Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-30
lCOpyrishtad 1851

UNITED STATES POSSESS CUBA.
ICopyrizht1d 1851
Special Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR.
HAVANA, CUBA, June p, 1883.
.sIf Cubans long for liberty, why don't they rise
and win II by force OF armse" 'f the domination OF
spain Is so hateful, why is IL not resisted7" eff
there Is over $500 600 900 in American capital In
vested In Cuba, why does not the Washington
Government take cognizance OF constant dan ger
and loss 10 its citizens through spanish misrule,
and compel from Spain assurances OF fair treat
ment 10 American citizens so involyed?" "If Cuba
Is q country OF untold and untouched riches, and
Its present possession by inconcevably vile and
barbarous foreign power is threat against
American supremacy In America, why does not
our Government buy it, or take it?"-are among
many questions on simila. lines which have been
asked through the mails OF your correspondent.
Their capitalization means: What IS the matter
with Cuba? This question has never been In
formingiy and succinctly answered / shall en-
deavor 70 do 80, although some OF the questions
cited can only be answered by at once conceding
the colossal stupidity, cowardce. OF that which
stands, whatever political party Is In power, as
the foreign policy" OF the United states.
SPANS RELATIONS TO CUBA.
In the first place, for over one hundred years
Cuba has not, IN point OF fact, belonged to Spain.
The fundamental duty OF all government is the
protection OF life and property. spain has never in
prerequisite OF ownership toward Cuba. The actual
and damnable history OF Spains relations 10 Its
richest and greatest West Indian possession Is crys-
tailed TO the diamond-pOin ia Cuba's dOlorous
adage: scuba es la vaca de Espala; pero hace
tempo que Ia vaca no da leche' ('Cuba is SPANS
COW: but was long ago MIXED dry'0 From first 10
last she has been held as a dependency 70 be
robbed and ravished by spanish officials at the
point OF the oayonet- The history OF every sue
cessive spanish cabinet, despite the protestive
force OF noerality and humanity in all civilized
governments, has been record OF ever-increasing
recklessness and injustice toward cuba. The
elevation OF every spanish minister OF the colonies
has been recognized through all spain, from time
tor or public thet SIs nrne tn ne aiohe being
measured by his deyiish ingenuity In
wringing additional plunder from spanish
less creatures OF each succeeding Colo
NAL government have vied with their predeces-
sympathstic assertions. These comprise a mod
crate statement Of villainous facts which any one
In days scanning OF in6ernatiGni history can
lous misrule by most OF SPANS North and SOUTH
American colonies was practically simultaneous,
material support from the United states and Eng
land, and was successful. witness the result: A
US, so closely In sympathy with all progress and
aspiration through liberty, that freedom from
despotisn on the American continent unless 1t re-
nam In Cuoa) Is forever assured
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION.
Because OF the understandable natural luxuriance
and incalculable natural wealth OF cuba; because
this particular golden cow OF spain could longest
sustain an interminable stripping; because those
who hoped for cuba ever looked forward for some
sort OF relief from the United States the tolera-
ton OF intOlerable conditions here continued
longer than in other Spanlsn-American colonies.
Then came the revolution OF 1865. All conSldera-
lions OF justice aside, whether that memorable
struggle for independence deserved substantial
and complete recognition by the nations not, is
best answered by SPANS own ADMISSION OF what
II cost The war lasted from october. 1865, until
the patched-up peace or LanJOn, February 10,
Of rlv tan aDAa f1frafr
90 the estimate OF GOvernOr-General Don Joaquin
Jovella, 100000 combatants persisted in battle
or through disease; the contest deSOiaJed entire
provinces and the cost In money 10 Spain
and Cuba was upward OF s1OO,OO0.OOo. In
other words, the entire power OF Spain expended
In the attempted subjugatiOn of a little island
whose total population never exceeded million
and half souls, was for ten years Inadequate TO
enforce the suprem icy OF It's authority. And then,
and then only, was quasi victory secured by
practical treaty or peace with tue heroic revolu-
tionists In which their laying down OF arms was
conditioned upon sacred pledges by spain that:
The island or Cuoa Is granted an organic and adj
ministrative regime equal 10 the one which rules
all slaves and AslAtlc coloniSts who fought in the
ranks OF the Instruction; Cuba TO be permanently
represented In the cortes by her own deputies duly
elected, and thus TO recover the privilege OF
which she was deprived In 1896"
THIS TREATY OF PEACE
was accepted by the CubanS In perfect good faith
1t was a step gained toward relief from ntolerabe
conditions The resumption OF agriculture bust
ness and all human activities throughout the
island, was begun with as genuine loyalty as was
ever known on the part OF any earnest people who
sonSIrv Rt Snail, WhicS I lop eneis ioVea
treaty save under the whip of force, never In
tended 10 keep faith with Cuba, and never did so.
