Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-15
The Curse Of Cuba.

Terminate every person who helps them
directly or indirectly We shall de-
stroy everything that can be of use to
them. All the world shall know that
liz the Spanish soldiers are compelled to
leave the island, nothing but ashes will
remain of Cuba. After the extermina-
ton of every one who dares to look in
an unfriendly way upon our flag. we
shall rule Cuba with an iron hand, SO
that, for centuries to come. there will
not be another attempt to overthrow
our sacred rights in the island. La
Union Constitutional, Havana.
Cuba has ever been the field and the
incentive for the display of the worst
traits in the Spanish character. The
riches of the island arouse the greed
and afford means for the consequent
corruption and the high spirit of the
Cuban people has called forth in efforts
to suppress it the most intense cruelty
SO characteristic of the Spaniard. There
really is little on which to base the
hope that any modification of Spanish
control in the island would serve to
eliminate the cruelty and corruption
found wherever is found Spanish col
ony. Such is the curse fastened upon
Cuba and which Cuhans are fighting.
as only brave men can fight, to secure
release from.
| The sentiment expressed in the above
quotation from Spanish paper pub
! lished on the island is, notwithstanding
it's utter brutality, one which may be
fairly regarded as a sentiment by no
means uncommon with the Spanish OPP
pressors Indeed this is so well under
stood, that. although so little definite
information has been received concern
ing the reported death of Maceo there
is a general disposition to place Gre
dence in the report that he was most
atrociously murdered under what was
practically a flag of truce. The das-
| tardly atrocity is fully as fiendish, if
as related, as were the indescribable
barbarities of the "truceless war which
Hamilcar waged against the mercen-
aries that threatened the life of Car
thage more than two centuries before
the Christian era. The details of the
killing of Maceo. shock not only the
| civilized world but those peoples who
are only partially civilized. regarded
! from the standpoint of CHRISTIAN civil
i2ation. If true, there is no parallel to
In hot, Il,A ,,
and China except the Port Arthur mas
sacre, and we recall no incident of such
| fragrant treachery in the recent butch
cries of the Armenians. And yet judg-
! ing by the past it is but natural to
| suppose that deed. which Spain now
rejoices over and Weyler receives en-
comiums upon, to have been committed
as described. What is there to hope
from the rule of such people over one
of the fairest spots of earth?
When the report came that Maceo
had been killed in battle there seemed
for the first time to be a practical pos
sibility of a settlement of the Cuban
question along lines similar to those
advocated by President Cleveland
Maceo was a leader who loved the ex-
able to engage in the struggle for Gu
/ ban liberty he had been among the
first and the most uncompromisng
His father and his brothers have died
, for the cause. He refused to yield to
Spain at the close of the ten years war
until his followers deserted him. With
his death Gomez, who is conservative
/ at least by reason of age and expert
ence, will probably more completely
dominate the Cuban sentiment than he
has hitherto done. The European
money lenders, who hold Spanish bonds,
would use their utmost influence. which
| is considerable. to compel Spain to
| make concessions, for without Cuba
the hope of SPANS creditors is indeed
a forlorn one
| But the killing of the intepid Cuban
leader by means so FOUL so outrageous,
puts different phase upon the situa-
| ton. While it will not wholly dispel
| the conservatism which is incident to
responsibility on the part of those in
this country who have the outlining of
our policy toward Spain, it may be
| productive of such q wave of popular
feeling that some of the barriers will
be swept away. Whatever may be
done by Congress, these facts cannot
be set aside, provided it be proven be-
yond doubt that Maceo was killed as
has been described This eliminating
atrocity of long line of atrocities
| leaves the inevitable conclusion that a
people guilty of and glorying in such
deeds are not fit to govern a colony.
much less one within the limits of
American influence; also that no self
respecting people can submit to such
rules only so long as absolutely Obliged
to: also that Cuba and the large
American interests there can never