The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-11-14
ABOUT CUBA.
ITS GREAT INSURREcT1oN.
Our knowledge Mearre.
Youths Companion.


lnsurrectlon now in progress In Cuba j.
far from satisfactory. While one car
hardly pick up daily newspaper with
out finding some despatch concerning
the struggle, it is impossible TO deter
mine how far the published statements
have been colored by the authorities
Spanish or Cuban, by whom they have
been prepared.
The salient facts of which we NAV be
sure are that the insurrectlon has been
IN 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 Weld
ing, have adopted the constitution of a
republic, and chosen President and
other officers.
When we remember that previous
effort to achieve the independence of
the island resulted in war of twelve
years. length, filled with atrocities
hardly paralleled even in similar con-
! f1icts, the immediate outlook is not
inviting to the. lover of peace.
The history of Cuba in this century
is little more than a dreary record of
unsuccessful attempts at liberty. At
first the attempts we're peaceful The
constitution set up IN Spain in 1912, as
a result of the Napoleonic wars, guar
anteed certain representation to the
Cubans. Through the successive de-
feats of the Liberal party In Spain, this
provision was meyer enforced and
when, in 1886, Queen Isabella finally
accepted the constitution, the Cortes
voted by an overwhelming majority
that Cuba should enjoy none of the
privileges which it extended to the
Spaniards themselves.
Since then, to most Cubans, liberty
and independence have meant the
same thing. The rule of the governor
general has been absolute to degree
which it is hard for an American to
realize. 1t is true that small party
has continued to hope that some meas
ure of self-goyernment might be gained
without separation from the mother
country. But the concessions by which
the long insurrection OF 1S6S-1SSO was
brought to a close proved of no practi-
cal value. The grasp of Spain on the
colony planted nearly hundred years
before the settlement of our own James
town has remained firm while both the
Northern and Southern continents of
America have been freed from Euro
pean control.
Whatever ones views as to the right
or wrong of the present uprising, its
general similarity to the struggle that
resulted in our own independence can
not be denied. In the matter Of griev-
ances, in fact, most Of us Will be inclin-
Ell to think that the Cubans have even
greater Ri ght to complain than did the
British colonists in 1776. The charac-
ter of their warfare, with its numerous
small engagements and its slow prog
ress. is also not unlike the earlier cam
paigns of the Revolution.
Now, as then, the sea-power is almost
entirely in the hands of the mother
country, and consequently the insur-
gents are mainly confined to the lnte-
rior. The advantage of a disciplined
soldlery is on the same side. The eli
mate of the island is, however, a help
to the insurgents such as our fathers
did not possess for we see it constantly
asserted that 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
country have made the Cuban question
a matter Of practical political lmpor-
tance with us. That the sympathIes OF
most Americans are with the party OF
independence is evident to every one
It is further asked, however, whether
this sympathy may not properly be
expressed by some act OF our govern
ment. The contention that the United
States should at least recognize the
bellgerent rights of the insurgents
draws certain strength from the fact
that Spain accorded such recognition
to the Southern COnfederacy within
forty DAYS after the firing on Sumter
But we should not repeat, In retaliation,
what we then regarded as a most UNJUST
and unfriendly act.
Some competent judges are OF the
opinion that the according OF belliger-
ent rights to the Cubans by tirst-class
mower would turn the scale in their
favor. 1t seems certain that the Cubans
themselves are looking to us from their
mountains with some expectation OF
announcement, if not OF active help.