Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-07

The ineurtection In CUBA slill con-
tiuues with all Its perplexities. 1t lie
difficult to perceive that any progress
has thus far been made towards the
paciiication OF the island or that the
situation OF affairs as depicted In my
last annual message has in the least
improved. II Spain still holds Havana
and the seaports and all the consider.
able tow ne, the insurgents still roam OF
will over at least two.tnirds OF the
island county. II the determination
OF Spain to put down the insurrection
seems but to strengthen with the lapse
OF time, anu Ia evinctd by her IN.
hesits,ing devotion Oi largely increased
military and naval forces to the task,
there 10 much reason 10 believe that
tho insurgenis have gained in
point OF Numbers aud character. snd
resources anu are none the less iI fiexi.
BILE In the resolve not to succumb.
without practically securing the great
object for when they took up arms. Il
spain has not yet re.established her
authority, neither have the insurgents
yet made good their title to BIS rt-
gardeu M an independent state. In
deed, Ne the contest has gone on, the
protenso that civil government exists
on the island, except 30 far as Spain IL
sble 10 msinteiu II, has been pTaCti-
cally abandoned. Spain does keep
on foot such "A government, more or
Ices impertectly, In the large tuwne
anu their immediate suburbs. But,
Iat ma do. na ra
country is either given over To anarchy
or 10 snoi6c. to the military occupation
OF ole or the other party. l, is re-
ported, H. deed, on reliable authority,
that at the demand OF the commander
in.chief OF the insufgeDt army, the
putatiVe Cuban government has now
given up all attempt to exercise lite
functions, leaving that government
confessedly (what there 10 the best
reason Tor supposiDg IL always was to
have been In iact) u government mere
ly On paper. Were the Spanish armies
aple TO meet their antagonists In the
open or III pitched battle, prompt and
| decisive result might be looked for, md
the i'm mense superiority Of the Span.
| ish forces in numbers, discipline
| and equipment could hardly fall
| to tell greatly to their advantage.
| But they are called upon TO face a foe
| that shune general engagements, that
| can choose anu does choose Its own
| ground, that from the nature OF the
country IL Visible or invisible at
pleasure and that fiShts only from
ambuscade AMI when all the advan-
| tages OF position and numbers are on
| its side. In a country where all that Is
| indispensable to Me IN the way OF fooJ,
I a ~. lts.R a.. l.
| tniBable, espe ciaily by those born anu
| bred on the soil, II IL obvious that
there is hardly limit TO tho time
| during which hssIilitles OF this sort
| may be prolonged.
MEANWHILE, as in all cases OF pro-
| tIncttd civil strife, the passions OF the
| combata nts grow more ana mole In
| famed aud excuses on both sides
| tecome more frequent and more de.
| plorAbIe. They are also participated
| 10 by bands OF msrauders VINO now 10
| the name OF one party anu now In the
| name OF the other, as may best suit the
| ccasion, haraae The country Mt will
and plumber liz wretched Inhabitants
| for their own advantage. Such "A con.
| dition OF things would inevitably en-
| tall immense destruction of property
| even II 1t were tho poiicy OF both par
| ties TO prevent II NJ lar ss practicable.
| Hut while such seemed to bo the
| original policy Oi the Spanish govern.
ment, 1t has now apparently SHAN.
| doneJ II anu is Bciing upon the same
| theory us the insurgents, namely, that
| The ,xigencles OF the contest re-
q,ure the wholesale snnihila,ion
| OF property that 1t may not prove
| Of any use or advantage to the enemy.
| 1t Is to the came snd thai In pursuance
| VI general ORDER, Spanish Ratrisons
are now hring Withdrawn from plania.
| lions ard the rural population re.
| qulred To concentrate itself In the
| towns. The sure insult would seem TO
be that the industrial value Of the
| islnnd ~ Iaet diminisbiDg, and tuat
uni,es there la a Speedy aud radical
| change in existing condition., 1t VIII
soon disappear altogether. That value
| consists very largely, OF Course, In i,s
| capacity to prouuce sugar, IA capacity
already muon reduced by the Interrupt
tions to tiilsge which have taken place
| curing the last Two years. IL Is feiia-