National Republican., 1875-07-29
CUBA.
Opinions Of the Press.


lrrom the Madison (wis.) State Journal.l
The people Of the United States have gener-
ally and heartily sympathized with the people
Of Cuba, who have been struggling for several
years to free themselves from Spanish rule,
and anything which can consistently be done
by our Government to aid them In achieving
their independence and to restore peace to the
island will be warmly approved.
fFrom the New York Evening Express,l
Few things are more desirable than to see
| the war in Cuba ended, and the waste Of life
and spoliation of property checked on that
beautiful island. The war has for several years
now been characterized by pillage, incendiarism
and massacre. The patriots have devastated
many of the richest portions Of the island, and
many of the estates which have been spared
owe their immunity to the fact that their own
ers are in sympathy with the patriots, and se-
cretly furnish them with money for the strug-
gle. These contributions furnish munitions of
war and subsistence. One part of the island
Is devastated by Cuban troops, and the other
furnishes the ways and means for destruction.
The Spanish are still practically confined to
their forts and fortified cities, while portion
Of Cuba contributes for the destruction of the
rest. Between the two, there is no other out
look than poverty and despair. This carnage
tion and the interests of commerce demand it.
The interests of the American people above all
demand it, since Spanish rule In Cuba Is main
| tained mainly for the purpose of exacting con-
tributions for the support of the miserable
Spanish Government, which are levied chiefly
in the shape of discriminating duties against
the United States. There is no other Govern
ment on the face of the earth that would have
endured so long as we have the insulting and
extortionate discrimination Of Spain against
American commerce, which at once oppresses
the Cuban people and their most profitable
customers. .., 3
rFrom the Republic MagszIne.l -
Recent reports show an immense destruc->
tion of sugar plantations in Cuba, and the indi-
cations are that this will be continued undl this
great Cuban industry is totally destroyed.
The insurgents have come to the conclusion
/ that Spain holds with persistent grasp upon
Cuba, only because of the value of her revenues
to the Spanish Government, and the speediest
way to deprive her of these is to destroy the
sugar plantations throughout the island. It is
painful to reflect upon this resolution. The
world will suffer, and no portion of it more
than the United States. Our importers pay
Cuba some SOS, 900 900 annually for sugar and
molasses alone. What will be the result If
this Wholesale destruction Of sugar plantations
.COutlDuee! a PARTIAL llsL Ol JHe sugar eSIaIeS
destroyed In three districts alone, between
March and April 20, shows that six planta-
tions, with their cane mills, buildings and
other improvements, were destroyed within
that time in the District of Cienfuegos, repre-
senting 500 hogsheads, and worth 81 800 900;
nine In the District of Villa Clara, represent
ing 5000 hogsheads, and valued at 81 ,460, 900,
and eighteen in the District of Sagua lie Grande,
| representing $500 hogsheads, valued at
IS, 900, GOO. The work is still going on with
great yIgor. The entire number of estates
destroyed up to about the middle of April, is
reported At one hundred, valued at 81, ,20O, 900,
but worth previous to the war at least So, ,000,-
600.
THE Richmond EnauIrsr.1
The Cuban question is now beginning to force
itself on public attention at Washington. The
islanders, "who would be Free" and are
bravely struggling for the achievement of their
freedom, have long felt assured of the sympa-
thies Of the American people, but the Govern
ment of the United States has stood severely
aloof, and utterly failed to respond to or repre-
sent that advanced public opinion which makes
and unmakes administrations. For seven long
years the native Cubans have been bFaVely bat.
tling for independence against fearful odds.
The tyranny of Valmaseda-almost without q
previous parallel in the history Of warfare
mas Deeu T6pcdicu w OIQcI1 IN u LQOuSauQ
forms of such intolerable barbarity as should
have secured the prompt and indignant inter
vention Of our Government, especially under
| those claims of control asserted in what Is
| known as the Monroe doctrine, and that un-
written law Of manifest destiny In which the
| people of this country so religiously believe.
| But hitherto the President, either on his own
behalf or through certain members of his ad-
1 ministratiye family has maintained an attitude
| of supreme Indifference, and, indeed, so far as
fayors are concerned, the recipients have been
the oppressors rather than the oppressed.
On half a dozen occasions the action of the
Spanish authorities towards our people has
been at once arbitrary and insulting; but the
powers which stood behind our high magiste-
| rial chair of State managed to secure conces-
sions when apologies should have been de-
manded, and have thus permitted our name
and nation to become byword to the schemers
at Madrid. So it comes about that, instead of
vindicating the claims of authority based on
the Monroe doctrine, the ACTIVE sympathies of
our people, based on their own generous i'm
pulses, and the higher claims Of humanity,
| which all tribes and tongues and peoples
should respect, our present Administration has
proved wholly recreant to its high trust, by
giving countenance and encouragement to
tyranny In its most revolving forms.
1t would seem, however, that q conviction /
has at length been forced on the Administra-
tion that this passive and humiliating policy
has been pursued too far. The butcher, Val
maseds, continues his outrages and increases
the number of his failures. To successfully
manage the financial affairs of the island in
the interest of the mongrel Government at
Madrid has been found as completely beyond
his ability as the other task which he under
took, to wit, a subjugation of the Cuban pa
triots through the barbarity of oppression.
BIS strategy has been as unwise as it has been
inhuman 1t has proved at once contemplate
and unsuccessful. He may yet feel something
akin to the poverty of those he has plundered,
while the blood he has shed may yet rise up
to choke him. Meanwhile our Government
begins to feel the necessity Of taking some ac-
tion in the premises not a mere offer OF
kindly Offices to bring the war to a close on
terms which would not be humiliating to
Spain, like that made In 1869 and haughtily
declined, but In some such positive manner as
will command the attention, If not the en-
phatic approval Of our people.
tfrom the 81. Louis Globe
1t is reported, on very good authority, that
the Cabinet at Washington are consulting con-
cerning thespropriety Of recognizing the Cubans
as belligerents, and thus securing mitigation
of the horrors that have desolated that un-
happy country for so long. If this Is true, It
is the best news we have heard on the Cuban
question for some time. The spectacle that
has been presented to the world in that island
has been q disgrace to our boasted civilization
ior years. About eight years have elapsed
since the war broke out; between two and
three hundred thousand lives have been wasted,
the fairest parts Of the island made desert,
plantations destroyed, the crops burned or
devoured, by one side or the other, and now
the Spaniards are no nearer their object than
they were at first. Indeed, they are further
of, because the islanders are more desperate
and more determined now than ever before
After this long war the Spaniards find them
selves holding the towns and no more; the
Cubans hold the mountain country, while be-
tween the two parties lies space once fertile
now uninhabited and waste. Neither side has
made any important advance, but each has
proved its respective ability to hold on to the
utmost extent. Every interest Of our country
that is concerned at all demands that this war
shall cease. If the Cubans are accorded BEL
ligerent rights, the Spaniards win be forced by
the universal law of nations to deal with them
as II they had rights, and when they are
obliged to do this the war will soon Oe at an
end. They can make headway against no peo-
pie in war whom they are compelled to treat
with equal rights. They always wage war