Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-12-11

:
termination of Spain to put down the insur
rection seems but to strengthen with thu
lapse of time. and Is evidenced by her mn
| hesitatng devotion 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 numbers ant
| character and resources, and are none th'
less nhcxibe in their resolve not to succuml
| without practically securing the great pro
| jects for which they took up arms. III SPAR
has not yet re-cstablished her authority
neither have the insurgents yet made good
| their title to be regarded as an Independent
| state. Indeed, as the contest has gone on
| the pretense that civil government exists or
the island, except SO far as Spain is able &c
maintain it, has been practically abandoned
Spain does keep on foot such govern
ment, more or less imperiectly. in the large
| towns and their immediate suburbs. But
| that exception being made, the entire coun-
| try is either given over to anarchy or Is
| subject TO the military occupation of one or
| the other party 1t is reported indeed, on
| reliable authority that, at the demand OF
the -in-chicf of the insurgent
army, the putative Cuban government has
now given up all attempt to exercise its
functions leaving that government confess
sedly Cwhat there is the best reason for sup
posing 1t always to have been in facp gov
eminent merely on paper.
Were the Spanish armies able to meet
their antagonists in the open, or in pitched
battle, prompt and decisive results might be
looked for, and the immense superiority of
the Spanish forces in numbers, discipline
and equipment, could hardly fail to tell
greatly to their advantage. But they are
called upon TO face foe that shuns general
engagements that can choose and does
choose its own ground that from the nature
of the country is visible or invisible at
pleasure, and that fights only from am
buscade and when all the advantages of po-
sition and numbers are on its side. In
country where all that is indispensable to
life in the way of food, clothing and shelter
is so easily obtainablc especially by those
born and bred on the soil ii is obvious that
there is hardly a limit to the time during
which hostilities of this sort may be pro-
longcd Meanwhile as in all cases of pro-
tracted civil strife, the passions of the COM
batants grow more and more intiamcd and
excesses on both sides are more frequent
and more dcplorablc.
They also are participated in by bands of
maraudcrs. who, now in the name of one
party and now in the name of the other, as
may best suit the OCCASION harass the coun-
try at will and plumber its wretched inhab-
itants for their own advantage. Such
condition of things would inevitably entail
immense destruction of property even If 1t
were the policy of both parties to prevent it
as far as practicable. But while such
seemed to be the original policy of the Span
ish government. it has now apparently
abandoned it, and is acting upon the same
theory as the insurgents. namely that the
exigencies of the contest require the whole
sale annhilaiion of property, that it may
not prove of use and advantage to the enc
N.Y. 1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders, Spanish garrisons are
now being withdrawn from plantations and
the rural population required to concentrate
itself in the towns.
The sure result would seem to be that the
industrial value of the island is fast dimin-
ishing and that unless there is a speedy and
radical change in existing conditions it will
soon disappear altogether That value con-
sists very largely, of course in its capacity
to produce sugars-a capacity already much
reduced by interruptions to tlllage which
have taken place during the last two years.
1t is reliably asserted that should these in
terruptions continue during the current
year. and practically extend, as is now
to the entire sugar producing
territory of the island. so much time and so
much money will be required to restore the
land to its normal productveness that 1t is
extremely doubtful if capital can be induced
to even make the attempt
The spectacle of the utter ruin of an ad-
joining country by nature, one of the most
fertile and charming on the globe, would
engage the serious attention OF the govern
ment and people of the United States under
any circumstances. In point of fact, they
have concern with it which is by no means
of wholly sentimental or philanthropic
character. 1t lies so near to us as to be
hardly separated from our country. Our
actual pecuniary interest in it is second
only to that of the people and government
of Spain. 1t is reasonably estimated that
at least from S3O,0OO,OO0 to S5OOOO,OO OF
capital is invested in plantations, in rail-
road, mining and other business enter
ptises on the island. The volume of trade
the United States and Cuba which
IN 1889 amounted to about S64 100000, rose
In 1893 to about SOB 600. 900. and in 1894,
the year before present insurrection broke
out amounted to nearly $96OO0,OOO. Be-
sides this large pecuniary interest staked in
the fortunes of Cuba, the United States finds
itself ineXtricably involved in the present
contest in other ways both vexatious and
costly.
Many Cubans reside in this country. and
indirectly promote the instruction through
the press by public meetings, by the pug
chase and shipment of arms, by the raising
of funds and by other means which the
spirit of our institutions and the tenor OF
our laws do not permit to be made the sub
iect of criminal prosecution Some of them,
though Cubans at heart and in all their feel
ngs and interests, have taken out papers as
naturaliZed citizens of the United States
proceeding resorted to with view to pos
sible protectio by this government. and
not unnaturally regarded with much indig-
nation by the country of their origin. The
insurgents are undoubtedly encouraged and
by the widespread sympathy OF
the people of this country always instinct
lively felt for every struggle for better and
freer government and which in the case of
the more adventurous and restless elements
of our population, leads in only too many
instances to active and personal participa-
ton in the contest
The result is that this government is con-
stantly called upon to protect American cit
liens. to claim damages for injuries to per-
sons and property, now estimated at many
millions of dollars, and to ask explanations
and apologies for the acts or Spanish OFF,
Gals whose zeal for the repression of rebel
lion sentiments blinds them to the immun-
tiles belonging to the unotfending citizens
Of friendly power.
1t follows from the same causes that the
United States is compelled to actively police
4 long line of sea coast against unlawful ex-
petitions, the escape of which the utmost
will not ALWAYS suffice to prevent
These inevitable entanglements OF the
United States with the rebellion in Cuba,
the large American property interests af-
fected and considerations of philanthropy
and humanity in general have led to We