New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
rHE SITUATION IN CUBA.
,,rs AKERs, OF THE LONDON
,,rs" GIVES AN UNBIASED VIEW
WITH THE UNITED STATES A POSSIBILITY
or SPANISH HOME PoIITIcs-THE ouEs-
no, Of THE ANNEXATION OR PUR-

Was"". T.. collation. to the Cuban situation par
!hio' ,,;th respect TO SPANS a''ituue 'owd'o
ticu'a. vrtrv in this important matter mas oeeh
this cou T,,bune representative by Charles Akers.
s.su-known war correspondent y,
W." while here Mr. AkerS mas hao conferences
Times v ~ State Olney. and given that oifcia!
win .o,,,eence Of value to the State Depart
CERTAIN A. Akers has been in Cuba on speciai
mem. t,r his paper. having previously spent some
mission Saor closely observing affairs there, and
time u, ,ho views Of the Government and the
,,ment Of the people, -
senuH Course of his conversation Mr.. Akers ex-
In uio ha,,ef that in case friendly arrange
presseu 49, not de between the United States and
men ,oot,na 10 the purchase or Cuoa IL was
spa'" tho probabilities that at no distant day
an'o'e ou,d declare war against this country ne
spa" =, the point calmly, but seriously ana WIFI
~o"e ~,o. He said that statements In THIS connect
OUT p'as a, first seem sensational but that when
t'n became known as he know them. the carry
the r,, u not probability. Of a hostile declara-
pos'Dr rr.,n would he apparent He declared 'ha'
ton " ,so-vation In Spain showed that the temper
c'.v nsople Of that Kingdom was unmistahao'y
o. ."'.,d,v 10 this country. He went fnr'her' anu
UNI .,o. Spanish sentiment Wa raploiy oecoi"-
au'." ,a.d,v hostile to the United States ne ooes
Ing oeo the Spanish Government as being In this
not resa'N ~, the contrary, he thinks that the
a." 49, IN power is amicably disposed toward ''hs
country. n,v
THE PEOPLE UNFRIEND1Y.
..,,s throughout the Kingdom are slow
ou' r.,v coming to the conclusion that most
u'' ,asu,ons sent to Cuba go there with the
VI .hv u not through the direct agency Vi
.,osns and that this country Is covertv II not
~,r ~ aiding the Cuban insurgents IN every way
p,.,o The resentment on the part OF opaia'"7
- ~-ouIne stronger. Up to the present time 'ne
is e,s,. e.o. has with fair success at least, heio
WV dnu,o of feeling against
III M o %rr,rv How long 1t will be able to 90 this'
~ . .t.rs regarded an important consideration III
~ % -.u,ses He gave 1t as his calm judgment
.h., IN the near future circumstances mish' oe-
..rs such that longer to suppress popular spanish
seeJ,ne would result in the serious emnarrasSeh''
n not the actual overthrow. OF the party a''ei"p'-
ing to do So ,,a..
us.,ance 10 Spain In case Of with this country.
ror would any Power intervene 10 prevent war
European countries which hold spanish poiu'' -
are interested commercially in Cuba. would seriously
r.ret the occurrence of hostilities. ana previously
"a their breaking would undoubtedly exercise their
good Offices to secure peaceful solulioh Oh III.
