New-York tribune., 1896-12-08

oi actual completely Of Turkish soldiers in the
work of destruction and robbery.
The facts as they now appear do not permit
us to doubt the justice of these claims. and
nothing will be omitted TO bring about their
prompt settlement.
A number of Armenian refugees having ar
rived at our ports. order has lately been OBJ
tained from the Turkish Government permitting
the wives and children of such refugees to join
them here. 1t Is hoped that hereafter no OBJ
stacle VIII be interposed 20 prevent the escape
or all those who seek to avoid the perils which
threaten them In Turkish dominions.
Our recently appointed consul to Erzeroum IS
at his post and dischargng the duties of his
Office though for some unaccountable reason
his formal eXequatur from the Sultan has not
been issued
do not believe that the present sombre pros
pect In Turkey will be long permitted to offend
the sight Of Christendom. 1t so mars the hu-
name and enlightened civilization that belongs
to the close Of the nineteenth century that It
seems hardly possible that the earnest demand
Of good people throughout the Christian world
for It's corrective treatment will remain un-
answered
THE CUBAN "INSURRECTION"
The insurrecton in Cuba still continues with
all its perplexties. 1t is difficult to perceive
tNdt any progress mas mus far been made tow
ards the pacifcaton of the island or that the
situation OF affairs as depicted in my last an
nual message has in the least improved. II
Spain still holds Havana and the seaports and
all the considerable towns. the insurgents still
roam at will over at least two-thrds 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 evinced
| by her unhesitating devotion Of largely in
creased military and naval forces to the task.
| there is much reason to believe that the insur-
| gents have gained In point OF numbers. and
| character. and resources. and are none the less
| innexible in their resolve not to succumb with
| out practically securing the grea: objects for
| which they took up arms. If Spain has not yet
re-established her authority, neither have the
| insurgents ye: made good their title to be re-
| garded an Independent State. Indeed. as the
contest has gone on. the pretence that civil gov
| ernment exists on the island. except ia.
| Spain is able to maintain IT, has been practi-
| cany abandoned. Spain does keep foot such
| a Government. more less imperfectly. 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 10
| the military occupation OF one or the other
party 1t is reported indeed reliable au-
thority that at the demand OF the commander
| in-chief Of the insurgen. army the putaiive
Cuban Government has now given up all at
temp. 10 exercise it's functions leaving that
| Government confessedy (what there is the best
| reason for supposng it always to have been In
| facD a Government merely on paper
Were the Spanish armies able 10 meet their
antagonists In the Open or in pitched battle.
| prompt and decisive results might be looked
| for. and the immense superiority OF the Span
icb in pherc a nd
| could hardly fail TO tell greatly to their advan-
| tage. But they are called upon 10 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 IN
visible at pleasure. and that fights only from
ambuscade and when all the advantages OF
position and numbers are it's side. In
country where all that is Indispensable to life
in the way Of food. clothing and shelter is so
easily obtainable especially by those born and
bred on the soil ii is obvious that there Is
hardly limit to the time during which hosiil-
tiles Of this sort may be prolonged. Mean
while, in all cases OF protracted civil strife.
the passions Of the combatants grow more and
more infiamed. and excesses both sides be-
come more frequent and more deplorable They
are also participated in by bands OF marauders.
who, now In the name Of one party and now III
the name OF the oihe-. as may best suit the oc-
cason, harry the country at viii ana plund"r
its wretched inhabitants for their own advan-
tage. Such a condition OF things would ineV-
itably entail immense destruction OF property
even If it were the policy Of both parties To
prevent 1t far as practicable But Whiie
such seemed to be the original pollcy or the
Spanish Government II has now apparently
abandoned it and Is acting upon the same
theory the insurgents. namely. that the exi-
gencies Of the contest require the wholesale an
initiation Of property. that 1t may not prove
Of use and advantage to the enemy.
II Is to the same end that III pursuance OF
s.tx. nttt ,.-
ing withdrawn from plantations ana me rurai
population required To concentrate Itself IN thr
towns The sure result would seem 10 pS S;, .i,a'
the Industrial value Of the island Is fast clinih
shing and that unless there is speedy ana
radical change in existing conditions 1t VIII
soon disappear altogether That value consists
verv largely of course in its capacity 10 pro
duce sugar-a capacity already much .cuuceu
by the Interruptions to tage WLich haNe
taken place during the last two years IL Is re-
uably asserted that should these interruptions
continue during the current year ana pIacu-
cally extend. as Is now threatened TO ,a ane 's 20
tire sugar producing territory OF the island, so
much time and so much money VIII pc fequireu
to restore the land to It's normal productive,
ness that 1t Is extremely doubtful II capl'ai can
be induced to even make the attempt
A SPECTACLE or RUIN.
Tho snoctacle Of the utter ruin OF an adjoir-
ing country. by nature one Of the most fertne
and charming on the globe, would engage 'hc
eerious attention of the Government; and people
ot tho United States in any circumstances. In
noint Of fact, they have concern with IL "ii'o"
,s by nc means wholly sentimehtal or pm.
ami hropic character. 1t lies 80 rear 10 US aS "
he hardly separated from our terntor. OuI
actual pecuniary interest in 1t is seconi oii,y
"a mat of the people and Government OF SPAN.
!, 10 reasonably estimated that AT least from
500 600 900 TO $5O,Oy0,O00 OF American capItal
ara invested in plantations and In railroad
aiming and other business enterprises on thc
.'and rhe volume of trade between the
tinted states and Cuba. which IN T.oi, ~ ~
amounted about sG4oooCoo G rose In n 1898 Toap ,p
tins"re The present insurrection broke out.
',oi'n,ed Deio,r 70 nearly S9GOOOO00 Besides this
iaree necuniary stake In the fortunes OF Cup"'