The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-12-30
Cuba Won't Submit 10 Spain.

continued rule of Spain on that ill.
lated island. 1t is no longer possible
for Cuba to have peace as province
Of Spain. 1t has been tried for gen.
erations and it has failed Insured.
tion has followed iDsurrectioD, here.
tofore resulting in promises of reform
from the Spanish government, but in
every instance the pre- mise has been
broken and the peop.e Of Cuba have
bad increased oppression instead Of
relief from the terrible exactions Of
the past.
Had Spain Carried out on a gen.
erous basis, or even in fairly good
faith, the promises made at the close
of the ten years rebellion, Its author.
ity over Cuba might have continued
for years to come, But not a single
material promise given for the relief
of the Cuban people was fulfilled by
the Spanish government. Increased
taxation aud oppression in every pos.
sible form followed the surrender of
the insurgents at the close of the for.
mer rebellion, as is clearly demon
strated by the nearly united action of
the Cuban people, of all conditions
and races, in the present desperate
effort to overthrow the Spanish power
on the island.
There can now be no peace in Cuba
except upon one of two theories.
Either Cuba must be entirely free
from the bondage of Spain and be
permitted to establish republic of
her own, or the war must continue
until the insurgents are entirely an.
initiated and Cuba made one vast
field of dessolation from the eastern
to the western end of the island. One
of these two results is enevitable. AL.
ready many thousands of lives have
been barbarously sacrificed by the
Spanish government, and it has logi-
cally provoked like fendish retri-
button on the part of the insurgents.
The fairest fields on the island have
been devastated, the torch of vandal
haa Z troyed the homes and the su.
gar mills throughout three fourths oi
Cuba, aud there is now nothing left
for Spain to fight for but a barren
island that would require scores o.
millions to restore to fruitfulness.
Cuba has eNtirsly. ceased to be.
source Of revenue to Spain, thus los
ing to that government an annual in'
come of thirty millions. And ever
if the war were to end to-day by the
willing submission of Cuba, il woulC
be many years before Spain could re
alize any considerable revenue from
the island. The uncertainty of th,
government would prevent investmen
of outside capital, and neither tn
Cubans nor Spain have the means t,
rehabiltate the desolated sugar, co(fe
and tobacco estates,
There is nothing, therefore, TO
Spain in Cuba as a matter of revenu
for many years to come, even npde
the most favorable conditions whicl
could possibly result to the Spanisl
government Never in the whole his
tory of Cuba have The native Cuban
Of ali races been SO intensified in thei
hostility to the parent -goEernment
There is not only no sympathy be
tween them, but there is most implaC
able hostility a hostility that repeat
r the history of Hannibal. who wa
sworn to the distrucrfod of' Rome
, There can be no peace between sue
peoples, and Spain must decide fo
herself the question whether Cub
= shall be Eleased now, or her releas
be delayed until what little propert
remaining in Cuba shall be destroye
: and tens of thousands of additions
lives sacrificed The United State
can have no part 10 making peace b'
9 tween Spain aud Cuba as a SPANS
u province, for the reason that it woul
5 impose upon this government the j
i logical and uuwarranted duty ofsul
e pressing rebellion on The island whe
y we can have no interest whatever
Is aiding Spain to continue her oppre
II sion of the Cuban people.
10 Spain is on the verge of bankrup
q oy. She cannot continue the war f
% another year; and if her pride con
!; pels her to persist in a war that is u
81 terly hopeless, and that can make h.
le conspicuous in history only for Il
10 liendish atrocicities practieed by h
Of soldiery, she must be permitted to
j. so until the neutrality laws respects
oil by the world shall compel interve
De ton by other civilized poWeTs.