reasserted the Monroe Doctrine. He
made it clear that the United States had special interests in Cuba,
which not only all other nations but also Spain herself must recognize
and acknowledge. Concerning the war he said, most justly:

"The spectacle of the utter ruin of an adjoining country, by nature one
of the most fertile and charming on the globe, would engage the serious
attention of the government and people of the United States in any
circumstances. In point of fact, they have a concern with it which is by
no means of a wholly sentimental or philanthropic character. It lies so
near us as to be hardly separated from our territory. Our actual
pecuniary interest in it is second only to that of the people and
government of Spain. It is reasonably estimated that at least from
$30,000,000 to $50,000,000 of American capital are invested in
plantations and in railroad, mining and other business enterprises on
the island. The volume of trade between the United States and Cuba,
which in 1889 amounted to about $64,000,000, rose in 1893 to about
$103,000,000, and in 1894, the year before the present insurrection
broke out, amounted to nearly $96,000,000. Beside this large pecuniary
stake in the fortunes of Cuba, the United States, finds itself
inextricably involved in the present contest in other ways both
vexatious and costly."

Then he added, in words the purport of which was unmistakable:

"When the inability of Spain to deal successfully with the insurrection
has become manifest, and it is demonstrated that her sovereignty is
extinct in Cuba for all purposes of its rightful existence, and when a
hopeless struggle for its reestablishment has degenerated into a strife
which means nothing more than the useless sacrifice of human life and
the utter destruction of the very subject-matter of the conflict, a
situation will be presented in which our obligations to the sovereignty
of Spain will be superseded by higher obligations, which we can hardly
hesitate to recognize and discharge."

To those who knew Mr. Cleveland, and who appreciated the care with which
he selected every word in all important addresses, this could have but
one meaning. It meant that American intervention was inevitable. Note
that he did not say "_If_ the inability of Spain _should_ ... a
situation _would_ ..." as though the thing were still problematic. No;
but he said plumply "When the inability of Spain _has_ become manifest
... a situation _will_ be