The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-07
THE MESSAGE.
Cc.n,inued from, Page i.)

tions. leavirS that government csnfes-
sedly (phat there Is the best reescn for
suppoSing II always 10 have been In sEctl
q eovcrrn cpt merely on paper.
Were tirc Spanish armies able 20 meet
their antagonists I'm the open. or In
pitched batllc. prompt and decisive re-
suits might be looked for aud the i'm
nc.se superiority of the Spanish forces
in numbers. discipline. and equipment.
could hardly fail TO tell greatly 10 their
advantage.
Dut they are called upon TO face a foe
that shuns general cngagemcnts. that can
choose. and does choose. IT'S own ground.
that from the nature OF the country IL
visible or Invisible at pleasure. and that
fights only from ambuscadc and when
all the advantages OF position and num-
bers arc on It's side. In country where
all that rs indispensable TO life In the way
OF food. clothing and shelter is so easily
otainable. especially by those born and
bred Oh the soil. IL II obvious that there
is hardly limit to the time during which
hostilitics Of this sCrt may be prolonged.
Meanwhile as In al cases OF pro-
tracted civil strife, tho passions OF the
combataats grow more and moro infamcd
and c1ccsses on both sides become more
frequent and more deplorable. They are
also participated In by bands OF ma
rauders. who. now IN the name OF one
party and now In tho name OF the other.
as may best suit the occasion. harrass
the country az will and plunder it's
wretchcd Inhabitants for their own ad-
vantage. Such q condition of things
would inevitably entail immense destruc-
tion of property. even II IL Were the policy
OF both parties to prevent Il as far as
practicable But while such seemed TO
be the original policy OF the Spanish gov
ernmcnt, IL has now apparently aban-
dcncd It, and Is acting upon the same
theory as tho Insurgents. namely that
the cxigenci,s OK the contest require the
wholesale annihila;ion OF property that IL
may not prove OF use and advantage 10
the enemy.
1t is 10 the same end that In pur-
suance Of general orders Spanish gar
risons are now being withdrawn from
plantations and the rural population
required to concentrate Itself In the
towns. Tho sure result would seem TO
be that tho industrial value OF the
island IS fast Diminishing and that un-
less there is speedy and radical change
in existing conditions Il will soon dis
appear altogether. That value consists
very largely. OF course. In it's capacity
10 produce sugar-a capacity ALREADY
very much reduced by the Interruptions
TO tillage. which have taken place during
the last two years. IL Is reliably as
serted that should these interruptions
continue during tho current year. and
practically extend as - now threatened,
10 the entire sugar producing territory
OF the Island so much time and 80
much money win be required 20 restore
the land TO It's normal productiveness
that ii is extremely doubtful IL capital
can be Induced 10 even make the at
tempt.
The spectacle CT the utter ruin OF an
adjcining covntry. by nature one of the
most fertile and charming on the globe,
would engage the serious attention Of the
gcverg.ncrt and people Of the United
States IN any circumstances. In point
of fact they lave concern with IL
which is by no ricors OF wholly SEN
tineatal or rh;lanthropic character. IL
lies so near 10 us as TO be hardly sep
aratcd frc:a Ctr territory.
our act1al pocuniary interest In 1t is
second cniy 10 that OF tnu people end
government os Spain. Il Is REASONABLE
estimated thar at least from Sse.ccOeo0 10
Sc, ,0C0, ,ClO os American capital arc invest
ed 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
1850 amounted TO about S6i Co0, coo rose ia
1923 10 about s103.c0Ooo0. and in
1891. the year before the present insur-
rection broke cut. amounted 10 nearly
$4,000 cQc Bes!des this large pccpniary
stake in the fortunes OF Cuba. the United
States finds itss.f irextricabiy involved
In the present contest IA other ways both
vexatious 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 CT funds ard by other means
which the spirit of our institutions and
the tenor CT our laws DO not permit to bo
made the subject of c-imirai prosecu-
tioas. S,nc CT them. though Cu5ans at
heart and In all their feelings and in
uralized citizens CT the United States, a
proceeding rcgortod TO with view to
possible p:otccticn by this government
and not unf<l.urally recorded with much
indignation by the country OF their OIL
gin. The insurgents are undoubtedly on-
couF2Sed aud supported by the wide
spread sympathy the people OF this coun-
try always apd instinctvcly feel for ev-
cry struggle for better and freer gov
emrnert and which. IN the case OF the
moro adventurous and restless clements
of our population, leads in only too many
Instances 10 active and personal partic-
patton In the. .contost. The result Is that
-rt1ty ruvrrrTu-yrr IT ro-E-un--y CTTlrcd up 4
10 protect American citizens. 10 clnin
DAMAGES for injuries 70 persons and prop
erty, now estin.ated at many millions Of
dcllars, ard 10 aBl explara;iors and apol-
ogics for the acts OF ~ @panish officials.
whose zeal for tho rel rossion OF rebel
muritles belonging 20 the unoffendh s
citizens OF a friendly power. IL follows
from the same causes that the United
States Is compelled 10 actively police n
long lire OF stacoast against unlawful
exped.;ioys. the escape OF which the ut
most vigilance viii not always suffice 10
prevent
Thcae Inevitable ortcnglements or the
United slat,s With the rebellion In Cuba,
the large American property interests
affected. and considers gtCns OF philan-
lhropy aud humen atty In general. have led
% a vehement demand I'm various quar-
ers. FOR some sort of positivc interven-
ion or the raTt of tho United States IL
vas az frs' proposed that belliEerents
lights should b. accorded 10 the insurgents
"a proposition 70 longer urged. because
rniimeiy 8nd IN practical operation clear
iy ptfilous srd iniufiou3 to our own In
tereats. IL has since been. and Is now
s)sactimcs coniclded that the indepen-
ccnce OF the iETurvents should be recvg-
nized. but Imperfect and restricted as
the Spanish government of the island may
be. no oshcr exists thcre-urcF8 the win
OF the military Officer IN temporary COM
- .4Ht ta.ssf nj