situation He said decidedly that for one reason d"
ruropean countries would rejoice at Cuba becoming
! mar, of the United States. They would tnen ENJOY
q sense OF security in relation TO their CUBAN ''es
,o,,e NJ all kinds and res; satisfied that there would
he no future revolutions. One grave rear 10 oe e"
,er,aned In the opinion OF Mr. Akers. Is lha' INC
snanish Government may at no distant period reaze
tha, 1, can no longer hold Cuba as Dependency 10
admit as much 10 the people OF Spain meant the GER
tain overthrow of the party doing So In such an eN
trenity IL might be regarded as good poicy D! 'he
present Government TO pick a quarrel win '"e
United States Mr. Akers said there couid DE no
doubt rs TO the ultimate result of such war. and
that American arms would be successful. IL Is MI
Akers's opnion based upon observations in the ISL
and that there are no present indications that SPAIN
will conquer the insurgents
THE PURCHASE OF CUBA
He suggested as possible way ou; OF war the pur-
chase Of Cuba by the United States In SPAN 'nele
WAS now a strong feeling against sucn course OUT
he believes that in time proposition 10 THIS erect
from the United States would be favorapiy co's'u-
.red bv SPAIN Cuban bonds now outstanding amount
10 SOS oo ooo and probably the total Of spans In
debtedness under this head is not greater than
,5Oo Opo 900 II would he much better and decidedly
cheaper Mr.. Akers thought. for Spain 10 sell the
Island 10 this country rather than TO go 10 war. ne
entertained the opinion that the Spanish authorizes
might soon so view the and let 1t he known that
a purchase offer would be favorably received Just
NOW hc remarked. not only the Spanish Govern
ment. but Spaniards themselves. were particularly
hostile 70 such an idea. Asked as TO now European
Powers would look upon the sale OF the isand 10 hs
country Mr.. Akers said that they wculc De elad OF
anv such Arrangement They would much prefer.
remarked,
volving war The Powers would reahze that inc
,sfer would insure the security Of their bonds and
e,so a nermanent pacific condition or analrs IN the
island and approve the programme II an oiler was
TODAY made by the United States 70 buy CUBA Mr.
Akers thought It would be politely but hrnily re-
1ec,ed In case the revolution In the isiahu is "o'
pu, down betors April next when the rainy season
b.etns and tho proposition submitted about the
time inclernent sets in. ii would surprise MI
Akers II Spain did not favorably consider H. 10y
that time the Kingdom will have prooaoly exhaus'e"
its present financial resources available TOT tAe sup
preston Of the revolution. and. II the reports from
Europe are true relative TO the difficulty the Gov
eminent is experiencing in negotiating new loans. IL
would then treat In a much more friendly manner
such proposition than II would to-day.
A GOOD INVESTMENT.
Mr. Akers considers the purchase or CUBA by thls
country splendid investment Inc total eHporlS
Of Cuba are In ordinary times about slZoVW'VOo'
This year they will be only about sls,VVNov'' o"iHs
to the revolution In 1884, before the revolution Dc
gan. out Of the production OF l.coVO tons OF sugar
this country took $4,000 tons Practically all the
money thai was paid to Cuba In good times for
sugar ss well as tobacco. was spent In this coun-
try for food supplies and manufactured ar''cics'
Tho hope Of Cuba. II the island continues as d
spanish dependency. or IN case Ell IL n1ied states
With peace prevailing throughout the isiand. IN
fairly prosperous times Cuba Will produ@ce zee & s1poi,s @
equal to $500 OoO 900 he said. including 2oeo"o IONS
Of sugar i0 40 0o0 worth of tobacco and an output
Of iron ores used in Bessemer steel equal 10 az leas
100000 In addition to this is the great yieu ttoO "a
fruit which Is large even now With care1ul atteI.
ton, II would be enormous The same Is tTue or
lgnum-vtae cedar mahogany and other Veiuapss
woods Most Of the Cuban trade is with the United
States. and IL a reciprocity treaty were IN force;
MI Akers stated tho products OF the isIano oa
tor the same would be spent here
In speaking Of the actual condition OF anaIs AZ ~
Cuba to-day so far as the success Of efforts to
suppress the revolution is concerned Mr. Akers
disavowed any Intention Of cricisng Captain Gen
eral Weyler and his subordinate officers. On the
contrary he spoke in complimentary way OF 'hnr n
der existing Conditions the insurrection cannot be
put down Spain has in Cuba 10000 regular troops
and 5000 volunteers. There have been NUMBER OF
small engagements hardly any more serious than u
skrmish In some Of these the Spanish arms have
been successful in others the insurgents nave & moi
Victories From military point OF view. the trou-
bic seemed 10 be thai the troops did not follow up