Instead OF bringing about reforms IL frightened
Its despotic grip upon the island; filling IL with
swarms OF It's hireling and brutal soldiers; con-
PEELED IT TO support a standing army OF regular
troops greater than that required by the United
states; created through force, fear and favoritsm
s an additional iSa,d standing army Of .volun-
regular troops; exiled citizens; conis-
Gated properties; added taxation in every
ingenuity OF greed and hate 10 invent and Impose:
prosecuted with inconceivab.e brutality those VINO
had In honor accepted an honorable defeat; pro-
scribed nterators, poets and orators; suppressed
journals whose most careful and deferential sug-
gestions for justice were in behalf OF brave and
and divided among local legalized brigands the
Infamous imposts and revenues; dragged innocent
men from their houses and shot them ike dogs upon
the street, or worse immured them in loaIh.some
dungeons as food for fevers and rats. and BUTCH
cred from that day to this, single victims or
whole squads with barely the mockery OF a trial
by prearranSed executioners. And ali this, and
so much more, Infinitely so much more, that IL is
not IN the power OF man 10 present the faintesJ
conception OF the enormity or spanish iniQuity
against CIVILIZATION. has been going on within lbs
miles OF our own great blatant, pretentious and
cowardly country.
POLITICAL NQUIsTrIoS.
The machinery for the Spanish political inquisi-
ton and legalzed brigandage in Cuba is suffi-
GENTLY unique and interesting as an Illustration
OF the possibilities of governmental crime against
people 10 warrant brief outline OF the same
There are six Cuban proyinceS-Havana, Matauzas
Pfnar del RIO, santiago de cuba, santa Clara. and
Puerto Principe, whose Capitals or judicial and
financial intendancfes are respectively the cities
OF Havana, Matanzas, Pinar Rio, Santiago de Cuba
Villa Cara, and Puerto Principe. cuban repre-
sanitation at Madrid consists OF two deputies for
The COrtes, elected every two years, and one SEN
ator, elected every six years, from each province
When the fact Is stated that these Gosli,,felV
the only etecftre offices an al Cuba, and that but
one or two OF the Cuban provinces are permitted
70 return deputies sympathiZing TO any degree
with Cuoans, the AFFECT political hopelessness and
degradation OF cuba are sufficiently shown. Every
one OF the army OF plundering oIiclals In CUBA Is
an INDIVIDUAL appointed BY the colonial minister
al Madrid
THE GOyERS0R-GESERlI-
at Havana, himself a creature OF the colonial mfn-
lister. with salary Of $4,000 In gold horde OF
petty titled slaves, and standing army OF 10000
regular and 5000 "volunteer, soldiers at his
back, Is Infinitely more an absolute dictator in all
ciyN and military Affairs than the car OF Russia
HIS WORD Is law and execution OF law, In point OF
LAcc over the property, person, and the most In.
unitesimA Affairs, OF every soul In Cuba. He Is
viii OF his political creator and partner IN crime
and the material rewards OF crime, the colonial
secretary. His sole and only mission 70 Cuba Is 10
give II such regime shall enable him
ana his master, by common and uncom-
mon ROBBERY, by blackmail, eXtOrtion, legalized
pandolerfsm In dungeons OF political suspects"
connscatfon OF estates, exile OF citizens persecu-
Son on business and commercial interests, colossal
or1gandAge, and actual murder, when necessary
70 wiring the last dollar syolr from Tho t,Iond