Evening star., 1895-11-01

smith. Edward D. Easton. Thomas p Nor
gan, jr., S. l.. Willett, l.. H. Hopkins, Max
Metzerott, Joseph J. McNally, c. G. Conn,
Rudolph Saur, E. Waldecker, Volks' Tri-
bunc; Werner Koch, Washington Journal;
Paul T. Bowen, Thomas J. Foley, Charles
]. Wells. Samuel d. Nedry, Robert F. Met
zer, Jemes Mcknight, Thomas p. O'Dea
John A. Watts, William Whyte, Andrew
Murray, Mr.. l.. G. Hine. John F. Cook
Prof. Gregory. John McElroy, w. II. G.
Simmons, Mr.. L. w. Eabercom, Gen. Julius
Stahel. Charles Mades, Charles Graaf, Ger
man Orphan Asylum; j. J. Appich, Col.
Thomas J. Shannon, Col. Andrew Geddes
Mr.. John w. Marbury, William A. Croffu,,
Col. John A. Joyce and Louis Schade.
The Meeting Opened.
Mr.. Simon Wolf called the meeting to or
der at o'clock, introduced Corporal Tan
ner as the permanent chairman of the
evening and escorted him to the chair. Cor
poral Tanner made a stirring speech, criti-
cising the administration for it's luke
warmth on Cuba's cause, pleading for fair
play and forecasting the time when the
Cuban republic, free and independent, might
ask to become part of the United States.
On motion of DR.. Coe Mr.. w. Burdette
Matthews and the newspaper men present
were made secretaries of the meeting. DIR.
Rankin was then introduced and offered
resolutions declaring sympathy with the in
surgents, asking that belligerent rights be
sent to President Cleveland, the Secretary
of State and both houses Of Congress.
Dr.. Rankin spoke for twenty minutes in
support of the resolutions. arousing much
enthusiasm.
Shall Cuba be free?" asked Dr. Rankin.
Shall she, with her mountains with metals.
clothed with mahogany and cedar and
ebony; her savannahs and meadows rich
with sugar and cotton, their coffee and rice
and maize. their pineapples and bananas;
shall she have chance? Her chance, given
her by her Creator when He sent this gem
up from the depths of the sea; given, but
possible only under a free government?
We do not ask that this government shall
come forward, as she did under President
Polk. and offer to buy.
"They are in arms against despotism as
our fathers were And ask, that they
be given fair fight; chance to lay down
tkeir lives as our fathers did, and to build
after the pattern of our fathers, unmolest-
ed and not afraid. You say Cuba is not
may have chance to show whether she is.
Nothing but the practice of self-governmenl
will fit her.
Let the eagle stretch it's wings and press
the free air until it may soar into the
Empyrean and set its eye upon the SUM-"
William A. Croffut was then introduced,
who after speech read a patriotic poem
written for the occasion.
Senior Pierra's Address.
Stnor Fidel G. Pierra made a speech, tell
ing who the leaders of the insurgent party
are. describing the character of the upris-
ing and its meaning on the page of history
Upon the practical grievances of Cuba
Senor Pie:ra said: Spain draws from the
island yearly revenue of some $26,WO, 900.
sum nor much smaller than this is also
extracted, but does not go into the public
treasury, because it is stolen by the Off
c1alS. l Will give you an example of how
the stealing is done. The custom duties
for instan ce, yield to the treasury some
$12.OOO,OOO per annum, but this does not
represent more than about so per cent of
the merchandise imported. The other half
is not declared at the custom house, and
the amount of duties due upon it is divided
between the officials and the importers the
great majority of which are Spaniards
The same system prevails in all the other
branches of the revenue. This is known by
everybody in Cuba, and no public man in
Spain is igr Grant of the fact, for many of
them have considerable share in the di-
vision of the sDoils. Every official who
comes to Cuba has to provide sum at
least equal to the salary which he receives
for the agent he has employed at the city,
town village where he resides another
another for the head of department or
functionary who appoints him to the posi-
ton. This, ladies' ard gentlemen, 1 do not
state upon mere hearsay, for have actual
personal knowledge of the facts.
Again, owing to the differental customs
tariff in favor of Spanish manufacturers
the Cuban consumers al e compelled to buy
in a dearer market and to pay them a tax
amounting to several millions a year. Add
up all these various items and you will find
that the Cuban people are paying to Spain
yearly tribute of over s60,OOO, 900, a crush
ing burden for country with only 600 900
of population, no matter how vast its nat
ural wealth may be, as it really is.
You will naturally suppose that the S26,-
COG, 900 of revenue which goes into the treas
ury suffices to cover the expenditures of the
government but it is not So for these lat
and for several years past there has been
an annual deficit of from sS,00O,O 600 to slO.-
0OO,GW.
Simon VOLTS Remarks.
At this point the Henderson Drum Corps
stirred the audience to more applause with
the inspiring notes of Yankee Doodle"
and Dixie" on fife, drum and bugle, after