Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-03-05
INDEPENDENCE FOR CUBA.

seem unfavorable to the insur-
gents for some time to come, the
friends of the patriotic cause
need not despair. Henceforth,
so long as the new Captain-Gen-
eral Weyler is allowed to carry
out his drastic measures, no ti~
dings of ill fortune to the Span
ish arms shall be permitted to
leave the island. Anybody caught
sending such information is LA
BILE to trial by summary court
martial aid such punishment as
the dictator may decide. Every
body within his reach must pro-
cure a. pass, and all outside the
lines must abandon their homes
at once and come under the pros
lection of the mild despot, or
suffer Imprisonment or worse
General Weyler, in short, is
attempting to enforce the same
regime which Lord Salisbury
proposed for Ireland, a rule of
"strict coercion" with rather
more bloody conditions than the
Tory leader would risk trying on
the Irish people. Both men are
alike in believing that oppression
is the only remedy for discon-
tent; and the Spaniard favors
putting the theory into practice.
1t is not the first time that such
a panacea has been tried, and
tried in vain, on both of the
beautiful, sorrowful islands, so
far apart III distance, SO closely
united in fortune.
viii our Government stand idle
and see the tragedy OF Armenia
repeated at our own doors? Con-
gress says no and the people of
every party are practically unan-
imous in demanding that some>
thing be Done at once TO prevent
such a crime against humanity.
Senator Lodge made an eloquent
plea last week favoring the rec~
ognition Of the Cuban insurgents
as b~eliigerents.
We can afford to take a firm
attitude in regard to Cuba. Pres
ident CIeveland's message on the
Venezuelan question was the
wisest as Well as the bravest ex-
preston of foreign policy made
by any President in thirty years.
Instead Of precipitating a war,
as the spineiess Anglomaniacs
and money bags predicted, it put
the United States in a position
which makes war impossible for
fifty years TO come. 1t told the
world in unmistabable language
that this nation seeks 40 quarrel,
and shuns none. 1t cowed the
arrogance Of Salisbury and slim
ulated the courage of the German
Kaiser to administer another
buffet to the bully of the earth.
It would seem almost beneath
our dignity, after making the in
solent Englishmen swallow his
threats to treat poor Spain to
similar discipline; but Spain can
avert the humiliation, if she will,
by dealing justly with her OPP
pressed colony. Any nation but
this would have long ago seized
such a prize, at its very doors, as
Cuba IS; but despite Senator
Lodges notion that We are mains
ly descended from the buccaneers
of Drake and the marauders of
Cromwell, the people of the
United States have none Of the
Englishman's greed of conquest.
uncle Dam IS not a staggering
bully, going around with a chip
on his shoulder and aching for a
fight with some weak and wealthy
neighhor. We have no more de-
sire to conquer Cuba than Cana
da. Either would be welcomed
to the privilege Of American
Statehood, but neither is worth
the firing Of a single shot in bat
tie. Nevertheless, we cannot sit
with folded hands and see d
whole nation sacrificed 20 the
bull dog obstinacy of O. ruthless
tyrant.
Cuba is bound to be free. Spain
in trying to postpone that des-
tiny acts as fatuously asaEngland
did in resisting the just demands
of her Thirteen Colonies, as she
acts in denying self-government
to Ireland to-day.