New-York tribune., 1896-05-25
,ouANNEsBURG AND CUBA.
,rS RETWEEN THE JAMESON
.,p AND THE CUBAN 1NsURREc-
TWO METHODS OF CON-
,c,r,NG DEATH SENTENCES.
London, May 13.


,u-r1NG DEATH SENTENCES.
London, May 13.
,;,,s of correspondence between the
Ths'. r,ovement and the Cuban insrrrection,
ui'ia"s are also lines Of sharp divergence Inc
but t"eio ,ors in Johannesburg complained OF
rol'''a' ,.orrn,en. OF the Transvaal by selfish.
TIE hN'e s.ossve and corrupt oligarchy and they
no"'p'd 70 their aid the military forces OF the
sa''", rompary. which invaded the country
Cha' ,,roiqn base Of operations, were taken
no" I'D we're exposed to the extreme pen
prso" ao,i,aI punishment. cuba also mas been
sN =. ,ad and its revolutionists like those OF
Hss.h,,re have cried aloud for military aid;
!oha'", ',-.onca has come from expeditions organ
ina ,,,or,can territory: and the men sailing
nea :" cornetjtor with arms and ammunition
q "' ,,-ed like Jameson's men. and left az
ree -. =, their enemies. The effect OF these
r M T.. broken by the contrasts. The Cuban
'"0s 40 No, etock-iobbing milloraires, with
sa',s su,rrss 70 b, doubled by the manipulation
".,,,,,ive properties and the consolidation OF
-..,ss,a They are poor ana OBSCURE heh' WHO
n"'' n'.,,o for their liberties. The revolutonists
;, johannesburg were not guilty OF such mas
49, 90 this. They did not fight They ex-
,..,ed cipher dispatches. wire-pulled arranged
@.,s,,ce as soon as their allies were in dan
.ra speculated for a fall TO be followed by
p to south African stocks. Their motive was
-, na,rotism, but greed
~. ,. &c also another line Of divergence. The
,'s".,er,ng raid in South Africa was organized
=. ,,. promier Of Cape Colony and carried on by
~ ". administration Of the Chartered Company.
- nowers were derived from the British
c.,u-n The flibusters who were captured and
s.,asnnsd 10 death in Cuba were not responsible
a ,,o,s ~ the American Government. They were
.oore, agents striving to smuggle arms and am
.,,,,on into the island in order to enable the in
,nrvsn,s TO make a more desperate fight The re-
,,ons,hi,ity OF the United States Government for
~. invasion Of Cuba was Insignificant In com
norson With that Of the Cape Government and the
r,.r,ered Company for the Jameson raid. In one
,,sance there had possibly been lack of due dill
,eence In watching a great seaboard and prevent
IN, the depsrture Of a small sloop. In the other
,hsre was preconcerted conspiracy among OFF,
s.,s nv which the armed forces OF the British
,,otectorate were masIed and sent at full gaop
.,ainst friendly State in defiance of treaties
TWO CASES OF OX-GORING.
These contrasts are not reflected by current
English opinion as expressed by the leading JOUR
nails The Uitlan1ers Of Johannesburg have been
regarded as the victims Of oppression with legiti-
mate grievances which needed 10 be redressed.
They have enjoyed a large measure of public
sympathy, ahACrgh their leaders were stock-job-
bers and they themselves never struck blow for
their own liberties. The Cubans. on the other
hand have oot been able to command public SYM
pathy in England. although they are arrayed
against the forces OF msgovernment and fight
ing desperately against tremendous odds. II the
two movements are critically compared, the
Cuban struggle is in every respect more reputable,
patriotic and heroic than the political agitation
Of johannesburg with It's sordid and incapable
leaders; yet the English press has
been coldy indifferent TO the nsurgent cause in
the Spanish West Indies and has warmly advo-
Gated the civil rights Of the mining camps OF the
Rand
Equally unsympathetic is the public judgment
L England upon the course OF the American
Government In demanding Communication of the
ieath sentences OF the ilibusters captured In
Cuba One journal charges the United States
authorities with systematic neglect Of neutrali-
ty obligations in allowing one filibustering ex-
pedition after another to leave American ports.
Another considers the edge OF menace In the
American ultmatum neither justified by facts
nor logically consistent. Another credits the
Spanish Government with admirable restraint
in overlooking the unfortunate tone Of the per-
emptory demand Of the State Department and
In committing the death sentences. Nearly all
English critics speak contemptuousy Of the
exigencies Of American Presidential politics az
The natural explanation of this outbreak Of Wig
and 5iD1oY1acN- Opa
even goes so far as TO pronounce II Impossible
to deny the right OF the Spanish authorities to
punish with the utmost severity fiibusters who
deliberately embark upon expeditions for the
relief of the Cuban insurgents. This 1t considers
the logical consequence Of refusal TO recognize
the belligerent rights Of the rebels.
Comments like these come with poor grace
from English critics, after the Jameson raid,
which was instigated by the Premier Of Cape
Colony and the managing directors of the Char
tered Company. That was a conspiracy which
had been carefully prearranged by British and
colonial officials There can hardly be said TO
have been due diligence on the part Of the Col
onial Once in preventing the Invasion OF the
Transvaal by the jameson ibusters although
there was vigor enough and morality as well,
when the column had once started If there
were no politics in the movement. there was
something much more scandalous and immoral
-stcck-1obbery. If Dr. Jameson and his officers
ana their fellow -conspirators in Johannesburg
were not punished with death for their com
p"ciy IN wanton assault upon the independ
eHce and liberty Of the Transvaal. II was be-
.ause the Colonial Office pleaded for mercy.
,eAs Without resources for enforcing such a
N''naho as the American Government has pre-
0."'eu 70 Spain. For in South Africa 1t was
s'oa Undertaken by British officials. who were
c.'''efa'e'y ~ violating public treaties. and Mr..
H""oeriah could only assume. with we'll
,e's'ed optimism. that President KRUGER would
y "aehanimous The American Government
's IN stronger position. 1t could ask for
.,''e - rather than mercy-a fair trial for the
sn nhbus'ers in compliance with the re-
enents Of treaty law. If justice were re-
tnere were swift means OF retaliation
.a~'ie The beligerent rights OF the insur-
49,. .a could be recognized and captured fill