The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-16

i'll 1884, President Arthur promoted him
to the higher post which he has held
ever since. During the II years that
have since elapsed he has performed the
important duties Of his position to the
general satisfaction Of the American
contingent, but on various occasions his
course has not been altogether pleasing
to the Spanish authorities. In 1889 the
Madrid government became very much
incensed against him, on the assumption
that he had furnished alarming news
to the press. His most recent difficulty
with the Spaniards arose from his MAX
ing demand that two American citi-
zens, arrested On the charge of having
had communication with the rebels,
should be tried by the civil and not by
the military courts.
On both these occasions Mr.. Williams
placed his resignation in the hands Of
the Federal authorities at Washington,
but it was accepted on neither, although
he was temporarily recalled when the
last trouble came up, and made long
and complete explanation Of his course
and the situation with regard to Amer
lean citizens in Cuba to President C1eve-
land 1t may be that his resignation
for the protests sent to the president by
large numbers of business men and cap
itaHsts, who declared Mr.. Williams
presence in Cuba at this time to be es-
sentia1 to the maintenance of the digni-
ty Of the American government there
and the safety of the life and property
of Americans doing business on the is
land. At all events, the consul general
has been sent back to his post and has
been vested with powers that are prac-
tically discretionary and not often be-
slowed upon any government representa-
tive of lesser rank than minister or an
ambassador.
It is hard to speak with intelligence
Of the general feeling in the United
States regarding the Cuban cause, but
there is no doubt that much money
has been sent by American sympathizers
to aid the uprising nor that more men
have gone from the United States to fight
for Cuban independence than is gener-
ally known.
Much of the money sent there has
been raised in New York, where, through
the presence in that city Of many
wealthy Cuban families and hundreds
| of Cuban cigar makers, there is an in
| tense if not very widely difused pro-
| Cuban sentiment. At the beginning of
the present year it was estimated that
the Cuban colony there numbered about
! 1900, less than at any time during the
last two or three decades. But what the
thousand and a half Cubans of New
York lack in numbers they make up in
devotion, and there is hardly one Of
them who has not contributed of his
savings to help in the fight against fur
ther Spanish domination. One man de-
clared the other day that he had been
saving up for ten years with this end in
view and added that his compatriots
had all been taking the same course for
quite as long period. According to
this man, even the women and girls in
the cigar factories have contributed reg
| ularly from their small earnings to the
treasury of the patriots.
It is pretty evident from all indica-
tions that important developments are
expected during the present summer.
Daily, so the reports say, the number of
the native Cubans who have declared
for independence is growing, and daily
the climate of the island is showing
how deadly it is to the Spanish born
soldiers who are fighting the insurgents,
the Spanish death rate being from 100
to 800 day. As soon as Marti's success
sor gets we'll in the harness some heavy
lighting is expected, and victory is con-
6dently looked for by the Cubans,