The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-08
Cleveland Considers the Cuban
War In All of It's
Bearings.

ton or protection would not only be
resisted by the Ottoman government,
but would be regarded as an interrupt
ton of their plans by the great nations
who assert their exclusive right to in
terVene in their own time and method
for the security of life and property in
Turkey
Several naval vessels are stationed in
the Mediterranean as a measure of
caution and to furnish all possible re-
lief and refuge in case of emergency.
we have made claims against the
Turkish government for the pillage
and destruction of missionary property
at Harput and MaraSh during upriS-
ings at these places. Thus far the
vail lily of these demands has net been
admitted, though our minister, prior II
such outrages and in anticipation of
danger, demanded protection for the
persons and property of our missionary
citizens in the localities mentioned ard.
Notwithstanding that strong evidence
exists of actual completely of Turkish
soldiers in the work of destruction and
robbery, the facts as they now APP
pear do not permit us to doubt the
justice of these claims, and nothing
will be omitted to bring about their
prompt settlement.
a number of Armenian refugees hav-
ing arrived at our ports, an order has
lately been obtained from the Turkish
government permitting the wives and
children of such refugees to join them
here. It is hoped that hereafter no
obstacle will be interposed to prevent
the escape of all those who seek to
avoid the perils which threaten them
in Turkish dominions.
Our recently appointed consul to
ErZeroum is at his post and discharg-
ing the duties of his office, though for
some unaccountable reason his formal
eXequator from the sultan has not been
issued. l do not believe that the pres
ent somber prospect in Turkey Will be
long permitted to offend the sight of
Christendom. 1t so mars the humane
and enlightened civilization that be-
longs TO the close of the nineteenth
century that it seems hardly possible
that the earnest demand of good peo-
pie throughout the Christian world for
is corrective treatment will remain
unanswered.
THE CUBAN WAR.
The insurrection in Cuba still cor
tinues with all its perplexities. 1t is
difficult to perceive that any pro ,-ess
has thus far been made towards The
pacification of the island, or that the
situation of affairs as depicted in my
last annual message has in the least
If Spain still holds Havana
and the seaports and all the consider
able towns, the insurgents still roam
at will over at least twO-thirdS of the
island country. If the determination
of Spain TO put down the instruction
seems but to strengthen with thu lapse
of time, and is evinced by her unhes-
itating devotion of largely increased
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 lrac-
tically securing the great object for
which they took up arms. If Spain
has not yet re-established her author
ity, neither have the insurgents yet
made good their title to be regarded
as an independent state. Indeed, as
the contest has gone on, the pretense
that civil government 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 i'm
perfectly, in the large towns and heir
suburbs; but, that exception
being made, the entire country is either
given over to anarchy or is subject to
the military occupation of one + the
other party. 1t is reported, indeed, on
reliable authority, that at the demand
IF the in-chief of he in
sUrgent army, the putatiVsc Cuban gov
eminent has now given up all attempt
o exercise its functions, leaving the
government confessedly (what there is
pest reason for supposing il always to
nave been, in fact,) a government
merely on paper. Were the Spanish
armies able to meet their antagonists
n the open, or in pitched battle,
prompt and decisive results might he
ooked for, and the immense superiority
# the Spanish forces in numbers, GiS-
ipline and equipment could hardly
all to tell greatly to their advantage.
But they are called upon TO face a
Oe that shuns general gements;
hat can choose, and does choose, its /
wn ground; that from the nature of /
he country is visible or invisible at
pleasure. and that fights only from |
.mbuscade ard when all the advan- /
ages of position and numbers are on I
IS side. In a country where all that /
5 indispensable to life in the way of /
God, clothing and shelter, is so easily (
especially by those born /
nd bred on the soil, it is obvious that +
here is hardly q limit to the time dur
lg which hoStilitieS of this sort may
re prolonged. Meanwhile in all cases
f protracted civil strife. the passions
t the combatants grow more and
lore inflamed, and excuses on boz
ideS become more frequent and more
eplorable.
They are also participated in by
ands of marauders, who, now in the
anne of one party and now IN the
anne of the other, as may best suit
le occasion, harass the country at
i'll and plumber its wretched inhab-
ants for their own advantage. Such
condition OF things would inevitably
ntail immense destruction Of Droparty.
ven if it were the policy Of both par
es to prevent it as far as practicable.
ut while such seemed to be the orig
al policy of the Spanish government.
has now apparently abandoned it
nd is acting upon the same theory
: the insurgents, namely, that The ,e1-
'encies of the contest require the
holesale humiliation of property that
may not prove of any use and adj
antage to the enemy
1t is to the same end that in DUR
lance of general orders Spanish gar-
sons are now being withdrawn from
antations and the rural population
.quired to concentrate itself in the
WINS. The sure result would seem TO
that the industrial value of the is
nd is fast diminishing, and that an
SIS there is speedy and radical ,
lange in existing conditions, y will ,
on disappear altogether. That value
insists very largely, of course, IN its {
: