The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-12
ON THE CUBAN INsURRECTIoN.
Recognition of BeIIiEerency MIR.
CIeveIand Deems Unwise.


perceive that any progress has thus far
been made towards the pacihcation Of the
island, or that the situation of affairs as
depicted in my last annual message mas
in the least improved. If Spain still holds
Havana and the seaports and all the con-
siderable towns, the insurgents still run
at will over at least tWo-thirds OF the
island country. The determination of
Spain to put down the insurrecton seems
but to strengthen with the lapse of time
and is evidenced by her unhesitating de-
votion of largely increased military and
naval forces to the task There is much
reason to believe that the insurgents have
gained in number character and re-
sources, and are none the less infiextble in
their resolve not to succumb without
practically securing the great object for
| which they took up arms. If Spain has
not yet re-established her authority,
| neither have the insurgents yet made
good their claim to be regarded as an in
| dependent state. Indeed as the contest
has gone on, the pretense that civil gov
eminent exists on the island, except so
far as Spain is able to maintain 1t. has
been practically refuted. Spain does keep
on foot such a government, more or less
| imperfectly, in the large towns and the
immediate suburbs; but that exception be-
| ing 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 COM
mander-in-chief of the insurgent army
the putative Cuban government has now
| given up all attempt to exercise its func-
lions, leaving that government confessed
| " (what there is best reason for suppos-
ing It always has been in facD a govern
ment merely on paper
No Decisive Battles.
Were the Spanish armies able to meet
their antagonists in the open or in pitched
| battle, a prompt and decisive result might
be looked for, and the immense superior
ity of the Spanish forces in numbers, dis
cpline and equipment could hardly fail to
| tell greatly to their advantage. But they
| are called upon to face foe that shunS
| general engagements that can choose and
| does choose its own ground, that from the
nature of the country is visible or invisi-
BILE, at pleasure, and that fights only from
ambuscade and when all the advantages
of position and numbers are on Its side.
| In a country where all these causes are
dependent, 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 civil strife,
| the passions of the combatants grow more
! and more inflamed and excuses on both
| sides become more frequent and more de-
plorable
Guerilla Fighting.
| 1ney are also participated III py DduuS
| of marauders, who, now in the name of
| one party and now in the name of the
other as may best suit the occasion, la
rass the country at will and plumber its
wretched inhabitants for their own nd
| vantage Such a condition of things would
inevitably entail immense destruction Of
property even if it were the policy of both
| parties 20 prevent it as far as practicable.
| But while such seemed to be the original
policy of the Spanish government it mas
now apparently abandoned it, and is act
| ing upon the same theory as the insur-
gents, namely, that the eXigencies of the
contests require the wholesale annihlla-
ton of property that 1t may not prove OF
any use and advantage to the enemy.
It is to the same end that, in pursuance
| of general orders, Spanish garr1sons are
now being withdrawn from plantations
and the rural population required to con-
| centrate itself in towns. The sure result
would seem to be that the industrial
value of the island is fast diminishing
and that unless there is a speedy and
radical change in existing conditions il
will soon disappear altogether. That
value consists largely, of course, in its ca
| pacity to produce sugar, a capacity al
ready much reduced by the Interruptions
to tillage which have taken place during
the last two years. 1t is reliably assert
ed that should these Interruptions con-
tinue during the current year, and prac-
tically extend, as is now threatened, to
the entire sugar production territory OF
the island. much time and so much
money will be required to restore the
land to its normal productiveness that ii
is extremely doubtful that the people car
be induced to even make the attempt.
OF Great Concern to Us.
The spectacle OF the utter ruin of ar
adjoining country, by nature one of the
most fertile and charming on the whole
| OLE ba a
of the government and the people of the
United States in any circumstances. II
point of fact, they have concern with Il
which is by no means of a wholly SEN
timental character. 1t lies so near to US
as to be only partly separated from oul
territory. Our actual pecuniary interest
in - is second only to that of the people
and government of Spain. 1t is reason
ably estimated that at least from thirty
to fifty million dollars of American cap
ital are invested in plantations and rail
roading mining and other business enter
prises on the island. The volume of trad,
between the United States and Cuba
which in 1889 amounted to about S64, 900 900
rose in 1896 to about $10S 100000. and in 1894
the year before the present instruction
broke out, amounted to nearly SOC, 900 900
Involved IN other Ways.
Besides this large pecunlary stake II
the fortunes of Cuba, the United States
finds itself inextricably involved in tn,
present contest in other ways, both vex
atious and costly.
Many Cubans reside in this country anC
indirectly promote the insurrection b!
public meetings, by the purchase an.
shipment of arms, and by other means
which the spirit of our institutions an,
the tenor of our laws do not permit, an,
made these the subjects of criminal pros
/ ecution. Some of them. thoroughly Gu
bans at heart and in all their feelings ant
| interests, have taken out papers and ar
| naturalized citizens Of .he United States