The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-30
CUBA.

1t is almost too much TO hope that
| Cuba will be able to free herself in her
present struggle with Spain.
And yet such an outcome Of the pres
ent rebellion in the Pearl of the An
titles is wholly within the range of the
probable.
The difference in natural strength, in
resources, in men, between people
struggling for freedom and a govern
ment seeking to hold them in bondage,
has ever been in favor of the latter, but
success has often crowned the patriotic
battles of such people even when help
was not available from IA friendly power
as when Greek independence was Sc
cured by Russia's aid, not to mention
the debt that the colonies which are
now the United States of America owe
to France.
The struggle OF the Spanish American
colonies for independence from the
mother country have invariably, we be-
lieve. been waged single handed and
against odds as disheartening as Cuba
now has to meet. To be sure many of
these colonies had the advantage of for
eign leaders, adventures, intrepid fel-
lows who inspired the native troops
with reckless courage aud organized
them effectively. but in numerical
strength, equipment and resources,
the republican forces that freed
Ntoh arsA ha
sidered in no military sense capable of
wrestling victory from the armies and
navies Of Spain. in the old days much
more powerful nation than today,
SIMON BOLIVAR. who swept Spain out of
control in South America, and freed the
Span ish colonies from Venezuela to the
borders of Chile, was Spanish.
American born and bred, and
his armies fought with neither
foreign money nor troops to aid them
And in 1865 it was the national re-
sources alone that fought off the
Spaniards who undertook to reclaim
their old colonies and sent an expedition
for the conquest of Peru and Chile.
Aside from the disparity in troops,
equipment and money, country thus
fighting for independence against
government located thousands of miles
across the water has one great military
advantage Of making its fight
on its own ground. The invaders are
compelled to accept battle where
the invaded choose 10 make it and they
are subject to all the disadvantages of
| fighting on foreign soil in the midst of a
country united in its hostility. The
island of Cuba is 700 miles long, with
an average width of go miles, an area of
upward of $4,000 square miles. 1t is
traversed from end to end by mountains.
The territory is not large, but it is large
enough to require good many thou
sand troops to cover and the character
of the topography is such that COM
paratively small forces of insur-
rectionists, properly organized and
| led, could successfully keep up
war long enough to tire out greater
nation than Spain, and bring disaster to
| its armies with minimum loss to itself.
| The failure of Cuban instructions in
the past offers little orjudge by of the
possibilities of success to the arms of loyal
republicans. Treachery has figured
conspicuously to bring disaster to the
republican forces. Spanish gold has
been more powerful to subject the free
dom-loving Cubans than Spanish arms.
The result of fair fight for freedom is
yet to bs tested.
That the present uprising in Cuba is
something more important than a
guerilla affair is indicated by the alarm
reported to be felt in Spain. The
Spanish government may succeed in
crushing her rebellious colonists and the
chances are in favor of it. But Spain
has acknowledged that it is no holiday
affair that she has on her hands, this time,
and it appears that the methods of sub
sidizing the revolutionary leaders have
so far proved unsuccessful. More troops
are to he sent out to Cuba. Spain's
greatest and most successful general is
to be placed in command. In six months
there will be a Spanish force on the lit
tie island as big as tie whole United
States army.
Cuba will be free some day, and per-
haps the battles that will make her free
are now being fought.