The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-12-17
As TO CUBA.

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parts of the message that touched upon
that question
"The instruction in Cuba still con
tinues with all its perplexltles. 1t is
difficult to perceive that any progress
has thus far been made towards The
: pacifcatlon of the island, or that the
!, situation of affairs as depicted in my
last annual message has in the least
improved. If Spain still holds Habana
and the seaports, and all the considera-
BILE towns, the insurgents still roam at
will over at least two-thirds of the in
land country. If the determination OF
Spain to put down the insurrection
seems but to strengthen with the lapse
of time, and is evlnced by her unhesi-
tating devotion OF largely increased
military and naval forces to the task,
there is much reason to believe that the
insurgents have gained in point OF
mum pers, and character, and resources,
and are none the less lnflexible in their
resolve not to succumb, without practi-
cally securing the great objects for
which they took up arms. II Spain
has not yet reestabllshed her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to be regarded as an
| DC
test has gone on, the pretence that civil
government exists on the island, except
:, far as Spain Is able to maintain it,
nas been practlcally abandoned. Spain
hoes keep on foot such a government,
more or less imperfectIy, in the large
| towns and their immediate suburbs.
But, that exception being made, the
entire country 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 au-
| thority, that, at the demand of the COM
mander -in-chief of the insurgent army,
| the putatlve Cuban Government has
now given up all attempt to exercise its
functions, leaving that government
confessedly (what there is the best req
son for suoposlng it always to have
been in fact), a government merely on
paper"
The spectacle of the utter ruin of an
adjoining country, by nature one of the
most fertile and charming on the globe,
would engage the serious attention Of
the government and people of the
United States in any circumstances.
In point of foot. thoy have CONCERN
with 1t which Is by no means of Who'll
ly sentimental or philanthropic charac-
ter. 1t lies so near to us as to be hardly
separated from our territory. Our ac-
tual pecuniary interest In it is second
only to that OF the people and Govern
ment of Spain. 1t Is reasonably estima-
ted that at least from $30,O0O,O0O to
$50 900 of American capital are in
vested in plantations and In railroad,
mining, and other business enterprises
on the island. The volume of trade
between the United States and Cuba,
which in 1889 amounted to about $64,-
OOO, 900, rose in 1898 to about $1G3, OOO,-
600, and in 1894, the year before the
present instruction broke out, amount
ed to nearly $96.0OO,OOO. Besides this
large pecuniary stake IN the fortunes of
Cuba, the United States finds itself in
extricably involved in the present con-
test in other ways. both yexatiOus and
costly.
Many Cubans reside in this country,
and indirectly promote the Instruction
through the press, by public meetings,
by the purchase and shipment of arms,
by the raising of funds, and by other
means which the spirit of our institu-
lions and the tenor of our laws do not
permit to be made the subject OF GRIM
inal prosecutions. Some of them.
though Cubans at heart, and in all their
feelings and interests, have taken out
papers as naturalized citizens of the
United States, proceeding resorted to
with view to possible protection by
this government, and not unnaturally
regarded with much Indignation by
the country of their origin. The insur-
gents are undoubtedly encouraged and
supported by the widespread sympathy
the people of this country always and
instinctively fell tor 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 participation in the con-
test. The result is that this govern
ment is constantly called upon to pro-
tect American citizens, to claim dam
ages for injuries to person and proper
ty estimated at many millions of dollars.
and to ask explanations and apologies
for the acts of the Spanish officials,
whose zeal for the renreSSinn IF tbo M