The Meeker herald., 1896-12-12
The Cuban Question.

The Cuban Question.
"The insurrcction In Cuba still con-
tinues with all its perplexitieA 1t is
difficult to perceive that nny progress
has thus far been made towards the
pacificatIon OF the island, or that the
situation of affairs as depicted In my
last annual message has in the least
improved. II Spain still holds Ha-
vana and the seaports and all the con-
siderable towns, the insurgents still
roam mt will over mt least twO-thirds OF
the inland country. If the determina-
ton of Spain to put down the insurrec-
tiOns seems but to strengthen WITH the
lapse of time. and IL eyinced by ntr lih-
hesitating devotion of largely Increased
military and naval forces to the task.
there is much reason to believe that the
insurgents have gained n point of
numbers and character ard resources
and are none the less infiexible in their
resolve not to succumb without practi-
cally securing the greet object for
which they took up arms. II Spain has
not yet re-established her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to be regarded as an in
dependent state. Indeed, as the con-
test has gone on, the pretense that
civil government exists on the island,
except so far as Spain Is able to main
tain 1t, has been practically abandoned.
Spain does keep on foot such a gov
ernment, more or less imperfectly, in
the large towns and their immediate
suburbs. But, that exception being
made, the entire county Is either given
over to anarchy or h subject to the
military occupation Of one or the other
party. 1t is reported, indeed, on reli-
able authority, that 1t the demand of
the commander-inchhf of the insur-
gent army, the putatEe Cuban govern
ment has now given up all attempt to
exercise Its functioIs. leaving that
government cOnfessclly what there is
the best reason for srppOsing 1t always
to have been in fa,h a government
merely on paper. We're the Spanish
armies able to NEE, their antagonists
in the open or In pitched battle prompt
ana decisive results might be looked
Tor, 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 ,pon to face a
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 position and numbers are ON its
side In a nnnntrsr .,s-B.a.-z AI...A To- fII-
dispensable to life in the way Of fsOd,
clothing and shelter Ia so easily OBJ
tainable. especially by those born and
bred on the soil 1t Is obvious that there
Is hardly n limit to the time during
which hostilities OF this sort may be
prolonged. Meanwhile in all cases of
protracted civil strife, the passions of
the combatants grow more inflaned
and eNcesses on both sides become
more frequent and more deplorable.
Ihey are also participated in by
bands of marauders who now in the
name of one party and now In the
name of the other as may best tuit
the occasion. harrass the country Il
will and plunder the wretched inkab-
itants for their own advantage. Sich
condition of things would inevitably
| entail immense destruction of pro,er.
~ even II it Were the policy OF both
parties to prevent it as far as prscti.
| cable. But while such seemed to he
the original policy OF the Spanish gov.
ernment 1t has now apparently been
abandoned by 1t and is acting upon the
same theory as the insurgents, name
ly. tile eNigencies of the contest re.
quire the wholesale annihilation OF
property that 1t may not prove Of any
use and advantage to the enemy II
is to the same end that in pursuance
OF general orders. the Spanish garrI
sons are now being withdrawn from
plantations and the rural population
required to concentrate itself in the
towns. The sure result would seen
to be that the Industrial value of the
island is fast diminishing, and that un
less there is speedys and radIca
change In existing circumstances Il
will soon disappear altogether. Tha,
value consists largely, of course, II
its capacity to produce sugar, a capac
ity already much reduced by the inter
ruption to tiflage, which has taker
place during the last two years. II II
reliably asserted that should these in
terruptions continue during the cur
rent year, and practically extend, III
is now threatened. to the entire sugal
producing territory Of the island. x
much time and 80 much money viii
he required to restore the land to iti
normal productiveness that It Ia ex
tremely doubtful II capital can be in
duced even to make the attempt. The
spectacle OF the utter ruin Of an ad
Joining country. by nature one Of ths
most fertile and charming on tht
whole globe. would engage the serioui
attention OF the government and thu
people of the United States in any
circumstances. In point of fact. the,
have concern with 1t which II by NJ
means Of a wholly sentimental or phi
lanthrOpic character. 1t lies 30 neal
to us as to be hardly separated from
our territory.
sour actual pecuniary interest IN 1t 1
second only to that of the people ant
government of Spain. 1t is reasouabI,
estimated that at least from $4,000 90
to $JO.OOO.OOO Of American capital are In
vested In plantations and in raihMda
mining and other business enterprises Oh
the island. The volume Of trade betweeI
the United States and Cuba. which II
1880 amounted to about xG4. .OOO. GOO, rOs
In 1893 to about $1G3.OOO.WO, and II
1894. the year before the present insur
reetion broke out. amounted to nearl,