New-York tribune., 1901-02-06
TIE WAY OFT.

Well. hut. people saying oh ominous
well. lut,"-the Teller resolution was adopted.
blunder or no hlundcr, and we have got to abide
by IT, Wherefore this Government has no right
10 amend or io criticise the Cuban constitution
nor 10 require any guarantees concerning future
relationships conditions of withdrawal from
the island. but the moment the Cubans adopt
any sort of a constitution and organize any
sort OF 4 government we must retire absolutely
and let the island go its way independently
as France or Germany. Of course. they add it
will be deplorahe 10 do so. for trouble will
surely arise and We shall have 10 intervene
again probably at cost ~ another war. But
there Is no help COR il; having made the initial
blunder. must just keep on laundering until
things come 10 another smash.
OF either the sanity or the morality Of such
reasoning we are by no means convinced. AS
an abstract proposition while two negatives
may make an affirmative. two blacks DO not
make a white and two wrongs do not make
right A hunder is not 10 be rectifei by max
ing more blunders in line with it, but by cor
rectlng the original blunder and then being
careful 10 make no more \ traveller who
goes upon the wrong road does not mend mat
ters by keeping on that road but by turning
back cutting across TO the right one If,
then--to come 10 the concrete case IN hand-the
Teller resolution respecting Cuban independence
were an error. it would he neither wise nor
just 10 persist in maintaining il. The course Of
prudence and Of honor would lie in frankly adj
mitting the error and in atOning for IL by do
ing now the thing which should have been done
al the outset. Because Congress between mid
night and morning adopted resolution which
its most thoughtful members opposed un-
wise. and which neither the United States nor
Cuba asked for or desired. is no reason why
both the United States and Cuba should be sub
jected 10 fhe legacy of woe which that III ad-
vised act presages
We are not arguing for any breach of faith
or for any arbitrary repudiation Of a solemn
pledge. The resolution was adopted and must
stand and certain penalty must be paid for
the error But there IS no reason for any
treme. strained and unwarranted interpreta
tion of that resolution Let us regard it in the
light Of its antecedents and its circumstances
We have already recalled the precedents of
Cuban policy, from the time OF Monroe TO the
present, showing that even under Spanish SOW
ereignty the United States exercised n certain,
valid and admitted protectorste over the island.
in fact if not I'm name. That fact was recog-
nized by President Mckinley in his message
which called forth the Intervention act, in
which he asked for power 10 intervene for 1.-The
establishment of a stable government capable
of observing IFS international relatons'-a
very different thing from simon-pure indepen-
dence. We can ind neither IN the Teller reso-
luton nor elsewhere in the Intervention act any
abnegation of that principle. any relinquish-
ment of the virtual protectorste so long main
tanned by this country orer Cuba On the con-
trary. a fair and just Interpretation of that
resolution, with "A decent respect 10 the opin-
ion OF mankind" will he that II promises a
withdrawal of United States control and guar
antees 10 Cuba independent elfgovernment
only 10 such a degree AZ will be compatible
with the long established and recognized rights
of this country in connection with that island
That would he a simple and straightforward
course 70 which no right minded Cuban would
for a moment object, hut which. on the CON
trary, would b. widely welcomed in that island
a guarantee Of safety and stability II would
give the Cuhans complete independence in do
nestle sef-government and independence. too.
from all fear Of foreign aggression. II would
he in exact accord with the spirit and purport
Of our Intervention IN Cuba three years ago.
and with the consistent policy Of the Nation for
seventy years before. It would assure the per
manent ful1lment of the objects Of our inter
vention. which were not the independence of
Cuba, per SO, but the cessation Of an intoler
able state Of affairs and the establishment Of
stable government i'm accordance with Amer
lean ideas Of what government should be And
il would be. in the highest and truest sense. a
fulfilment of the promises which this country
made not only 10 Cuba but 10 all the world.
and most honorable discharge Of the inter
national obligations which it assumed when IT
entered upon the task Of expeng Spanish mis-
government from the Western Hemisphere.