Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-11-23
THE INSURREcTION IN CUBA,
Efforts OF the People to Secure Self-Gov-
ernmept.

Ouf HnONleuTe OF the facts OF the IN
surrcctlon now in progress in Cuba is
far from satisfactory. While one can
hardly pick up a 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 OF Cuban, by whom they have
been prepared.
The silent facts of which we NAV be
sure are that the instruction has been
III progress for a number of months.
and has extended over a 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 Weld
ing, have adopted the constitution of a
republic. and chosen Il president and
other officers.
When we remember that n previous
effort tc achieve the independence of
the island resulted in a war of 12 years
length, filled with atrocities hardly par
alielcd 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 a drcary record of un-
successful attempts at liberty. Atfirst
the attempts were peaceful. The con-
stltItion of Spain in Isle, as a result of
the Naptleonic wars, guaranteed n GER
ain representation to the Cubans.
Through the successive defeats of the
liberal party in Spain, this provision
was never enforced; and when. in 1896.
Queen Isabella finally accepted the con-
stitution, the cortes voted by an over
"helming majority that Cuba should
enjoy none of the privileges which it ex-
tende to the Spaniards themselves.
Since then, to most Cubans, liberty
and independence have mean the same
thing. The rule of the governors gem
eral has been absolute to a degree which
it is hard for an American to realize.
II Is true that a small party has O n
tinued TO 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 insurrection of 1s6S-1SSO was
brought to a close proved of no practical
value. The grasp of Spain on the col
ony planted nearly 100 years before the
settlement of Il 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 IL own independence can
not be denied. In the matter of griev-
ances. i'll 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 its numer.
GUS small engagements and it's 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 insur.
gents arc mainly confined to the int.
rior. The advantage of a 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 that the yellow fever is proving
lar more fatal to the troops from Spain
than all the bullets of the rebels.
This similarity of the Cuban strugr,e
to the revolution, the nearness of the
island to our shores, and the intimacy
OF its commercial relations with this
counry have made the Cuban question
u 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 som act of our government,
The contention that the United States
should al 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 confcderacy within 40 days after
the firing on Sumter. Rut 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.
ept rights to the Cubans by a i~irst-class
power would turn the scale in their
favor. II seems certain that the Gu
bans themselves r looking to us from
their mountains with some expectation
of encouragement, u not Of aOtlye Aelp,