The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-25
WHY CUBA FIGHTS.

| That all America without regard to
| party, sympathizes with the Cubans
goes without saying. 1t is not that
] they have anything against Spain, but
| that they know that the Cubans have
a right to self-government But the
Cubns have a grievance in addition to
their demand for rights Of life, liberty
and an even chance in the world. Cuba
made tenyears' war previous to the
present one 1t was a struggle which
nearly ruined that island and exhaust
ed Spain, which had sent loo, 900 troops
to crush the Instruction. But she did
not crush the patriots. A compromise
peace was declared and reforms guar
anteed. Royal DEGREES embodying al
legged reforms were issued in 1878, but
only the ghost Of self-government was
granted. The governor-generals ap-
pointed by Spain became virtually the
government.
Under the new form Of government
a tariff was framed which compelled
Cubans to buy from Spain to their own
detriment and to the gain of the mother
country. They not only had to pay
duties ON what they bought from
abroad, but also on what they sold
abroad. The internal taxation cover
ed every kind of individual enterprise.
All the details OF business were kept
under ceaseless governmental espion-
age, resulting in a vicious excess or
blackmail. Furthermore, Cuba had
absolutely no voice in spending the
money she had raised in taxation.
Spain undertook the entire distribution
of expenditures, filching the greater
part through her corroupt officials.
But it is in his social and business
life that the Cuban has suffered the
greatest wrongs. AS someone has said,
everything that Cuban has or does
is subject to at least two taxes"
Americans can hardly realize state
of society in which the smallest retail
store is taxed $500 and each article in
the store pays an exorbitanr duty; in
which every income is taxed and every
view of the tax collector. Every clerk
in store pays an income tax Of 212
per cent of his salary, and in addition
per cent of the amount of his income
tax to cover the cost Of COLLECTING it.
A man who gets married has to pay a
tax on the wedding. If man dies
there is tax on his funeral. If one
gives a dinner party, a dance or a re-
ception he must pay a tax or the priv
ilege. If he repairs his house he must |
pay a tax; if he keeps a servant he
must pay tax; and if he puts up a |
sign over his place of business he pays |
tax on every letter in it. So per-
vasive had corruption and extortion |
become that at one time the govern |
ment banks in Cuba actually issued |
counterfeit money.
1t was against such q conglomerate
Of evils that the Cubans rose in rebel
lion. They have had a hundred causes
where our forefathers had one. In all
Spain's troubles with other nations
Cuba had been intensely loyal to the
mother country. but she received in
return only the most devilish system of
eXtortion ever devised by a So-called
civilized nation. The Andalusian cor
morant was gradually devouring her,
and at last came the rupture. The re-
forms promised by Spain have been
but mockeries, and now THAT these Gu
bans are fighting for their freedom,
Spain in her dealings with them treats
them as if they were wild beasts and
slays them in violation of all the rules
Of civilized warfare. The letters Of
the London Times correspondent are
conclusive ON this point
Is it any wonder then that the SYM
patty of the great republic should go
out to the men who are fighting in
the cause of liberty? They would in
deed deserve the scorn of Americans
# they did not fight. Of course they
cannot conduct the most effective kind
Df warfare for they are deficient in
arms. ammunition and resources. If
every patriot were we'll armed and
equipped, SPANS control of the island
would not last a month.
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