The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-07
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
The Situation Hasn't Changed Since
His Last Annual Message.


The insurrection in Cuba still contin-
ues with all it's perplexities. 1t is diff
cult to see that any progress has thus
far been made toward the pacificatiOn
Of the island or that the situation Of
affairs as depicted in my last annual
message has in the least improved If
Spain still holds Havana and the sea
ports and all considerable towns, the
insurgents still roam at will over at
least two-thirds Of the inland country.
If the determination of Spain to put
down the insurrectlon seems but to
strengthen with the lapse of time and
is evidenced by her unhesitating devo-
ton of largely increased military and
naval forces to the task there is much
reason to believe that the insurgents
have gained in point of numbers and
character and resources, and are none
the less infieXible in their resolve not
to succumb without practically secur-
ing the great projects for which they
took uD arms. If Spain has not yet
established her authority, neither have
the insurgents yet made good their title
to be regarded as an Independent state
Indeed, as the contest goes on, the pre-
tense that civil government exists on
the island except SO far as Spain is
able to maintain it. has been practi-
cally abandoned Spain does keep on
foot such a government more or less
imDerfectly in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs But, that
exception being made, the entire coun-
try is either given over to anarchy or
is subject to the military occupation OF
one or the other party
1t is reported indeed, on reliable au-
thOrity. that at the demand of the com
mander-in- chief Of the insurgent army,
the putative government has now given
up all attempt to exercise its functions,
leaving that government cOnfessedly
Cwhat there is the best reason for sup
posing it always to have been in tact)
a government merely on paper.
Were the Spanish armies able tOmeet
their antagonists in the open or in
pitched battle prompt and decisive re-
suits might be looked for and the i'm
Inense superiority of the Spanish forces
in numb bers. discipline and equipment
could hardly fail to tell greatly to their
advantage. But they are called upon
to face a foe that shuns general en-
gagements, that can choose and does
choose its own ground, that from the
nature of the country is visible or IN
visible at pleasure and that fights only
from ambuscade and when all the ad-
vantages of position and numbers are
on its side In a country where all
that is indispensable to life in the way
of food, clothing and shelter is so silly
Obtaina Bile. especially by those born and
bred on the soil. it is obvious that there
is hardly a limit to the time during
which hOstilitieS of this sort may be
prolonged. Meanwhile. as in all cases
of prOtracted civil strife, the passions
of the cOmbatantS grow more and more
inhamed and eXcesses on both sides be
come more frequent and more deplOr-
able.
They are also participated in by
bands of maurauders, who, now in the
the name Of one party and now in the
name of the other as may best suit the
occasion, harry the country at VIII anu
pIunder it's Wretched inhabitants Tor
their own ADVANTAGE. Such a cOndl-
tion of things would inevitably entail
immense destruction of property even
if it were the policy of both parties
to prevent it as far as practicable But
while such seemed to be the original
policy of the Spanish government II mas
now apparently abandoned IL, ana IS
acting upon the same theory as the
Insurgents namely that the eXigencles
of the conquest require the wholesale
annihilatiOn of property, that ~ may
not prove Of use and advantage TO the
II IS TO the same end that in pursu-
ance of general orders, Spanish garrl-
sons are now being Withdrawn from
plantations and the rural pOpulaJOn re-
0l1ired to concentrate itself in the towns
The sure result would seem TO pe lflat
the industrial value Of the lsland IS lasl
diminishing and that unless there IS
sDeedv and radical change IN eXlSllnS
conditions it will soon disappear alto
gether That value consists very large
lv of course in its capacity to produce
sugars. a capacity already much reduc-
ed by the interruption to tillage which
has taken place during the last Two
years Tit is reliably asserted that shOuld
these Interruptions continue during the
as is now threatened, to the entire sugar
producing territory Of the island, so
much time and SO much money Will be
REQUIRED to restore the land to its nor
nal productiveness that it is extremely
doubtful if capital can be even induced
to make the attempt
The spectacle of the utter ruin of an
adjoining country, by nature one of the
most fertile and charming on the globe
would engage the serious attention OF
the government and people Of the Uni
ted States under any circumstances. In
it which is by no means Of wholly SEN
timental or philanthrOpic character 1t
lies so near to US as to be hardly Sepa-
rated from our territory
AMERICAN INTERESTS IN CUBA
our actual pecuniary interest in it is
second only to that of the people and
government Of Spain 1t is reasonably
estimated that at least from $50 600. 900
to $50 coo 900 of American capital are in
vested in plantations and in railroad
mining and other business enterprises
on the island. The volume of trade be-
tween the United States and Cuba which
in 1889 amounted to about S64 0O0. 600 rose
in 1893 To about S103 600 900 and in 1894,
the year before the present iusurrection
broke out. amounted to nearly S96 600. 600.
the fortunes of Cuba, the United States
finds itself inextricably involved in the
present contest in other ways 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 OF funds and by other
means which the spirit of our institU-
tiOns and the tenor of our laws do not
permit to be made the subject of Grim
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