Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-12-11
ts corrective treatment will remain un
answered. ~
THE CUBAN INsURREcTioN.


The insurrection in Cuba still continues
with all it's perplexities. 1t Is difficult to
perceive that any progress has thus far
been made towards the paciflcation OF the
island or that the situation of affairs as
depicted n my last annual MESA &c has In
the least improved. If Spain still holds
Havana and the seaports and all the con-
siderable towns, the insurgents still roam
at will over at least two-thirds or the
inland country. If the determination OF
Spain to put down the instruction seems
but to strengthen with the lapse of time,
and is evinced by her .unhesitating devo-
ton of largely increased military and
naval forces to the task, there Is much
reason to believe that the insur-
gents have gained in point of num-
bers, character and resource, and
are none the less inncxible in their
resolve not to succumb, without prac-
tically securing the great objects for
which they took up arms. If Spain has
not yet re-established her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to be regarded as an lnde-
pendent state. Indeed, as the contest
has gone on. the pretence that civil gov
eminent exists on the island, except so
far as Spain is able to maintain it, has
been practically abandoned. Spain does
A2ep on foot such goveYnment, more or
less imperfectly, in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs, but, that eXcep-
ton being made, the entire country is
either given over to anarchy or IS subject
to tho military occupation Of one or the
other party 1t is reported on reli-
able authority that, ut the demand OF the
commandcr-in-chicf Of tho insurgent
army, tho putative Cuban govern
ment has now given up all attempt to
eqcrcisc it's functions, leaving that gov
eminent confessedly (what there is the
best reason for supposing it always to
have been) q government merely on pa
per. Were the Spanish armies able to
meet their antagonists in open or pitched
battle, prompt and decisive results might
be looked for, and the immense superior
ity of Spanish forces in numbers, discip-
line and equipment could hardly fail to
tell greatly to their advantage.
But they are called upon to face foe
that shuns real engagements; that can
choose and does choose it's own ground;
that from the nature of the coun " Is Wis
iblc or invisible ut pleasure, and that
fights only from ambush, with all the adj
vantugcs of position and numbers on its
side. In u country where all that is in
dispensible in life in the way Of food,
clothing and shelter is so easily obtaina-
ble especially by those born and bred on
the SOIL it is obvious that there is hardly
n limit to time during which hostil tiles
of this sort may be prolonged. Mean
while, as in all cases of protracted civil
strife the passions of tho contestants
grow more and more inflamed and excess
on both sides becomes more frequent ana
moro dcplorable. Such IL condition of
things would inevitably entail immense
destruction Of property, even if it were
the policy of both parties to prevent 1t as
far as practicable. But while such
seemed to be the original policy of the
Spanish government, it has now appar'
emily abandoned it and is acting upon the
same theory us tho insurgents, namely,
that the exgcncies of the contest require
the wholesale humiliation of property
that it may not prove of use and adyan-
tage to the navy.
1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders, Spanish soldiers are
now being withdrawn from plantations
and the rural population required to con-,
centrute itself in the towns. The sure re-
suit would seem to be that the Industrial
value of the island is fast diminishing and
that unless there is n speedy and radical
change in existing conditions it will soon
disappear altogether. The spectacle Of
utter ruin of an adjoining country, by
nature one of the most fertile on the
globe, would engage the serious attention
of the government and the people of the
United States in any circumstances. In
point of fact, they have concern with it
which is by no means of a wholly Sc nti~
mental or philanthropic chamc ter
1t lies SO near to as to be-
hardly separated from our territory.
Our actual pecuniary interest in 1t Is sec
ond only to that Of people of governm emit
of Spain. 1t is reasonably estimated that
at least from $3O,00O,OOO to Soc, 900 of
American capital is invested in planta-
tions, and in railroad, mining, and ether
business Enterprises in the island.
The insurgents are undoubtedly en-
couraged and supported by the wide.
spread sympathy the people of this
country always and instinctively feel for
every struggle for better and freer gov
eminent and which in the case Of the more
adventurous and restless elements OF our
population leads in only too many Ia
stances to active participation in the con-
test. The result is that this government
is constantly called upon to protect Amer
lean citizens to claim damages for In
juries to persons and property now esti- :.
mated Mt many millions of dollars and to
ask explanations and apologies for the
acts of Spanish officials whose zeal for
the repression of rebellion some
times. blinds them to the immunities
belonging to the unoffending citizens
of friendly power, it follows from the
same causes that the United States Is
compelled to actively police long line OF
sea coast against unlawful expeditions,
the escape of which the utmost vigilance
will not always suffice to prevent. These
inevitable entanglements of the United
States, the large American property in
terests affected, and considerations OF
philanthropy and humanity In general,
have led to vehement demand In various