention SO
that we had neither time nor in
clination to manifest much inter
est in the concerns of our neigh
bors. Even the efforts of the
Cubans to achieve political inde-
pendence did not appeal to us
strongly, for no racial ties bound
us to them and we regarded them
as practically untitled for self
government.
10 is true the long continued
and heroic efforts of the Cubans
TO free themselves from Spanish
dominion drew forth the moral
sympathy and supporter our peo-
pie and government, but no one
contemplated going beyond this.
Had Spain treated the Cuban in
surgents with decent humanity we
would not have interfered.
When Our government did earn-
estly protest and firmly admonisli
the Spanish authorities that we
would no longer permit their un-
Just and inhuman treatment OF
the insurgents we had no desire
nor purpose to acquire possession
of Cuba and had our warning
been needed Spain would yet, SC
far as we are concerned, be in
possession of her West India ter
ritory.
The destruction of the Maine
followed and in spite of the calm
er councils of the president and
his cabinet congress declared wal
against Spain and promised
Cubans their independence.
We recite this recent history to
show,how completely the old pur-
pose of Cuban acquisition has
passed away. 1t was the purpose
only of the democratic party at
the behest of the slave-ho1dine
South. The democratic party
was not then fitting anti terri
torial expansion plaaks III its
platforms.
Intelligent Americans, hew-
ever, have ever believed that ulti-
mately Cuba will become aa in
tegral part of the United States.
This might easily enough have
been accomplished at the close OF
the Spanish war had we not fool
ish1y and unnecessarily proclaim
ed to the world that we engaged
in that conflict only through mo-
tives of humanity and to give
Cubans se1f-government. We
promised this to the Cubans, and
we have kept our promise. In a
very short time we shall with,
draw every soldier and place the
island in Cuban control.
Will Cuba come to us? It is
highly probable she will. The
The Cubans could not long main
tain a government without our
support. They will tire of for
eign relations with us. They
presently will see that all their
interests will be best subserved
by a closer alliance with us than
is possible while they maintain
an Independent government OF
their own. Of her own volition
Cuba will then knock at the door
for admission to the American
union.
We may expect the South, the
tobacco, sugar and rice producing
South to oppose such a step.
Certain trusts may also oppose il
unless first they have gained con-
troll of Cuba's production of sugar
and tobacco. The democracy
may lose the support Of "a solid
sonthD and the no1icies IF Darties