The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1896-12-09


discipline ana equipment could hardly Iull
to tell greatly to their advantage.
But they are called upon to face a zoe
which can choose and does choose It's own
ground, Tint from tile nature of the coun-
try is visible or Invisible at pleasure, ana
That fights only from nmbuscaden anu wheh
all the advantages of position anu mum
Dcrs are on its side.
In country where all tint is indIspcn-
sable to life In the way Of food, clothing
and shelter is so easily oDtHlnnDle, cspe-
riuIIv by those born aud bred on the soil,
IL Is obvious that there is lmrdly limit
to tile time during which hOstiIlties or
this sort may be prolonged. Mcahwhiic'
as in all cases of prOtInCtch civil STRIFE
the passions OF tile COubntnnts grow more
and more iniiamCu AMI GNccsscs ON both
sides become more frequent aud deplOra-
Dle.
They are also participated In by bands
of muraudcrs WHO, nov In the name or
one party nml now In tile name of the 9th
or, as muy be the occasion, harry the conn
try at Will and plumber Its wrctchrd In
habltunts FOR their own advantage. SnGh
"A condition OF things would inevitably
entail immense destruction OF property
even II 1t were the policy of both parties
to prevent IL as fur AZ practicable.
Wholesale AnnIhiIntiOn.
But while such seemed the original pol
Icy of tire government, IL las NOW nppur-
emily abandoned 1t aud Is acting upon the
same theory as tic Insurgents. namely
that the cXiGcnrics of the contest require
the Wholesale umhilutiUm OF property,
tugc to the enemy.
ills tothc same end that, IN pursuance
general orders. Spanish Surrsons are now
being withdrawn from plantations ana
the rural population required TO Cohcell-
trutc itself In the towns. The sure result
would seem to be TINT the Industrial val
ne OF the island Is fast diminishing ana
that unless there is speedy aud radical
change In existing conditions II VIII soon
disappear altogether. That value consists
very largely, or course, III It's chuhclt! 10
n
reduced by the interruptions To tillngc
which have taken place during the last
two years.
IL tx reliably assorted that should these
interruptions continue during tic current
year, and practically extend, ns Is now
threatened, to the entire sugnr'producing
territory OF the Island, so much time and
so much money will be required TO restore
the land to its normal productivencss that
1t is extremely doubtful If capital can DC
induced to even make the attempt.
The spectacle of the utter ruin or an hd-
Joining country, by nature one OF the most
fertile aud charming on me SioOe; "ouIu
engage the serious attention OF the gov
erIncnt aud people of the United States
In any circumstances. In point OF f"Gt'
they have concern with II when Is ny
no means OF wholly SchIIhchIHI OF phII'
untlIropic character 1t Hes so near TO us
us TO be hurdIy separated from our terri
tory.
second only to that of the people ana gov
crnmcnt OF Spain. 1t is reasonably csii'
mated that mt least from S3O.OOO.OOO to
$50 UOO. 900 OF Americas capital are IN
vested in plantations and In railroads.
mining aud other business enterprises OH
the Island. The volume OF trade between
the United States and Cuba, which III lSSO
Amounted to about SGI, OOO, 900, rose III 1893
to about SIO5, 900, and In 1S!A, the year
before tho present insurrcctlon broke out,
II amounted to nearly Su6,OOO,OOO.
VrxatiOus and Costly.
Resides this largo pecunIury stake In the
fortunes of Cuba, the United states finds
Itself incXtricnbly Involved III the present
contest in other ways both vcNutious ana
costly Many Cubnns reside In this coun-
try and Indirectly promote the insurrcc-
ton through the press, by public meetings
by the purchase and shipment Of arms, by
tho raising of funds ana ny othcr means
which the -'turc of orr Institutions and
the tenor OF our laws 10 not permit to be
made subjects of criminal prosecutions.
Some Of them, though Cubnns Mt heart
and IN all their feelings ana interests.
have taken out papers as nnturalizcd citi.
Zcns OF the United States. II proceeding
rcSortch to with n Wow TO possible pro
lection by this government. and not mn
naturally regarded with much Indignation
by the country OF their origin
The Insurgents are undoubtedly cncour.
ngcd and supported by the widespread
sympathy tho people of this country al
ways and instinctircly feel FOR every
struggle for the better and frecr govern
mcnt ana when, in the case of the more
adventurous and restless clements of our
popuIatIon. leads In only too many In
ton In tho contest.
The result Is that this government Is
constantly called upon to protect Nmcrl-
can citizens. 10 claim damages for inJll'
rics to persons nud property, now cstimht-
ed at many millions Of dollars. nnh to nsk
explanations and apologies for the acts of
Spanish officials Whose zeal for the sup
preston Of the rebellion sometimes blinds
them to tho ImmmmitlcS belonging TO the
| unofrcndinG citizens Of friendly power
1t follows from til" same causes that tn"
Fg IrI To
lice Il long line OF scacOnst against unlhw-
full expeditions, the escape OF which tho
| utmost vigilance will not always suffice
to prevent.
Positive Intervention.
These Inevitable cntanglcmcnts OF tho
United states with the rebellion In Cuba
the large American property interests nf-
fectcd. and considerations OF philnnthroPy
and humanity In general, have led to II
vehement demand In various quarters for
some sort OF positive Intervention on the
part Of the United states.
1t was Mt first proposed that bclllGcrcnt
rights should be accorded 10 the insnr.
gcnts-n proposition no longer urged be
| cause an umtimcly and Impractical opera.
tIou clearly pcriOus and Injurious to our
own interests. II has since been nnd Is
| now sometimes contcndcd that the indie
| pcndcncc of the insurgents should be roc
OgniZcd.
Rut Impcrfcct aud restricted as the
| Spanish government OF the island may be-.
no other exists there. unless the Will OF
of particular district can be dignihcd as
n species OF government 1t Is now MISC
| suggested that The United states should
buy the Island-a suggestion possibly wOr
| thy OF consideration II there were any
| evidence OF desire Willingness on the
part OF Spain to entertain such a proposal.
1t Is urged, finally, that, all other meth
| DDS failing, the existing intcrnecine strife
| In Cuba should be terminated 10y omr In
| tcrvcntlOn, even at the cost OF war be.
| tween the United States ana Spuin-N war
which Its advocates confidently prophcSy
| could be neither large In It's proportions
nor doubtful In its Issue. The correctness
| Of this forecast need be neither affirmed
| nor denied. The United States has, new
| erthclcsS. character to maintain as II ma
| sion, which plainly dictates that right and
not might should be the rule of it's con
| duct
Further though. the United States is
| not II nation to which peace Is II ncccssi-
| ty. 1t is III truth the most pacific OF pow
crs ana desires nothing SO much as to live
in nmity with all the world. Its own ann
| Pie aud diversified domains satisfy all pos.
sihlc IOngInEs for territory, preclude all
dreams OF conquest, and prevent any cast
ing OF covciOus eyes upon nClghborlng re-
| glons, however attractive.