The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-12-11
its corrective treatment will remain IN
answered.
THE CUBAN INSTRUCTION.

perceive that any progress has thus far
been made towards the pacifcation 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 seaports and all the con-
siderable 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 insurrection seems
but to strengthen with the lapse OF time,
and is evinced by her unhesitating devo-
ton of largely increased military and
naval forces to the task, there is much
reason to believe that the insur-
gents have gained in point of num-
bers character and resource, and
are none the less infiexible in their
resolve not to succumb, without prac-
tically securing the great objects for
which they took up arms. If spain has
not yet reestablshed her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to be regarded as an indie
pendent state. Indeed, as the contest
has gone on. the pretence that civil gov
eminent exists on the island, except so
far as Spain is able to maintain it, has
been practically abandoned. Spain does
keep on foot such a government, more or
less imperfectly, in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs, but, that excep-
ton being made, the entire country is
either given over to anarchy or is subject
to the military occupation of one or the
other party. 1t is reported on reli-
able authority that, at the demand of the
commander-in-chief of the insurgent
army, the putative Cuban govern
ment has now given up all attempt to
eqercise it's functions, leaving that gov
eminent confessedly (what there is the
best reason for supposing it always to
have been) a government merely on pa
per. Were the Spanish armies able to
meet their antagonists in open or pitched
battle, prompt and decisive results might
be looked for, and the immense superior
ity of Spanish forces in numbers, discip-
line and equipment could hardly fail to
tell greatly to their advantage.
But they are called upon to face a foe
that shuns real engage ments; that can
choose and does choose it's own ground;
that from the nature of the count y is Wis
ible or invisible at pleasure and that
fights only from ambush, with all the adj
vantages of position and numbers on it's
side. In country where all that is in
dispensible in life in the way of food,
clothing and shelter is so easily obtaina-
BILE, especially by those born and bred on
the soil, it is obvious that there is hardly
a limit to time during which hostilities
of this sort may be prolonged. Mean
while, as in all cases of protracted civil
strife, the passions of the contestants
grow more and more inf1amed and excess
on both sides becomes more frequent and
more deplOrable. Such condition 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, it has now appar-
emily abandoned it and is acting upon the
same theory as the insurgents, namely,
that the exigencies of the contest require
the wholesale humiliation of property
that it may not prove of use and adyan
tage to the navy.
1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders, Spanish soldiers are
now being withdrawn from plantations
and the rural population required to con-
centrate itself in the towns. The sure re-
suit would seem to be that the industrial
value of the island is fast diminishing and
that unless there is a speedy and radical
change in existing conditions it will soon
disappear altogether. The spectacle of
utter ruin of an adjoining country, by
nature one of the most fertile on the
globe, would engage the serious attention
of the government and the people of the
United States in any circumstances. In
point of fact, they have concern with it
which is by no means of wholly senti-
mental or philanthropic character.
1t lies so near to as to be
hardly separated from our territory.
Our actual pecuniary interest in it is sec
ond only to that Of people of government
of Spain. 1t is reasonably estimated that
at least from $4,000, coo to $j0,O00,000 of
American capital is invested in planta-
tions, and in railroad, mining, and other
business Enterprises in the island.
The insurgents are undoubtedly en-
couraged and supported by the wide
spread sympathy the people of this
country always and instinctiyely feel for
every struggle for better and freer gov
eminent and which in the case of the more
adventurous and restless elements of our
population leads in only too many in
stances to active participation in the con-
test. The result is that this government
is constantly called upon to protect Amer
lean citizens to claim damages for in
juries to persons and property now esti-
mated at many millions of dollars and to
ask explanations and apologies for the
acts of Spanish officials whose zeal for
the repression of rebellion some
times blinds them to the immunities
belonging to the unoffending citizens
of friendly power, it follows from the
same causes that the United States is
compelled to actively police a long line of
sea coast against unlawful expeditions,
the escape of which the utmost vigilance
will not always suffice to prevent. These
inevitable entanglements of the United
States, the large American property in
terests affected, and considerations of
philanthropy and humanity in general,
have led to vehement demand in various
quarters for some sort of positive inter
vention on the part of the United States
WE CANNOT INTERFERE
It was at first proposed that belligerent