The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-26
THE INSURRECTlCS IN CUBA
Efforts of the People to Secure seIf-Gov-
eminent.

/
Efforts of the People to Secure seIf-Gov-
| eminent.
Our knowledge of the facts of the in
surrectlon now in progress in Cuba is
| far from satisfactory. While one can
hardly pick up daily newspaper with,
out finding some dispatch concerning
the struggle, it is impossible to deter
Lime how far the published statements
have been colored by the authorities,
Spanish or Cuban, by whom they have
| been prepared.
The silent facts of which we may be
sure are that the instruction has been
i'll progress for number of months,
and has extended over large part of
the interior of the island; that Spain
has sent over her ablest general, with
tens of thousands of soldiers, to crush
it; that the insurgents, far from yield
ing, have adopted the constitution of u
republic. and chosen president and
other officers.
When we remember that previous
effort tc achieve the independence of
the island resulted in war of IL years
length, filled with atrocities hardly par
allelcd even in similar conflicts, the i'm
mediate outlook is not inviting to the
lover of peace.
The history of Cuba in this century is
little more than dreary record of UNI
successful attempts at liberty. At first
the attempts were peaceful. The cons
situation of Spain in 1912, as a result of
| the Nam 1nnnin rr1Ia nj
tain representation to the Cubans.
Through the successive defeats of the
liberal party in Spain, this provision
was never enforced; and when, in 1886,
Queen Isabella finally accepted the con-
stitution. the cortes voted by an over
whelming majority that Cuba should
enjoy none of the privileges which it ex-
tended to the Spaniards themselves.
Since then, to most Cubans, liberty
and independence have meant the same
thing. The rule of the governors gen.
eral has been absolute to a degree which
it is hard for an American to realize.
1t is true that small party has con-
tnued 10 hope that some measure of
self government might be gained with
out separation from the mother coun-
try. But the concessions by which the
long instruction of 1S68-1SS0 was
brought to close proved of no practical
value. The grasp of Spain on the col
Ony planted nearly 100 years before tho
settlement of our own jamestown has
remained firm while both the northern
and southern continents of America
have been freed from European control.
Whatever ones views as to the right
or wrong of the present uprising, it's
general similarity to the struggle that
resulted IN our own independence cam
not be denied. In the matter of griev-
ances, in fact, most of us will be in
clined to think that the Cubans have
even greater right to complain than did
the British colonists in 1776. The char
acter of their warfare, with it's numer-
Gus small engagements and its slow
progress. is also not unlike the earlier
campaigns of the revolution.
Now, as then, the sea power is almost
entirely in the hands of the mother
country, and consequently the insuf.
gents arc mainly confined to the int.
rior. The advantage of disciplined sol
diery is on the same side. The climate
of the island is, however, a help to the
insurgents such as our fathers did not
possess; for we see it constantly as
serted Shat the yellow fever is proving
far more fatal to the troops from Spain
than all the bullets of the rebels.
This similarity of the Cuban struggle
TO the revolution, the nearness of the
island to our shores, and the intimacy
OF its commercial relations with this
couHry have made the Cuban question
a matter of practical political impor-
lance with us. That the sympathies of
most Americans are with the party Of
independence is evident to everyone. 1t
is further asked, however, whether this
sympathy may not properly be eX.
pressed by some act of our government.
Tho contention that the United States
should at least recognize the belligerent
rights of the insurgents draws a certain
strength from the fact that Spain ac-
corded such recognition to the south.
ern con1cderacy within 40 days after
the firing on Sumter But we should
not repeat, in retaliation, what we then
regarded as a most unjust and unfriend-
ly act.
Some competent judges are of the
opinion that the according of belliger-
ent rights to the Cubans by first-class
power would turn the scale in their
favor. II seems certain that the Gu
bans themselves are looking to us from
their mountains with some expectation
of encouragement if not of active help.
Youths Companion.
Telling Fortunes with Apples.
There are three fortunes to be told
with an apple. Peel the fruit without
breaking the skin, and, holding the
long spiral skin daintily by the end,
swing it three times around the head
and let it fall to the ground; whatever