ests and greater responsibilities. Cuba must be launched into independence; self-government given to Porto Rico; and the Philippines reduced to order and their inhabitants instructed in the rudiments of civil law and political organization. Despite the benefits which particular selfish interests might gain from the new order of things, the SpanishAmerican War left the United States upon a higher moral plane. For the citizens at large the intervention in Cuba and the acquisition of the Philippines meant no personal advantage; it meant simply added responsibility; and with this additional responsibility there would come one or the other of its inevitable accompaniments, either failure and disgrace, or higher individual and higher national developSeveral of the following chapters of this work will sketch what has thus far been accomplished under these new opportunities and responsibilities. The future holds the secret of that final answer which the American nation shall make to the call of destiny or Providence.

ment.

CHAPTER III

THE OCCUPATION AND RELINQUISHMENT OF CUBA

THE purpose of American intervention in Cuba and the tenure of the United States upon the island were defined and limited by the terms of three official documents of first importance. The joint resolutions of April 20, 1898, recognized the Cuban people as rightfully free and independent, and empowered the president, in case Spain would not at once surrender her title to the island, to use the military and naval forces of the United States to establish such freedom and independence. But in addition to this statement of the purpose of intervention, the resolutions contained a limitation upon the anticipated American occupation of the island. The Teller amendment, the fourth of the series of resolutions, provided "that 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 its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and the control of the Island to its people."

By the peace protocol of August 12, 1898, by the terms of which Spain relinquished "all claim of sovereignty over or title to Cuba", and agreed to evacuate the island immediately in favor of the American forces, one of the objects of intervention was obtained and peaceable occupation was provided for. The definite treaty of peace concluded at Paris on December 10th, imposed upon the United States

many obligations respecting Cuba. It first expressed these obligations in the following general form: "As the Island is, upon its evacuation by Spain, to be occupied by the United States, the United States will, so long as such occupation shall last, assume and discharge the obligations that may, under international law, result from the fact of its occupation, for the protection of life and property." In other articles of the treaty many duties were imposed upon the United States government, among which were the freeing of political prisoners, the guaranteeing the freedom of religion to the inhabitants of the island, the continuance of cases pending in the law courts, the inviolability of public records, and the protection of the lives and property of Spanish citizens. Finally, the last clause of the treaty disfinctly stated that, "It is understood that any obligations assumed in this treaty by the United States with respect to Cuba are limited to the time of its occupancy thereof; but it will upon the termination of such occupancy advise any government established in the island to assume the same obligations."

These three documents, therefore, show clearly that the purpose of American intervention was to pacify the island and obtain freedom and independence for its people; that occupation came as a natural result of intervention; that the tenure of the island by the United States should continue only long enough to pacify the island; that during the American occupation many obligations to Cubans, to Spaniards, and to other foreigners would be assumed by the United States; and that before relinquishing control of the island, the United States should secure the establishment of a Cuban government which would make pacification permanent, give freedom and independence to the island, and which would continue, if possible, to respect those duties to foreigners which had been assumed by the United States. Nothing was said in these documents of interests of the United States, such as the danger from yellow fever, or from unsettled political conditions, the necessities of our

West Indian trade, and the need of coaling-stations, which were among the real causes of intervention. It would have been well if some of these undoubted interests of the United States had been expressed in the official statements respecting intervention and occupation. As it was, with the emphasis laid almost entirely upon the altruistic aims of the country, the administration was charged with bad faith and outright dishonesty by many Cubans and Americans, when, in the Platt Amendment, it later insisted upon provisions which were directly advantageous to the United States.

It will be well to notice the process by which control of Cuba was assumed and the condition of the island at the time of occupation; the facts of military government and the steps taken for the pacification of the island; the establishment of a new republican government; and the determination of the relations of this government to that of the United States.

Under the terms of the peace protocol of August 12th, the American commissioners appointed to arrange for the evacuation of Cuba were Rear-Admiral W. T. Sampson, and Major-Generals M. C. Butler and James I. Wade; the Spanish commissioner was Captain-General Ramon Blanco. The commissioners began their work shortly after the signing of the protocol, but many delays occurred in the transportation of troops and in the settlement of minor details of evacuation, some of which had to be referred to Washington and Madrid for determination. The evacuation of Porto Rico was completed by October 18th, and it was hoped that in Cuba this could be accomplished by January 1, 1899. By that date, however, only a part of the Spanish troops had been withdrawn, their places being taken by garrisons of Cuban or American forces. At Havana, at noon on January 1st, Captain-General Castellanos, under impressive ceremonies, transferred the control of the island to Major-General John R. Brooke, who, on December 13th, had been appointed by President McKinley as military governor of Cuba. The Spanish troops in Havana were placed