The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-10-10
STAY IN CUBA FOREVER.
SENATOR BEvERIDGE SAYS AN
NEXAIYON is INEVITABLE.
1t is BY Naure Part Of the Republic,
He Declares. and Must Come in.


Beveridge Of Indiana spoke in the au-
ditorium here tonight, and made
plea for the annexation Of Cuba by
the United States.
yesterday men said let US treat
the Philippines as we have treated
Cuba he said. what man says that
today? What man does not foresee
that all we have accomplished in the
Philippines we must soon begin to ac-
complish in Cuba? What man does
not see that the day is coming when
all the work that we did in Cuba
must be done over again? We found
Cuba a fostering place of disease;
found it the home Of a brave but
childish people, who knew not the
supreme art Of ordinary government;
found it the richest Of islands, with
the poorest Of revenues. We left it
purified and cleansed, with Havana as
sanitary as any American city; we
left it with an orderly government
and an efficient administration; we
left it with finances untangled and
treasury being filed.
.sAnd now in time SO brief that it
seems but yesterday ali these condi-
tions are demoralized. The govern
ment is in panic, the people are in
arms, industry is paralyzed, and ali
society in confusion. All this has
come about in these brief years be-
cause of little things which the Gu
bans themselves scarcely understand.
All these things have come about be-
cause they were inevitable; because
the character of the Cuban people
made them absolutely certain.
Every student who understands
the composition Of the Cuban people
knew that this eruption would come,
and that as long as Americas guiding
hand was withheld from them these
eruptions would continue. All this
was understood by that great states
man who provided for such emergen-
cies in the famous law which bore
his name, the Plat amendment, one
of the three most important statutes
since the adoption of the American
Constitution and he most vital part
Of the Cuban constitution. for the
Platt amendment is a part Of the
fundamental law of Cuba.
sThat Cuba should be American is
the highest example of manifest des-
tiny in history. Geography makes her
Anerican-sh is geographically
part Of Florida. Her position in the
Gulf makes her American-she COM
n1ands is entrance aad me ap-
proachss 10 the MississI29i's n9ath
aad al! our southera 2aarbors. ,Ihe
natural current Of trade makes iier
Araerican-sile is The natrra: market
place of our products. and we are the
natural purchasers of her products.
Political gravitation makes her Amer
ican-no island so small ever main
tained a separate existence near a
country SO great and government
so powerful.
"American government Of Cuba is
the traditional policy Of the American
people. It began before the republic
was founded. The American colonists
petitioned the English King to let
them take Cuba and Scve as their
reasons the very same causes tpat
have inspired American statesmen to
desire the same thing ever since, the
very same causes that are operating
today.
When political parties We're formed
and political platfscns began to be
written, the policy Of American gov
ernment over Cuba expressed itself III
all political creeds. All American
statesmen whose names survive. 70
matter 10 what party they belonged,
down Almost to the Civil War. heio
this consummation as one Of their
dearest dreams. Clay was for IL, cass
was for it, Webster was for it; ano
only the mighty question of slavery,
culniratir the red years OF the
Civil WI stopped the intensifyins
spirit of ne American people, which
but for those dreaded events would
long since have accomplished that
purpose.
This time American occupation Oh
Cuba will be permanent. The American
people will stand no furt' or trif1lns.
They have let sincere sc.-timentahs1s
plav With their destiny long enough.
American occupation Of Cuba ana
American restoration of law and or
der mean the shedding OF American