The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-12-11
FAREWELL MESSAGE.
Continued from Fourth Page.)

is indispensable to life in the way of
food, clothing and shelter is so easily
obtainable, especially by those born
and bred on the soil, It is obvious that
there is hardly limit to the time dur
ing which hestilities of this sort may be
prolonged. Meanwhile, as in all cases
of protracted civil strife, the passions
of the combatants become more and
more inflamed and excuses on both
sides become more frequent and more
deplorable; .,o
industrial value of the island is fast di-
minishing and that unless there Is
speedy and radical change in existing
conditions, it will soon disappear alto
gether That value consists very large
", of course, in its capacity to produce
sugar, a capacity already much reduced
by the interruption to tillage, when
have taken place during the last two
years. 1t is reliably asserted should
these Interruptions continue during the
current year and practically extend, as
is now threatened, to the entire sugar
producing territory of the island, SO
much time and so much money will De
required to restore the land to its nor
NAL productiveness that it is extremely
doubtful il capital can be induced 10
make even the attempt. The spectacle
of the utter ruin of an adjoining country,
by nature one OF the most fertile ana
charming on the globe, would engage
the serious attention Of the Govern
ment and people of the United States
under any circumstance. 1t lies SO
near to us as to be hardly separated
from our territory. Our pecuniary IN.
terests in it is second only to that OF
the people and government of Spain.
1t is reasonably estimated that at least
- Of mari
can capital are invested in plantations
and railroad, mining and other business
enterprises on the island. The volume
of trade between the United States and
Cuba which in 1869 amounted to about
$64,000,000, rose in 1893 to about SlOS,OOO,-
900, and in 1894, the year before the pres
ent insurrection broke out amounted 70
nearly $96,000,000. Besides this large
pecuniary stake in the fortunes OF Cuoa
the United States finds itself mex
tricably involved in the present contesl
in other ways both vexatious and costly
The inevitable entanglements OF the
United States with the rebelli ON III
Cuba, the large American property IN
terests affected and considerable MS OF
philanthropy and humanity in general,
have led to vehement demand ~
various quarters for some sort OF posi-
tive intervention on the part OF th'
United States.
What Can We DO?
1t was at first proposed that bellig
erent rights should be accorded to th'
insurgents, a proposition no Longer
urged because untimely and impractl
cable operation clearly perilous ana III
furious to our own interests. III MAJ
since been and is now sometimes con
tended that the independence of the IN
surgents should be recognized. Bu
imperfect and restricted as the Spanish
Government of the island may be, ~
other exists there, unless the will OF Tn.
military officer in temporary comman'
of a particular district can be dignlhe'
as a species of government 1t is nov
also suggested that the United state
should buy the island, a suggestion pos
,sibly worthy of consideration, If theT
were any evidence of desire or VII
ingness on the part of Spain to entel
tain such a proposition. 1t Is urge
finally that al other methods talllhs
the existing internecine strife in QUO
should be terminated by our interveI
ton, even at the cost of a war oetwee
the United States and Spain, wa