The herald., 1896-12-08
CLEVELAND'S MESSAGE 70 THE CONGRESS
Christian world for its corrective treat
ment will remain unanswered.
THE CUBAN INSURRECTION.

ueS WITH all It's perplexltleS. IL Is OlIIl-
cult to perceive that any progress has
thus far been made toward the pacifica-
tion 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 Havana and the sea-
ports and all the considerable towns.
the insurgents still roam at will over at
least two-thirds of the island country
If the determination ofSpain to put down
the insurrection seems but to strength
Ell with the lapse of time, and is evinced
by her unhesitating devotion Of largely
increased military and naval forces to
the task, there is much reason to be-
lieve that the insurgents have gained in
point of numbers and character and re-
sources and are none the less inflexible
in their resolve not to succumb without
practically securing the great object
for which they took up arms. If Spain
has not yet re-established her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to b regarded as an in
dependent state. Indeed, as the contest
has gone on, the pretense that civil gov
ernmnt exists on the island, except so
far as Spain is able to maintain it, has
been practically abandoned. Spain does
keep on foot such government more or
less imperfectly, in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs, but, that ex-
ception being made, the entire country Is
given over to anarchy or Is subject to
the military occupation of one of the
other party. 1t is reported, indeed, on re-
liable authority, that at the demand of
the commander-in-chief Of the insurg-
ent army the putative Cuban govern
ment has now given up all attempts to
exercise its functions, leaving that gov
ernment confessedly (what there is the
best reason to suppose it always to
nave been in facD government mere
ly on paper. Were the Spanish armies
able to meet their antagonists in the
open or pitched battle, prompt and de-
cisive result might be looked for and
the immense superiority of the Spanish
forces in numbers, discipline and equip
ment 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 pleas
ure, and that fights only from ambus-
cade and when all the advantages of
position and numbers are on it's side In
country where all that is indispensa-
BILE to life in the way of food, clothing
and shelter is so easily obtained espe-
cially by those born and bred on the soil,
it is obvious that there liz hardly a limit
to the time during which hostilities of
in all cases of protracted civil strife, the
passions of the combatants grow more
and more inf1amed and eXcesses on both
sides become more frequent and more
deplorable. Their attacks are partici-
pated in by bands of marauders who,
now in the name of one party and now
in the name of another, as may best suit
the occasion, harass the country at will
and plunder its wretched inha bitants
fnt. tboi nd Ia SlIn
tion of things would inevitably entail
immense destruction of property even
if it were the purpose of both parties to
prevent it as far as practicable. But
while such seems to be the original pol
icy of the Spanish government it has
now apparently abandoned it, and is
acting upon the same theory as the in
surgents, namely that the exigencies
of the contest require the wholesale an
Inhalation of property that it may not
prove of any use and advantage to the
enemy
1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders, Spanish troops are now
being withdrawn from plantations and
the rural population required to con-
centrate itself in the towns. The sure re-
suit would seem to be that the indus
trial value of the island is fast dmn-
ishing, and that unless there Is a speedy
and radical change in existing conditions
it will soon disappear altogether. That
value consists very largely, of course,
in it's capacity to produce sugar. a Ca
pacity already much reduced by the in
terruptions to tillage which have taken
place during the last two years 1t Is re-
liably asserted that these Interruptions
continue during the current year, and
practically extend, as it now is threaten
ed, to the entire sugar producing terri
tory of the island So much time and so
much money will be required to restore
the land to its normal productiveness
that it is extremely doubtful If capital
can be induced to even make the at
tempt. The spectacle of the utter ruin
of an adjoining country, by nature one
of the most fertile and charming on the
whole globe. would engage the serious
attention of the government and the
people of the United States in any cir
cumstances. In point of fact they have
a concern with it which is by no means
of wholly sentimental or phlanthropic
character. 1t lies so near to us as to be
hardly separated from our territory
Our actual pecuniary interest in it is
second only to that of the people and
government of Spain. Ii is reasonably
estimated that at least from $50, ,O0O. 900
to $oO,O00,O GOO of American capital is in
vested in plantations and in railroads,
mining and other business enterprises on
the island. The volume of trade between
the United States and Cuba which in
1889 amounted to about $64 900, 600, rose
in 1893 to about $103, ,00O, 900, and in 1894 the
year before the present insurrection
broke out, amounted to nearly $4,000, 900.
Besides this large pecuniary stake in the
fortunes of Cuba. the United States finds
itself ineXtricably involved in the pres
ent contest in other ways, both yeXa-
tious and costly.
Many Cubans reside in this country.
and indirectly promote the insurrection
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-
tions and the tenor of our laws do not
permit to be made the subject of crim,.
nal prosecutions. Some of them, thor
ough Cubans at heart, and in all their
feelings and interests, have taken out
papers is naturaliZed citizens OF the
United States, proceeding resorted to
" 18th view to possible protection by this
government and not unreasonably re-
garded with mu'sh indignation by the
country of their origin. The insurgents
are undoubtedly encouraged and sup
ported by the widespread sympathy the
people or this country always and in
st1nctively feel for every struggle for
better and freer government, and which,
in the case of the more adventurous and
restless elements Of our people, leads in
only too many instances to active ani
personal participation in the contest.
The result is that this government is
constantly called upon to protect Ameri-
can citizens who claim damages for in
iuries to persons and property, now es.
timated at MANY millions of dollars and