New-York tribune., 1896-05-10
DEATH FOR SNTGGLERS.

little slrprise but boundless Indignation, VIII
no caused by the announcement that the men
captured on the schooner Competitor have been
nut. or sentenced. to death Ever since the VIZ
.rinius affair-and that was many years ago
Americans have habtuaily expected the worst
TO be done in all cases by the Spanish carpet
bag rulers Of Cuba The present insurrectlon
in that island has furnished no reason for re-
visng that Judgment. When the capture OF the
Competitor was reported it was naturally taken
for granted that all her crew would be siangh-
tered. probably without the formality of trial
Attention was called TO the case in Congress
and 1t was said the state Department was doing
It's utmost in behalf of the American citizens
captured But the end now announced was fore
seen from the beginning The leopard does not
change his spots. nor a Spanish Captain-General
his methods.
The. case arouses some interesting consdera
tions. however. concerning the status OF the
condemned men. the character of their alleged
offence. and the attitude of the Spanish Govern
ment toward the war in Cuba. The Competitor
was engaged In carrying arms and ammunition
to Cuba In itself that Is a perfectly lawfui
trade. She not 4 warship, menacing the
peace of Spain. Her crew and passengers were
not armed. or these few were not. so they were
no, hlibustcrs. They were not violating the
neutrality laws bv carrying goods contraDand
Of war to bc.llgcrcnts for the Spanish Govern
ment says there are no belligcrcnts and no state
Of war in Cuba They were not running the
blockade for no blockade OF the island has Deen
proclaimed. Their only offence therefore, seems
TO have been that they were conducting per
.ectly legal enterprise in an irregular manner
or an illegal manner They were importing
merchandise into Cuba; but instead of entering
II at regular port and custom house. they tr1ed
10 land it elsewhere on the coast. That Is To
saw they were engaged in smuggling and moth
ing more
In ancient times smuggling was generally
punishable with death. So was shcep-stealng
So was poachng SO was refusal 10 uncover
and bow In the prcsrnc OF the king. But such
is no longer the case In civilized countrles-e1'
cepting Spain. If Spain be civilized Under
Spanish rule. as is now made painfully evident
smuggling is still capital offence. III these
men had been engaged in actual war against
Spain. had fired upon their pursucrs, and been
captured in open battle "A sentence of death : ron
them would have been too harsh. Civilized
Governments do not slaughter prisoners Of war
If they had been blockadc-runners. II would
have been too severe. But, according to Spaln's
own contention. they were neither. They were
| simple smuggers. Yet they are condemned 10
| death That does not put the Spanish Admin
| stration In an enviable light
When there was an nsurrecton In this coun
try, though 1t was proportonally not nearly so
serious as that in Cuba. this Government acted
in frank. straightforward manner. The Pres
dent promptly proclaimed to the world that an
nsurrecton did exist. and that blockade was
| established over all the insurgent ports. After
| that foreign blockade runners and iillbus,crs
knew what 10 expect But Spain does not ad-
nit the existence OF war In Cuba and does not
| proclaim n blockade Of Cuban ports. Yet she
| treats American citizens who venture 10 visit
| that island with harshness that this and other
| countries do not show toward actual beliger-
enfs II Is difficult to see how this incident can
fail 10 force the Washington Administration TO
some vigorous action 1t Is certain that 1t will
| greatly Increase the detestaton which Ameri-
cans feel for Spanish tyranny and cruelty, and
the sympathy which they feel with the cause
Of Cuba Nbre'