The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-11-10
COLI .J:'AlIBIA...
Taesday IIorning. Nov. 10. 1888.
The Island or Cuba.

seems, nave sprung lnto ieXlStence
shere, iu imitation Of that which as
sumed control of the mother coun-
try, Spain, and revolutionized the
government. The manifesto of this
Junta sets forth the grievances of the
islanders, repudiates the title of
"Ever-F Faithful" and proposes q
general programme looking to Re-
public This programme includes
universal suffrage, free trade, and the
abolition of slavery. together with q
number OF similar reforms. The
latest intelligence by telegraph tells
OF the prostration of business upon
the island, distrust and alarm among
the people, insurrection by armed
bodies of men, collisions with Spa
nish troops. and some arrests of lead
ing insurgents.
From Madrid, the announcement
reached us some days since that Gen.
Dulce has been appointed Captain
General of Cuba to succeed Gen.
Lersundi, the latter being an adhe-
rent of the banished Isabella. The
departure of Gen. Dulce from Spain
has, however, been delayed by reason
Of his illness; and in the meanwhile
Gen. Lersund continues to follow
bhe example of his royal mistress in
treating the Cubans with an austerity
which only infames their resentment
The chances are, that unless inter
position soon arrives from Spain,
the insurgents will possess themselves
of the island and declare it indepen-
dent. There are only 10, 600 Spanish
troops upon the island, and the in
surgents number 5000 and are con-
stantly augmenting. They embody
both Cubans, or Creoles, and Spa
niards, and are enthusiastic and ag-
gressive.
At any other period in the history
of the United States this condition
of affairs in Cuba would be hailed
with profound satisfaction, as afford
ing an opportunity for annexation.
Such an extremity has always been
anticipated as the time for such q
movement, and the acquisition of
Cuba has always been considered de-
sirable in all parts of the Union, So
called. But now we hear little or
nothing about annexation, which is
possibly owing to our election excite
ments, and possibly to feeling in
the public mind that the Government
already has enough of infammable
material under its dominion without
adding the hot-blooded Cubans. The
time may come, however, when at
tention will turn to the project again.
and unless we have another revolu-
ton among ourselves, the present
decade may see the island of Cuba
included among the stars upon the
''fag of the Union"
Ao uiiC vi Vic Oultcu OltttS, SuDa
would be a valuable addition to our
territory, and her Importance in
point of geographical position can
hardly be over-rated. Her produc-
tions also would be OF inestimable
advantage to our home commerce, to
say nothing OF their value for foreign
trade. The Richmond Enquirer. and
Ecaniaer has compiled some valua-
BILE statistics relative to this idea.
Dat the best comment upon her
value, however, is found in the fact
that she has been paying an annual
income to the Spanish Government
OF $50, 900, 900 in gold, which is equal
to one-half the interest on the Fede-
raj debt. The population of the
island is nearly 1,500, QUO, divided
into various classes. The residents
of European descent number about
$1,000: domici!cd foreigners about
5000; transient Spaniards and for
eigners about ,2l,50O; Chinese, in
Guiding Coolies still in service and
COo]iee free1 IN O0O ,nd Vnoo{aco