New-York tribune., 1901-08-01
OUR PLEDGE TO CUBA.

significant statement appears in our inter
| view of Tuesday with Senior Quesada concern
! ing the responsibility of the United States for
! the new government which is about TO be estab-
lshed in Cuba Senor Ques6da was formerly
the representative of the Cuban Junta at Wash
ingtOn, and later commissioner from Cuba 10
the United States, and is now a prominent
member of the Cuban Constitutional COnven-
tion, and is therefore well qualified to speak
with authority of the mind of the Cuban peO-
pie. After declaring that the general condition
of Cuba is satisfactory. and that all misappre-
hensiOn of the Platt amendment has been
cleared away, he says:
There is a general sentiment in Cuba that she
must become a republic, and that the United
States is pledged to assist Cuba in bringing this
about.
That according 10 this eminent Cuban
thority. is the general sentiment of the Cuban
people. From the manner of his statement, and
from the entire absence of any word TO the con-
trary, we are justified in assuming that Senior
Quesada himself holds or approves, or sympa-
thizes with that same sentiment. But why?
Where is such pledge to be found? Assuredly
it is not contained in nor even suggested by
that famous Congressional resolution which
some have seemed to think embodies the alpha
and omega of United States policy toward Cuba,
and which. we have been told. the Cubans
unanimously expect us TO fulfil TO the very let
ter-"Only this and nothing more" That resO-
luton asserted the determination of the United
States as soon as Cuba was pacified Ito leave
the government and control of the island 10
Its people" Obviously. according to these
strict constructionsts, who are so much more
Cuban than the Cubans, should have with
drawn from Cuba long ago, and should have let
the Cubans set up whatever government they
pleased be it republic, dictatorship, kingdom or
theocracy. The Cubans themselves. however,
according TO one of the very best authorities in
the world do not think So They want the
United States to assist them in establishing
republic and hold that the United States is
pledged to do so.
That is to say. they look beyond that Con-
gresSiOnal resolution 10 the more thoughtful
and deliberate declaration of purpose and of
policy which preceded it and to which that
resolution aimed 10 give effect That declara-
ton was made in the Presidents message, and
was that the United States should secure in
1.-The island the establishment of a stable gov
''ernment capable of maintaining order and OBJ
serving its international obligations. insurinG
peace and tranquility and the security of its
''citizens az we'll our own" There is the
pledge which, according TO SehOr Quesada, the
Cubans have in mind. and which they desire
and expect the United States TO fulfill SenOr
Quesada's statement is evidence that had the
United States mcoatinently scuttled Odt of Cuba
year or two ago, leaving it "to stew in its own
jIice" as some dsinterested philanthrOpists so
strenuously urged. this country would not only
have belied its own long established policy and
have disgraced itself in the eyes of the civilized
world. but would also have given the Cubans
themselves cause to think it had broken its
pledge TO them and had betrayed them The
Nubans look TO the United States not simply
10 get out and let them set up such govern
ment as they please. bSt 10 assist them in the
establishment of a satisfactory republican form
of government That is Senor Quesada's state
ment and it will stand.