The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-08

ana the seaport and all the consider
aDle towns, the Insurgents Stlll roam at
Nlll over at least twU.tklrdS Of tho In
land country. II the discrimination OF
Spain To pun down the resurrection
seems but to strengthen with tho lapse
ot time, and IL ovinccd by her nnhcs-
ithiing devotion OF largely Increased
military ana naval forces to the task,
there Ia much reason To believe that the
Insurgents have gained In point "
numbers, and character. and resources
AMI arc mono tho lcSs inilcNible IN their
rcSolvc not TO succumh. without prRc-
tlcnlly securing the great objects for
which they took ur arms. II Spain hhD
not yet n'-cslabllshcd her authority,
neither have tho insurgents yet made
good their title To he regarded nS an
independent state. Indeed as tho con-
test has gone on. the prctonsc that Civil
government exists on the island. except
40 far rs Spain Is able to maintain it.
hna been practically abandoned.
spain docs keep on foot such n
government, more or less impCrfccOy,
In the large towns aud their immediate
suburbs. Hut, that exception being
made, the Cutirr country II either given
over Ia anarchy, or IL subject 10 tho
military occupancy ~ ono or the other
party. II Is reported. indeed on rclI-
able authority. that at the demand or
the COmmandCr-in-chiCf OF the insur>
gent army the nutNtlve Cuban govern
inent has now given UP all attempt To
exercise It's function. leaving that Eov-
eminent confessed (what there IS the
best reason Tor surprising II always to
have been. in facD,a government mere
~ on paper.
We're the Spanish armies able To meet
their antagonists In the open, or In
pitched battle, prompt and decisive re-
suits might be looked for and the i'm.
mCnsc superiority OF the Spanish forces
In numbers. discipline and equipment,
could hardly TAU Co tell greatly 10 their
advantage.
But they are called upon to face n
foe that shunS general engagements,
that can choose and does choose It's
own ground, that from the nature ot
the country Is visible or Invisible at
pleasure. and that fights only from
ambusCadc and when all the advInt-
ages OF position and numbers are on
It's side. In Il country WHERE all chat Is
Indispensable TO life In the way OF food,
clothing. and shelter, Is 30 easily oh
talnublC, especially by those born and
bred on the soil. II * obvious that there
IS hardly n limit to the time during
WHICH ERslllllU'N Oh lllS SNl may W.
prolonged. Meanwhile. MS IN all cases
OF protractcd civil strife. the passions
OF the Comhatants grow more and more
intlamcd and excuses on both sides
become. more frequent and more de-
plorable.
They arc also participated in by
bands OF marnuders, who, now In the
name OF one party and now in the name
OF thu other aS may best suit the occa-
sion. harry the country Al Will and
plumber It's wrctched inhabitants for
their own advantage. Such n condition
OF things. would inevitably entail I'M
mcnSc destruction OF property. even Il
II were Che policy OF both parties 10
prevent II as far as practicable. But
while such seemed 10 be the original
policy ~ thu Spanish governmental has
now apparently abandoned 1t. and is
acting upon the same theory AZ the in
surEeuts. namely. that the cNiEcac!cs
% the contest require the wholesale an
Inhalation OF property. that 1t may not
prove OF use and advantage 10 the en-
envy.
II Is TO thu same end that in pursu-
ance OF general orders. Spanish Sarr!-
sors are now being Withdrawn from
plantations and the rural population
required to concentrate Itself in the
town. The sure result would seem to
be that the industrial value Of the Is
land IS fast diminishing. and that UNI
less there Is n speedy and rldERl
change in existing conditions. Il viii
soon disappear altogether. That value
consists Very largely. Of course. IN lis
capacity TO produce sugar. Il capacity
already much reduced by the Interrupt
lions TO Village, which have taken place
during the last two years. 1t Is reliably
asserted that, should these Interrupt
lions continue during the current year,
and practically CNtcnt,aS Is now threat
encd, to the entire sugar producing
territory OF thu. island. 90 much time
and 81 much money VIII he required TO
restore tho land 10 its normal produc-
tlvcncss that Il is extremely doubtful Il
capital can be induced 10 even make the
attempt.
Oar Intere.t In Cnbu.
The spectacle Of utter ruin o, an ad-
Joining country. by nature one Of the
most fertile and charming on the globe.
would engage the serious attention OF
the government and people Of the uni
ted States IN any circumstances. In
point OF fact. they have concern with
it which is by no means or wholly sem
timen;al or ph!lanthrHptC character. II
lies 80 near TO us as 20 be hardly scpa-
rated from our territory.
Our actual pcCuniary Interest In It Is
second only To that OF The people ana
government OF Spain. II Is reasonably
estimated that nj least from S3O,0OO.Ow
20 $4,000. 600 Of American capital ar"
invested in plantations and in railroad.
mining, and other business enterprises
on the Island The volume OF trad"
between the United Stntcs and Cuba.
which. IN 1889. amounted Ia about fGt.
600 ON0 rose In 1899 To about 100000. O0o.
and in 1894. til" year before the present
insuFrcCti0n broke Nut, amounted to
nearly Sg6 600. 900. Besides this large pc
cuniary stalk" in the fortunes ~ Cuba.
the United STATES finds Itself iT"Xtri-
cahly involved IN the present contest in
OTHER ways both vcNati6us and costly.
Many CuhnnS reside in this country
and indirectly nrom"t" III" iTSurrcc-
ton. through the press by public meet
lncs. hy the purchase and shipment Of
arms. by the raising Of funds. and by
other means. which The spirit Of our
Institutions and the tenor nt nur laws
do not permit Ia n" made the subject of
criminal prosecutions.
Some Of them, though Cuhans at
heart and In all their feelings and In
tcrosts. have taken out papers as nat
uraliZnd citizens Of the United States. a
proceeding rcsOricd to With Il view Of
possible protection by this government,
and not unnnturdlIy regarded with
much Indignation by the country OF
their origin The Insurgents arc IN.
doubleday encouraged and supported by
the Widespread sympathy the people "f
this county always and instInctivcly
feel for every struggle for the better
and frccr government, and which In
the case Of the more adventurous and
rcstlCsS elements OF our population,