New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-30
pEnNAQK IN CURA

PEONAGE IN CUBA.
As soon as King Amadeus begins to feel
himself little at home In his new throne, he
would do well to pay some attention to his
outlying provinces. The young monarch is
credited with good intentions and with q
certain amount of practical common sense. 1t
is easy to imagine that thus far his time has
been entirely occupied with domestic politics,
to the exclusion of colonial affairs. But the
Cuban question Is one which will not suffer
itself to be let alone with impunity. It Is true
that the patriots have not made the progress
their sanguine friends had hoped, and we can
not think 1t to their interest to publish these
imaginary accounts of impossible victories which
we occasionally see In certain journals. But
the danger which most nearly threatens the
cause Of Spain lies not in the triumph OF the
patriots, bat in the success OF the Spaniards.
Already there Is but the thinnest pretense OF
obedience to the authority of Spain among the
insolent Volunteers and their terrorized lead
ers. An order which Is negatived by the
opinion Of the moment around the tables OF the
Havana cafes is never executed. Sometimes 1t
is met with open contempt, sometimes by quiet
evasion, and often, when an attempt Is made
to execute IL, the effort breaks against the
stubborn arrogance of the true masters OF the
Island.
This ia the fault of the situation, more than
of the Government. The spirit of legislation
in the Cortes and in the Cabinet Of Madrid Is,
on the whole, liberal and anti-Slavery. 1t Is
true that the hired advocates OF Slavery and
the champions of the reaction oppose to the
uttermost every step In the right direction, but
in spite of this opposition there has been sub
stantial progress made in the social and poltl-
cal condition of the ultramarine provinces, 30
far as mere legislation could accomplish this.
But in truth this laudable Legislation, which
has been in great measure suggested by Gen.
Sickles and Mr.. Layard. remains almost wholly
dead letter upon the statute-books. Very
little, if anything, has yet been done IN
Cuba to carry into effect the anti
Slavery legislation of the last two years.
It has not been for lack of good
will in Madrid. Not only is it to the in
terest of the Government to show that the
professions of liberal policy which it makes to
Foreign Powers are sincere but the men who
have been at various times in charge Of the
Min stry of Ultramar are both by their senti-
ments and their antecedents pledged to the
SpaiG two more prominent Democrats and
Abolitionists than Becerra and Moret and yet
during their entire administration there was
no practical progress made in carrying into
effect in the Island of Cuba the liberal inten-
tons of the Government and the legislation
of the Constituent COrtes
Encouraged by constant success and impu-
nifty the Havana Satrapy seems to have lost all
sense Of responsibility to law or justice, or to
the moral sentiment of the world. 1t has
turned its attention to those Chinese laborers
whose terms of service are expiring, and issued
decree against them not exceeded in bar
| barity by the former legislation of our South
ern States against free negroes. 1t banishes
from tho Island all the Chinese who, having
faithfully fulfilled the contracts under which
they landed, have not renewed them under the
same conditions, or who propose to enter upon
any other employment than that which they
pursued on arriving. Under pretense that
some of them may have run away [habrd
quiSds algunos fgados] from the farms where
they were hired, the planters are invited to
present themselves at the various establish
ments where these unfortunates are confined,
to claim such as belong to them. 1t will not
be difficult to imagine the facilities which will
be afforded the planters in identifying their
abls-bodied fugitives, or the promptness with
which these will be delivered. 1t is possible
that the outrages and infamies which are
preparing against these helpless and unof-
Tending laborers may awake no echo in the
civilized world. They are too obscure. and
friendless to make their voices heard across
the seas. The United States and the ma
tions of Europe have submitted to so many
spoliations and murders directed against their
own citizens that they will certainly not in
terfere in behalf of alien and barbarian VIC
tins. But with every fresh exhibition of the
lawlessness and brutality of the Havana des-
potism the question will gain strength and
Importance, how long this brigand- gOvernment
is to be permitted to exist" Spain is power
less to correct it. 1t is for us to decide when
it becomes intolerable.