People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-12-10

such a government, more or less imper-
fectly, in the large towns and their i'm
mediate suburbs. But. that exception
being made, the entire country Is either
given over 10 anarchy or is subject to the
military occupation of one or the other
party. 1t is reported, indeed, on reliable
AUTHORITY, that at the demand of the COM
mandcr-in chief Of the insurgent army,
he curative Cuban government mas now
\ up all attempt TO exercise its func-
y ;, leaving the government corfeSsedly
,onat there is the best reason for suppos-
Ing it always TO have been in fact) a gov
ernment merely on paper. Were the
Spanish armies able to meet their an
tagonists in the open or in pitched battle,
prompt and decisive results might be
looked for, and the immense superiority
Of the Spanish forces in numbers, disci-
pline and equipment could hardly
fail to tell greatly to their advantage
but they are called upon to face foe that
shuns general engagements; that can
choose and does choose its own ground;
that, from the nature of the country, is
visible or invisible at pleasure, and that
fights only from ambuscade and when all
the advantages Of position and numbers
are on its side. In country where all
that is indispensable TO life in the way of
food clothing and shelter is so easily OBJ
tanned, especially by those born and bred
on the soil, it is obvious that there is hard
~ a limit to the time during which hos
tilitieS Of this sort may be prolonged.
Meanwhile, in all cases of prOtracted civil
strife the passions Of the combatants grow
more and more inilamed and excuses on
both sides become more frequent and more
deplorable.
They are also participated in by bands
Of marauders, who, now in the name of
one party and now in the name of the
other, as may best suit the occasion, harry
the country at will and plumber its
wretched inhabitants for their own advan-
tage. Such a 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 apparently abandoned it and is act
ing upon the same theory as the insurg-
ents, namely, that the exigencies of the
contest require the wholesale humiliation
of property, that it may not prove of use or
advantage TO the enemy.
1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders, Spanish garrisons are
now being withdrawn from plantations
and the rural population required to con-
centrate itself in the towns. The sure
result 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. That value consists
very largely, Of course, in its capacity to
produce sugar-a capacity already much
reduced by the interruptions to tillage,
which.have taken place during the last
two years. 1t is reliably asserted that
should these interruptions continue dur
ing the current year, and practically, ex-
tend, as is now threatened, to the entire
sugar producing territory of the island, so
much time and so much money will be re-
quired to restore the land to its normal
prOductivenesS that it is extremely doubt
full if capital can be induced to even 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 atten-
ton of the government and the people of
the United States in any circumstances. In
point of fact, they have a concern with it
which is by 10 means Of a wholly senti.
mental or philanthrOpical character.
1t lies so near to US as to be
hardly separated from our territory.
Our actual pecuniary interest in it is only
second to that of the people and govern
ment of Spain. 1t is reasonably estimated
that at least from $50,0JO00O TO $4,000 coo
OF American capital areinvCsted in plantl-
tons and in railroad, mining and other
business enterprises on the island. The
volume of trade between the United States
and Cuba, which in 1899 amounted to
about S6i,OCO.0OO, rose in 1893 to about
SlO3,OOOOO0, and in 1894, the year before
the present instruction broke ont.
amounted 10 nearly $96000,000 Besides
this large pecuniaTy stake in the fortunes
Of Cuba, the United States finds itself in
e1triCably involved in the present contest
in other ways both vexatiOus and costly.
Many CubanS reside in this country and
indirectly promote the instruction
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 institutions and the
tenor Of our laws do not permit to be made
the subject Of criminal prosecutions. Some
OF them, though Cubans at heart and in
all their feelings and interests, have taken
out papers as naturalized citizens of the
United States, a proceeding resorted to
with view to possible protection by this
government and not unnaturally regarded
with much indignation by the coun-
try Of their origin. The insurgents
are undoubtedly encouraged and
supported by the widespread
sympathy the people of this country al
ways and instinctively feel for every strug-
gle for better and freer government and
which, in the case of the more adventur-
GUS and restless elements of our popula-
ton, leads in only too many instances 10
active and personal participation in the
contest.
The result is that this government is
constantly called upon to protect Ameri-
can citizens TO claim damages for injuries
TO persons and property now estimated at
many millions of dollars and to ask ex-
plantations and apologies for the acts of
Spanish officials whose zeal for the repres-
sion of rebellion sometimes blinds them TO
the immunitieS belonging to the unoffend-
ing citizens of a friendly power. 1t fol-
lows from the same causes that the United
States is compelled to actively police a
long line of sea coast against unlawful ex-
petitions, the escape Of which the utmost
vigilance will not always suffice to pre-
vent. These inevitable entanglements OF
the United States with the rebellion in
Cuba, the large American property inter-
ests affected, and considerations of philan.
thropy and humanity in general, have led
to a vehement demand in various quarters
for some sort of positive Intervention
on the part Of the United States
1t was at first proposed that belligerent
rights should be accorded TO the insurgents
"a proposition no longer weighed because
untimely and in practical operation clear-
ly peril0us and injurious to our own inter
ests. 1t has since been and is now some
times contended that the independence of
the insurgents should be recognized. But
imperfect and restricted as the Spanish
government of the island may be. no
other exists there-unleSs the will of the
IN