The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-12


 No middle ground can be safely or wisely taken on this subject. The first proposition raises the question. wheth- CT Cuba can gain the recognition of the great nations. including the United States, fer her independence. All the other powers, Spain especially, would probably be willing to see Cuba erected into an independent power if that could be done without restrictions on her sov- ereignty imposed by the United States, because 1t would embarrass the United States in its military strength and re- tard it's commercial growth and pros perity. Ii would open new avenues of trade to the European powers, and Cuba would be. at least. available as a base of military operations against the United States in case of war.
 The sole impeachment to the reaiiza- tion of these advantages by the Eu- ropean powers is the Monroe doctrine, for which cuba could furnish no prac- tical support, even if she were so dis posed. When Cuba shall have passed beyond our control Spain will feel that she is at liberty to contend-and with a plausibility of argument that all Eu- rope will accept-that the Monroe doc- trine has no application to her in re. spect of Cuba, and that, If she shall ever ue AufC, buC WAsA tA1@vS ~<~ AN8->~ unaar the laws of nations to restore her aominion over Cuba. She will ar- Eue that the United States expelled her from Cuba by superior force, and, refusing to accept the sovereignty over the island, left 1t in abeyance, and neither paid anything fer the island nor demanded of Spain any pledge that, under changed conditions, she would not return and assert her sovereignty
 And Spain can insist that when the treaty of Paris was concluded nearly all the people of Cuba were spanish subjects, and were given the right to remain true to their former alieglance' or to renounce 1t; that many or tnen' natives of Cuba, have remained there as Spanish subjects, and that she has the right in virtue of the treaty to in- tervene in Cuba for the protection or those subjects wheI Cuba shall become an independent power. Spain will fur- ther insist that her rights in Cuba as a sovereign were excepted out of the prohibitions of the Monroe doctrine; that her right to protect her sup3ecIf there has not been suErendered, anu that when she shall have reasserted ner dominion over Cuba she will hold the same relations to the island and peopis and the same relations te the unateo States that she held in 1893. when me Monroe doctrine was hfst pfooiahmeo' Obviously. such contentious on tns mart of Spain would force the United States into war, in which all Europe would sympathize with Spain, or they would compel us to abandon the reaA spirit and purpose of the Monroe doc- urine. If Spanish intervention snouae receive the support of the people ol cnha o,,v argument for their indepena- once and for the application or the Monroe doctrine would be seriousiy a,,estioned in European cNcies, ana !. woula give us trouble when We 4uy to this difficult situation the power ol Cuba. when sine shall ne inaepsnosn., to declare war against the o.ss States, and for. that purpose .o orM nH alliances offensive and deIenslve .,a. a,c to cede her territory to another power ~, to form considerations with otner States which may own the routes TOT . canal through the Isthmus or Dar
 wa discover possibilities In Cuban in denendence that threaten the o"i'eu states with serious dangers.
 Is the limited States in recoenlAhSS E .ha ,nSependenee of Cuba should fa,l tn nrovide against such dangers ,Ua,,Id he an act of felo' de SC; put they cannot be provided against 'otnerw'se than by retaining power over Cuo@ sU ', Q to prevent their occurrence. It hiay he stated. therefore, that IL IS iHposs, ble that the United States can co"sem' to the independence of Cupa as sVs tsa ersi1n power among the nations or the eartb And. certainly. if we shall not give Cuba that recognition ho otneA
 tion will everado SO. .,, |,
 The national self-protectlon Whlcn ID the vital principle of the Monroe uoc. trIne: the safety of our coast on tne Gulf of Mexico and of the mouth oi tbe Mississippi river, and the security os onr commerce in its transit to ana from our possessions m the Paclric Ocean and along its shores are alone matters of sufficient national ihpoI. ance to force the United states Hto the attitude of denying to Cupa ehe Up- portunity to affect them ih5urlousiS.. or to threaten them, as an hoepenueHo as to S.ot. Tf we had ever made. a pledge to tse oaonle of Cuba that we would de- oIara ono or assure their independence or tha Irnited States. and if such pieuge Saa heen made without any consloera- tton maid or to be paid by tnem' lI ,.,o,,ld not be unjust nor would wS ns o,',anahie to criticism if we snoulo ,,,ithdraw the promise as a measure oL national security. o,. dsc-
 Rut we made no such .pronlse or uSe
 ,oration The declaration made m tne rasoImtion of April 20, 1898, was m the iengSace of the declaration or thirteen ,,nitad colonies which proclaimed tneir tndenendence of Great Britain; put the letter declaration was made oy orsa- 'tzed 1overnments for their own pur
 roses and has an entirely dlIIereh' annlication. The United States mas re- f,,sed to recognize even the pelhsereht ,.iahts of Cuba. To declare that the ooonIe of Cuba are, or ought to De, iree a,d independent of Spanish dominion .; not the statement of fact by au- tboritv or a fact that we were m any manner bound to make good. It was an oninion that the people or Cupa hao tha right under the laws Of nations to achieve their independence, ana that thev had, by their strength ana couf- ago risen above the rank ana conui- lion of adventurers or insurrectionlsts into the attitude of patriots fighting TOT their liberties. o4as4 ,,,, s
 No reference. even the remotesr, was made in that declaration as 10 ~uat ,nonId be the relations between Cuba and the United States 1T the Spdhlsh nnwer should be expelled from that is- land. .,-- e.-.,. ... ,ution disolalmed any disposition or tn- tentfon of exercising sovereignty Jurts- diction or control over said island ex- cept for the paclfloation. thereof. and asserted it's determination when that should be accomplished to leave the government and control Of the island