New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-19
cyBiN REBELS AND THEIR WORK.


Mr. Palma has made an important confribu-
ton 10 the current literature of the Cuban cause
Whether or not his appeal for recognition OF
belligcrcncy shall he granted, his words VIII
have much influence upon the opinions OF the
American peopl, For American sympathies 90
out spontaneously 10 all people, everywhere,
who are struggling for liberty and especially 10
those who are so near at hand as the Cubans
and connected with this country by so many
and 80 intimate ties 1t will be well. however.
for Americans 10 base their sympathies with
Cuba not merely upon general principles anu
sentiments but also upon a clear knowledge Oh
the facts and circumstances OF THIS particular
case They should keep In mind just who the
insurgents are. why they have revoited, ana III
what manner they are conducting their cam
paign II Spanish authorities are to De De-
llcycd this rebellion Is Il small AFFAIR, IN which
the mass Of the people Of Cuba have no interest.
II was started and Is led by gang or cut
throat Adventures from outside the Island, TOD
no other purpose than rapine and plumber ana
Is being conducted in n manner appropriate 10
such ends, by mere rabbe OF criminals ana
half-savage negroes. That Is the Spanish &C.
count of It, in which, 1t may be frunkly said,
there seems to be little. II any, truth.
The world knows perfectly we'll that Cuban
disafYecton toward Spain Is no new nor cause
less thing Many times within the last three
ouarters OF century have the Cubans shown
their desire to he rid Of Spanish misgovernment
Twenty eight years ago an act OF gross injustice
nv the Madrid Government caused a general
uprising throughout the island, not OF the
negroes and the so-called lower classes, but OF
the very best elements Of the population. The
struggle lasted ten years, and was marked by
cruel and barbarous conduct on the Spanish side.
AT Inst when scores OF thousands Of lives and
hundreds of millions OF dollars had been sacri-
feed the insurgents were induced. by liberal
PROMISES of reforms to lay down their arms.
Those promises were not fulfilled. MisgOvern-
mcnt continued. even worse than before. until,
something more than n year ago, the Madrid
Government proposed, by means OF measure
called In grim irony. Home Rule" bill, to
make the manacles OF despotism still heavier
and rivet them still more securely upon the long
suffering island. That proposal was the signal
for the present rebellion, or revolution as every
friend OF Cuba hopes 1t may prove to be.
| As TO who tn. insurgents are. we may safely
| accept the testimony OF Marshal Campos. who
says frankly. they include, actively or passively.
| almost the whole native population That
| means more than 100000 out OF the 1,7OO,OOO
| inhabitants Of the island, for the Spanards In
| Cuba. apart from the recent military impOrta-
lions, number less than 100000 And who are
these 100000 insurgents? Are they mostly
negroes and poor white trash," rs General
| Weyler would have us think? by no means.
| They are the brain and Drawn OF the island.
| the planters, the merchants, the educated
classes as well. 1t Is notorious fact that this
instruction, like that Of 1S6S-'7S, began at the
top. 1t was organized by the best men OF
Cuba; and. indeed, the chief trouble at the out
set was to get the common people and the work
| ingmen aroused from the apathy into which
| they had been crushed by years Of Spanish des-
| potIsm. Nor will It do TO Imagine that the mass
Of the people are negroes, and that the Cuban
Republic. when II shall be established, will be a
"black republic" like Hayti. II that were
fact, II would not lessen the right Of the Cubans
to liberty. But 1t Ia not a fact. Only about one
third of the people Of Cuba are negroes, and
many OF these latter are men Of high intel
gence and culture, well fitted for self.govern.
ment. The overwhelming majority Of the Gu