The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-25
OR WISE CIRAN POLICY.


In the course of some remarks at memo
rial services in honor Of a deceased Ger
man citizen Mr.. Lucus B. Swift took occa-
sion TO condemn the policy of the United
States in Cuba. He said the government
had utterly failed to live up to the promise
made TO the Cubans before the Spanish
American war He declared that TO the
Cuban patriots struggling for freedom a
free republic was promised as soon as the
war should end, instead of which, he said,
1--WE have taken away their independence
and the island now is under the control
and supervision Of our government" Me-
mortal services in honor OF a deceased
townsman did not imperatively call for an
attack on the governments Cuban policy,
but any comment made on such an occa-
sion should at least have been truthful.
The United States made no promise what
ever to the Cubans before the war with
Spain began. The only thing approaching
a promise was a general declaration of the
policy the government intended to pursue
in the proposed Intervention. This declar-
alton was made to the world at large. II
said 1.-The United States hereby disclaims
any disposition or intention to exercise
sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over
said island. except for the pacification
thereof, and asserts it's determination,
when that is accomplished, to leave the
government and control of the island to
the people" This contains no promise of a
free republic, no reference to any form of
government. and no pledge to do anything
soon the war should end. 1t is sim
ply a promise that after the Spaniards
were expelled from the island and its COM
plete pacifcation was accomplished to the
satisfaction of the United States the latter
would withdraw and leave the government
and control OF the island to it's people. 1t
has adhered faithfully to that policy during
the last three years, and will soon take the
final step of Withdrawing from the island.
1t was for the United States "a construe
its own declaration and to dc de what the
paciication of the island should involve.
The decision that it should involve the
suppression of fractional strife, the forma-
ton and adoption of a constitution and
some education of the people in the rudi-
mentary principles and forms of govern
ment was a most wise and salutary one.
Anything less than this and anything short
of what the United States has done would
have been cruelty to the Cubans and would
have resulted in creating dangerous condi-
tions. To have simply expelled SPAR from
Cuba and left the Cubans to fght i out
among themselves without any assistance,
instruction or guidance in the matter Of
forming a stable government would have
brought upon the United States the con-
demnation of the whole civilized world.
President McKinley's idea of what the
pledge of paciication meant may be gath
cred from the following extract from his
annual message of 1899:
Spanish rule must be replaced by just,
benevolent and humane government, Gre
ated by the people of Cuba, capable Of per-
forming all international obligations, and
which shall encourage thrift, industry and
prosperity and promote peace and good will
among all of the inhabitants, whatever
may have been their relations in the past.
Neither revenge nor passion should have
place in the government. Until there
is complete tranquility in the island and
cupation will be continued.
Nothing of this kind would have been
secured had the guiding and controlling
hand of the United States been removed as
soon as the Spanish forces evacuated the
island. In his annual message of 1900 Pres
ident Mckinley said
This Nation has assumed before the
world a grave responsibility for the future
good government of Cuba. We have &C
cepted a trust the fulfillment OF which calls
for the sternest integrity OF purpose and
the exercise of the highest wisdom. .
Whatever be the outcome we must see to
ii that free Cuba he reality, not name;
a perfect entity. not a haSty experiment
bearing within itself the elements of fail
ure. Our mission, TO accomplish which we
took up the wager of battle, is not TO be
fulfilled by turning adrift any loosely
framed commonwealth to face the vicissi-
tudes which too often attend weaker states
whose natural wealth and abundant re-
sources are often beset by the incongruities
of their political organization and the re-
curing occa sions for internal rivalries to
sap their strength and dissipate their en-
ergies.
This was a statesmanlike and humane
view of the duty of the United States to-
ward Cuba-a duty which would have been
cravenly shirked if the United States had
selves as soon as the Spaniards were OK
PEELED Every step and every act of the
government during the temporary occupa-
ton OF Cuba has been on the lines laid
down by President Mckinley. Americans
who assail the Cuban policy of the last
administration and of the present one do
not represent the interests either of Cuba
or the United States. and their position
can only be supported by distorting facts