St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-01-11
tnE ,MsuRRecTloN IN cusA
.sRorts Or the People to Secure Self-Gov.

THE iNsURREcTioN IN cUeA
.saorss or the People to Secure self-Gov-
ernment.
Our knowledge of the facts of the in-
surrcction now in progress in Cuba is
far frum satisfactory. While one can
hardly pick up daily newspaper with.
cut finding some dispatch concerning
the struggle, it is impossible to deter
E.inc how far the published statements
have been colored by the authorities.
Spanish or Cuban, by whom they have
been prepared.
The silent facts of which we may be
sure are that the insurrection has been
in progress for a number of months,
and has extended over large part ut
the interior of the island; that Spain
has sent over her ablest general. with
tens Of thousands of soldiers, to crush
IL; that the insurgents, far from yield
ing, have adopted the constitution of q
republic. and chosen q president and
other officers.
When we remember that previous
effort tc achieve the independence Of
the island resulted in q war of IL years
length, filled with atrocities hardly par
allelcd even in similar conflicts, the inn
mediate outlook is not inviting to tho
lover Of peace.
The history Of Cuba in this century il
little more than a dreary record of UNI
successful attempts at liberty. first
the attempts were peaceful. The con-
stitltion of Spain in 1872, as a result OF
the Nalx.leonic wars, guaranteed GER
tain approximation to the Cubans.
Through the successive defeats of the
liberal Darty in Spain, this provision
was never enforced; and when, in 1886.
Queen Isabella finally accepted the con-
stitution, the cortes voted by IN over
mhelming majority that Cuba should
enjoy none of the privileges which it ex-
tended to the Spaniarls themselves.
Since then, to most Cubans, liberty
and independence have meant the same
thing. The rule of the governors gen.
eral has been absolute to degree which
it is hard for an American to realize.
It il true that small party has con-
tinued 10 hope that some measure Of
sell government might be gained with
out separation from the mother cOun-
try. But the concessions by which the
long jnsurrection 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 tho
settlement of our 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, 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 i'll.
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 it's numer.
GUS small engagements and its 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 inte'
rior. The advantage of a disciplined sol
lliery is ON the same side. The climate
| Of the island is, however, help to the
insurgents such as our fathers did moi
possess: for we see it constantly as
serted that the yellow fever is proving
far moro 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 thi.
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 o.
Independence is evident to everyone. Il
is further asked, however, whether thi,
sympathy may not properly be ex
pressed by some act of our government
The contention that the United States
should al least recognize the belligeren
rights Of the insurgents draws . certair
strength from the fact that Spain &C
corded such recognition to the south
ern confcderacy within 40 days aftel
the firing on Sumter. But we SHOULD
not repeat, in retaliation, what we theI
regarded as most unjust and unfriend
ly act.
Some competent judges are of thu
| opinion that the according of belliger
emit rights to the Cubans by first-clas
power would turn the scale in thei
favor. II seems certain that the Gu
bans themselves are looking to us from
their mountains with some expectation
| Of encouragement. if not of active help