New-York tribune., 1901-11-26
NOT BOUND TO ANNEX CUBA.

Talk about annexation of Cuba continues
The Cubans some of them. who are coming
TO Washington TO work for trade reciprocity are
said really TO have annexation in view as the
ultimate aim of their efforts. And now there
comes from Santiago de Cuba report that Gen
eral Wood. the Military Governor of the island
saws that Cuba is destined eventually 10 be an
ne1ed to the United States, and that the United
States will be morally bound to annex Cuba II
asked to do so by that island We are not pre-
pared to believe that General Wood did say pre-
cisely that; but his alleged utterance is worthy
of notice indicating the mind OF others and
what they are ready 10 attribute to him.
In all these references annexation is, or
course understood to mean admission TO State
hood in this Union. Regarding the proposition
In that light it is properly TO be said. and to be
said with all possible confidence and earnest
ness. that the United States is not and will not
be morally bound" TO annex Cuba. There is
not the slightest trace of moral compulson to
that end. On the contrary. if moral considera-
tlons and influences are involved at all, they
operate In the other direction, against the in-
corporation Of Cuba into this Union.
II is mistake to regard any territory as en-
titled by right to admission into the United
States unless there some treaty stipulation
10 that effect The clause in the constitution
hearing lIpon the matter is permissive not man
datorv New States mag be admitted by the
Congress into this Union And if such be the
case with contiguous territory. homogeneous in
population with the existing States and long In
possession Of this Union, much more so is 1t
with a detached and alien land which never has
belonged TO us. The theory that an outlying and
alien country matter of right force It
self into this Union of self-governing States and
III rrTof tim
Is not for a moment tolerable. Neither can it
be conceded that this nation is morally bound
to let any such come in and participate in gov
erning ii.
Theodore Parker used TO say that true democ-
racy required a man to say not that he was a.
good as any one else but that any one else was
as good as be- We shall do we'll to bear that
principle in mind when considering annexation
nroposals Admission of Cuba into this Union
would mean not only that this nation was TO
govern Cuba but also that Cuba was 10 take
part in governing this nation. It would mean
that Cuba would have a voice in making laws
for New-York and New England and the South
and the West: and not only voice but per
haps in some close division, deciding voice,
SO that in the gravest affairs this whole nation
might be governed and its destiny be decided
by Senators and Representatives from CUBA
That, we are convinced, is something the peo-
| pie OF the United States will never permit and
will never make possible
No this country is not and never will he
/ bound morally legally, to admit any alien
/ country TO a share in its sovereignty. 1t is no
more to be subjected to civil invasion than TO
| military invasion. The latter it would quickly
and Indignantly repel with force OF arms Inc
former it may well guard infeXibly against with
IfS,,nI ttyfNnn
patriotically jealous for the preservation Of our
| great birthright unimpaired.