The sun., 1896-10-08
A Feature OF Spain's War In Cuba.

One of the reasons for Spain's failure in
all her wars in Spanish-America when she
fought to retain her colonies there was the
ruthless manner in which they were prose
cuted by her Generals. The conduct Of
Spain in Mexico, when the MeXiCans were
struggling for independence early in this
century, was atrocous. Leaders were exc
cuted; prisoners We're butchered; peaceful
people were mcrcilessly slain, and broad
regions of the country We're devastated.
The record of Spain's wars against her
colonies in Central aud South America is
also record of the most barbarous cruelty.
1t was Spain's frightful inhumanity in these
wars, not less than the depravity of her
rule, that nerved the arm of BOLIVAR and
the other liberators. Spain wnged war
against her own offspring in America as
she had previously waged it against the
primitive inhabitants, from Mexico to Peru
and Patagonia. And yet she lost all her
col nies on the American continent.
In like manner Spain is carrying on war
in Cuba. In like manner she carried it on
there during Cuba's ten years struggle for
liberty. At this time she has WEYLER in
the field ms Mt the other time she had VAL
MAsEDA. two men than whom few baser
miscreants are named in the bloodstained
annals of Spain.
y short time ago we printed, under the
title of spanish Cruelty in Cuba" a
, chapter of contemporary history by Mr.,
THOMAS r. DAwLEY, Jr., n wcll-known
artist in the service of the Mcssrs. HAIR
PER, who spent months of this year in
Cuba rs an observer .among both the
| D..
indeed, a horrible chapter, and consisted
| largely OF incidents OF which he had
been an eyewitness. Mr.. DAwLEY told of
the butchery of prisoners, and innocent
PEASANTS and women, and helpless negroes 4;
he told OF cases Of torture and mutilation /;
he told of the burning Of II Cuban hos
pital and the killing OF its wounded
inmates. as narrated to him by a Span
ish bastard who had taken part in
the affair." he told OF some of the
performances of that iniquitous wretch
Gen. MELGUIZo: he described scenes of car
mage fitted to shock the mind of the least
sensitive of mankind. The incidents that
came within Mr.. DAwLEY'S knowledge dur
ing his stay in Cuba resemble hundreds of
Others with which the records of Spain in
America are spotted. Tho deeds are not
such as may occur in civilized warfare; they
are monstrous. They are not such as brave
soldiers could ever take part I'M they are
cowardly. The man primarily responsible
for them is the braggart and poltrovn
WEYLER. The Government against which
judgment must be delivered is that at
Madrid. The guilty country is Spain
Let the truth be observed that foreign
wars prosecuted by Spain nearly always
end in failure, as Spain often had occa sion
to learn while fighting for her former
American possessions. She failed in all the
wars she fought against her ultramarine
colonies, from the Rio Grande del Norte to
the outlet Of the Rio de In Plata. She has
failed, perhaps utterly, in Cuha.
The reason of Spain's many failures is her
cruelty in war. When any people under
her rule take up arms against her, they
know what to expect; they know it from
Spanish history. They look for general
massacre and devastation; the leaders know
that, if unsuccessful, they will be executed
the prisoners taken in battle know that they
will be executed; the women OF their fami-
lies know how mercilessly they will be dealt
with; the peaceful people know the doom OF
those who fall under Spanish suspicion,
Everybody knows, all too well. what war is
for Spain.
Hence it is that the insurgents against
Spain always fight with desperation, fight
as the great BoLIvARand the priest HIDALGo
fought, or as GOMEZ and MACEo fight, The
Cubans cannot surrender like the Confed.
crate Generals and armies in this country,
or like the British at the time of the Revolu-
tion, or like many a brave Indian tribe
when defeated. 1t were better for them to