Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-08
TACKLES THE CUBAN QUESTION,
Not Much Comfort for the Followers of
Maceo and Gomez.

hutco anu
The president then takes up the Gu
ban question, and says:
The insurrection in Cuba still CON-
tinues with all it's perplexities. 1t is
difficult to see that any progress has
thus far been made towards the pacif-
cation of the island or that the situa-
ton OF affairs as depicted in my last
annual message has in the least i'm
proved. II Spain still holds Havana
and the seaports and all the considera-
BILE towns. the insurgents still roam at
Will over at least two-thirds of the in
land 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 unhesi-
tating devotion of largely increased
military 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 infleXible in their
resolve not to succumb without prac-
tically securing the great objects for
which they took up arms.
If Spain has not yet re-establisbed
her authority. neither have the insur-
gents yet made good their title to be
regarded as an Independent state. In
deed. 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 prac
tically abandoned. Spain does keen on
FOOT such a government more or less
fmperfectly. in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs. But that ex-
ception 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
indeed. on reliable authority that at
the demand of the commander-in-ci,,e
of the insurgent army the putative
Cuban government has now given UT
all attempt to exercise its functions
leaving that government confessedIy
(what there is the best reason for sum-
posing il always to have been, in fact.
a government merely on paper. Were
the Spanish armies able to meet their
antagonists in the open or pitched bat
tie prompt and decisive results might be
looked for. and the immense superior
lily OF the Spanish forces in numbers
discipline and equipments could hardly
1all TO tell greatly to their advantage
hut they are called upon to face a foe
that shuns general engagements, tina,
can choose and does choose its OWL
ground, that from the nature of the
country Is visible or invisible at pleas.
ure, and that fights only from ambus.
cade, and when all the advantage OF
position am numbers are on its side
In COUNT : where all that is indis-
pensaoIe TO life in the way of food
ciotning ana shelter is so easily OBJ
tafnable. especially by those born and
pred on the soil, 1t is obvious that there
Is hardly a limit TO the time durins
which hostilities of this sort NAV lie
PROLONGED. Meanwhile. as in all cases
OF protracted civil strife, the passions =,
the combatants grow more ara 49,,
Unnamed and excuses on both sides he
come more frequent and more denIora !.
bic. pioia
They are also participated in Inv
oanos OF marauders who. now in the
name OF the other, as NAV best s,,i,
the occasion, harry the country at vii
and p1unooe IL Wretched nhabitants