The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-22

! of the people of Cuba are not only 10
! favor OF. but ardently desire annexa-
ton TO the United States II would Dc
strange. indeed, if they were not so
] Deprived of all Influence even in local
affairs Of the island. unrepresented N
the courts. governed by successive
ho4des of hungry officials sent from the
mother country 10 acquire fortunes &c
be enjoyed at home; having no SYM
pathy with the people among wnom
they are mere s1journers. and upon
whom they look as interiors. liable to
be arrested at any moment on the
most trifiing charges; tried by military
courts or submissive justices. at pleas
ure: punished at the discretion of the
captain general: they would be less
than men If they were contented with
their yoke.
Spain is a country Of coups d'etat
and pronuncianentos The all-power-
a fugitive tomorrow. With the forms
of a representative government it is in
fact a despotism sustained by the
bayonet, a despotism tempered only by
frequent. violent and bloody revoiu-
lions. Her financial condition is one OF
extreme embarrassment"
NOT THE. MOTHER COUNTRY
Senators Morgan and Mills continue:
Spain is not the mother country OF
Cuba, even in the sense of having
supplied that island with large part
of the ancestors of the present popuia-
ton. She is a cruel stepmother whose
Introduction into the Cuban families
has been the immediate cause OF rob-
berry of the stepchildren of their in
heritance and their cruel persecution
to keep down revolt. The committee
were engaged in 1858 in providing for
the purchase of Cuba by negotiation
with Spain, and were as gentle in their
description OF Spanish rule in CUBA
as a decent respect for the world
knowledge of the truth of the actual
situation of the people there would
permit. 1t is dark enough without the
illumination of the fires of devastation
that succeeding years have interposed
II Cuba"
After quoting the speech made in the
senate on February II, 1883, by Hon.
judah 2. Benjamin, which they con-
slider a more complete statement of the
condition of the people of Cuba and
the methods of Spanish government
in that island than is stated in the re-
port Of the committee in 1859, they con-
tinue:
The relations of Spain and the
United States were not then strained
by the disturbance of actual insurrec-
tion in Cuba, as they were afterwards
from 1868 TO 1873, and have been almost
ever since and are now, by excessive
and inhuman abuses OF power in Cuba,
TO which no limit can be anticipated
either as 10 the time when they will
end or the increased cruelty which is
now a settled feature of the Spanish
war of determination. The president
recognizes the fact that the present
war is for independence on the part of
the Cubans. and not for qualification
of personal ambition alone or for the
redress Of personal of political griev
dnces, with which the painful history
of their sufferings is crowded. For the
sake of liberty and the independence Of
their country. they are willing 70 forget
the recompense that is due them for
their individual sufferings.
Hon T. Estrada Palma was duly
accredited TO the United States under
an appointment by the constitutional
assembly eff the republic OF Ca He
appears to have been received in
formally. for the purpose of presenting
the cause Of Cuba to our government.
on December 9. 1895. he addressed a
note to the secretary of state, accom-
panied hy a statement of facts. in
which the case of Cuba is set forth.
officially. That document has been
printed by the order Of the senate. and
is appended. In the papers that ac-
companied this note. the delegate
stated the cause of the revolution in
Cuba; that it had reached that stage
in which. the issue between the con
tending PARTIES is in peace or exter-
The recent message of the president
is clear on the point that he has been
forced to the same conclusion. The
delegate then stated the facts showing
the preliminary organization of the re- /
volt; the uprising; the battles and cam !
oaign that had already been fought. /
including the great and victorious cam I
Saign of Gomez against CAPTAIN Gen
erai Weyler; the military organization J
u the Cubans; their civil government; |
heir treatment of prisoners; that the ]
government there represented is not p, /
negro government, the character of the /
var; the protests of resident citizens I
II the United StatesSin Cuba against /
heir cruel treatment by the Spanish |
orces-that their lives and property
ire placed under the special protection +
Il the Cuban government, and that
hey are exempt from taxes and con-
ributions by the constitution of the
epunlIc Of Cuba when that government
5 recognized by their respective gov
THE GRIEVANCES.
The letter Of the Cuban delegate
hus addressed TO cur secretary Of state
las appended 10 IL several papers
Which set forth fully the grievances
complained of b. the Cuban people.
4 its nature. It is 4 declaration Of tho
ncenendence OF the island of Cuba ;
itatlng the grounds of their united
-ctlon. That declaration is in i.eepina
With the historical narrative .iven by
VI. BENJAMIN II his speech herewith
Presented end with those of the com
nlltee On foreign relations in 1879. and
Vlth the message Ct President Grant
nd President Eayes and the letters of
lr. Sickles and Mr.. Cushing IS min
sters 70 Spain. and OF Mr.. Fish and
II. Eyarts as secretaries o. state. All
hese papers are uniform in their State
aents o. the wrongs and grievances Of
ne cuban people, and OF the wrongful
nd tyrannical course Of Spain towarele
hem- In mono of them IS any bad ,
purpose imputed. No one has contra
lctec THESE statements. or any rate ,
ial part of them, onNthe autEcrity of
he Spanish government .)r upon any {
ineial or other credible authority.
TIE PRESIDENT CRITICIZED. {
THE tenor of the message of the
resident to this session # congress
; reafirnation of all this history
tated in all these papers. In ne Fart
I his message relating 20 Cuba he has 7
lid them before congress without any ,
pecial recommendation and ne left 10 :
ongress the duty of making provision +
Or the security of the rights, the prop :
rty and the lives of our citizens r. sid