The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-08

that the earnest demand of good peo- pie throughout the Christian world for its corrective treatment, will remain unanswered.
 THE CUBAN STRUGGLE.
 The insurrection in Cuba still con- tinues with all perplexities. It is diff ticult to perceive that any progress has thus far been made towards the pacifi- cation of the island or that the situa- tlon of affairs as depicted in my last annual message has in the least im- proved. If Spain still holds Havana and the seaports and all the considera- ble 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- taing devotion of largely increased mill itary and naval forces to the task, there is much reason to believe that the in- surgents have gained in point of num- bers, and character and resources, and are none the less inflexlble in their re- solve not to succumb, without practi- cally securing the great object for which they took up arms. If Spain has not yet reestabished her authority neither have the insurgents made good their title to be regarded as an inde- pendent state Indeed, as the contest has gone on, the pretense that civil government exists on the island, eX- cept so far as Spain is liable to main tain 1t, has been practically abandon ed Spain does keep on foot such a government, more or less imperfectly, in the large towns and their immediate suburbs But, that exception being made, the entire country is either given over to anarchy or is subject to the mil itary occupation of one or the other party. Ii is reported indeed on relia
 ble authority that at the demand of the commander-in-c of the insurgent army, the putative Cuban government has now given up attempt to exercise It's functions leaving that government confessedly (what there is the best req son for supposng it always to have been in facD a government merely on paper. Were the Spanish armies able to meet their antagonists in the open,
  cisive results might be looked for, and the immense superiority of the Spanish forces in number disciplined and equip ment, could hardly fail to tell greatly totheir advantage. But they are called upon to face a foe that shuns general engagements that can choose and does choose it's own ground, that from the nature of the country is visible or in- visible at pleasure, and that fights only from ambuscade, and when all the ad- vantages of position and numbers are on it's side. In country where all that 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 a limit to the time during which hostilities of this sort may be prolonged. Meanwhile as in all cases of protracted civil strife, the passions of the combatants grow more and more infiamed and excesses on both sides be- come more frequent and more deplora- ble 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 oc- casion, harass the country at will and plunder it's wretched inhabitants for their own advantage Such a condi- tion 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 acting upon the same theory as the insurgents, namely, that the exigencies of the contest require the wholesale an- initiation of property, that it may not prove of use and advantage to the en- emy. It is to the same end that in pur- suance of general oredrs, Spanish gar risons are now being withdrawn from plantations and the rural population re- quireS to concentrate itself in the towns The sure result wiuld seem to be that the industrial value of the island is fast diminishing, and that unless ther is a speedy and radical change in existing conditions, 1t will soon disappear alto gether. The value consists very large ly of course in it's capacity to produce sugar a capacity already much re- duced by the interruption to tillage, which has taken place during the last two years. It is reliably asserted that should these Interruptions continue dur ing the current year and practically eX- tend as is now threatened to the en- tire sugar producing territory of the island so much time and so much mon ey will be required to restore the land to it's normal productiveness that it is extremely doubtful if capital can be inducted to even make the atempt.
 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 attention of the government and people of the Unit ed States in any circumstances. In point of fact, they have concern with it which is by no menas of wholly sentimental or philanthropic character. It lies so near to us as to be hardly separated from our territory. Our ac- tual pecuniary interest in it is second only to that of the people and govern ment of Spain. It is reasonably esti- mated that at least from $30 100000 to $50, ,000, 900 of American capital are in- vested in plantations and in railroad, mining, and other business enterprises on the island. The volume of trade between the United States and Cuba, which in 1889 amounted to about $64, 000,000, rose in 1893 to about $103, ,000,O 900, and in 1894 the year before the present