The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-26
United States interfered in 1893.

United States interfered in 1898. It has been understood by American statesmen, or felt by the American people, for a century that Cuba and all the West India islands belong, geo. graphically and economically. to the United States. Cuba is but an exten- sion of Florida geologically and in cli- mate, and in time the Straits of Florida will close into solid ground. as Key West is.
 Mir. Jefferson in 1901 wrote that Cuba was essential to the United States. In 1925 John Quincy Adams. being Presi- dent, the annexation of Cuba was much discussed as the logical consequence of the Monroe doctrine, promulgated by his predecessor, that the American continent was not open for further col onization by European powers In 184S-49 President Polk made proposi- tions, by Hon. R. M. Saunders, United States minister to- Madrid, to purchase the island for s100,000,000.
 In 1854 the strained relations be- tween the United States and Spain, owing to the detention and search of the Black Warrior and other American vessels in Cuban waters, produced a conference at Ostend between the l American ministers to England. France and Spain, who issued the Ostend manifesto" which declared
 that the possession of Cuba by foreign power was a menace to the
 peace of the United States and that Spain be offered the alternative of talk ing S2O0, ,000, 900 for her sovereignty over the island or have it taken from her by force.''
 Thus affairs dragged along until con- gross declared war against Spain on April 21, 1898, and the treaty of peace was signed in Paris on December 10th
 following. hostilities having ceased
 August 18th. By the terms of the treaty Cuba was to be free on condition
 that "she establish a stable govern ment capable of maintaining order and observing international obligations.
 These were the conditions of the origi-
 nal resolutions passed at the beginning of the war, as they are the substance
 of the Platt resolutions of the last Con- gress.
 1t seems clear, therefore, that the
 United States are bound to hold the
 island under their supervision, protec- tion and pupilage until the Cunans
 themselves prove that they can main,
 tain order and observe international obligations and that General Wood Is certainly within the right when he an
 nounces to the Cuban Convention that
 constitutions won't do. We want ana
 will require a government that does
 secure order and protect life, liberty
 and property; practice, not profes-
 sions; just and wise administration,
 not wise and just constitution
 alone"
 The native non-property holding,
 non- working population are naturally
 very much dissatisfied with this pros
 pect. They have been living without work these twenty years, and at free
 quarters most of the time, and to them liberty" means. as it did to the South
 ern blacks. forty acres and mule" freedom from labor and rations fur
 nished by the State.
 Before the war the United States fed 10000 reconcentrados. and why not now? The States are rich: we are
 poor and hungry. Why not feed and clothe us?" they all say, and it will take more than generation to cure
 them of these fancies. The Southern negro is not cured yet of his hatred of
 work and his conviction that his edu- cation ought to be furnished by the taxes of the white people and ought to free him from the necessity of labor. The Cubans want liberty. That's what he fought for, and le is impatient at the status of guardianship proposed by the Congress of the United States.
 The only remedy, the only guaranty of stable government can be found in annexation to the United States by the free will and free application of the island to be admitted as a State of the Union. Repeal all traffic laws between
 Cuba and the United States; let there be perfect reciprocity in products, in ideas and in manufacture and the
 question will settle itself in five years.
 The irresistible march of manifest
 destiny impels the island into the un
 ion and it will never halt until Cuba shines as one of the stars on the flag of the United States. With free trade and free immigration from the United States free annexation will follow as effect does cause"