The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-06

Seldom has periodical the privilege OF
publishing so important an article as
that which Mr. Hannis Taylor contrib
utes to the November numher OF tho
North American Review. As American
Minister to Spain. charged with the con-
duct Of the diplomatic negotiations aris-
ing'out of the Cuban war, Mr.. Taylor
was Obliged TO possess himself OF the
most thorough information Ms to the
aims aud policy of the Spanish govern
mont tho temper of the Spanish people,
and their intentions regarding their re-
voltod colony. His article is published I'm
the hope that his testimony may aid his
countrymen in taking wise and just ac-
tion at the pr, 50 1t crisis, believing that
il is in the power of the United States to
bring the savage strife now raging in
Cuba to a speedy conclusion.
Recent cable reports show that the
Spanish press, politicians and public are
greatly incenscd at Minister Taylor's
telling presentation, the substance of
which was doubtless wired to Madrid
promptly on the appearance of the Re-
view.
ihis is not to be wondered mt. Ex-Min-
lister Taylor, freed from his official obliga-
tions to speak his mind and express him
self without prejudice, declares flatly that
Spain herself has demonstrated that she
Is powerless either TO conciliate Cuba or
to conquer it. Her sovereignty over it is,
in his judgment, now extinct for all
purposes Of its rightful existence" and
the "hopoless struggle for its ro-estab-
lisbment has degenerated into strife
which means nothing more than the nse-
less sacrifice OF human life and tho utter
destruction of the very subject matter of
the conflict itself. " This deplorable state
Of things is not only shocking to human
ity, but it Is a special and grievous bur-
den To the people of the United States,
by reason of their intimate commercial
and social relations and sympathies with
the people of an island so near to our
coast line as to be almost part of our
territory. Our commerce with Cuba,
! amounting annually at the beginning of
the present war, to $780, COO, 600, has been
nearly wiped out
The millions of American capital in
vested i'm the island have been either de-
stroyed or rendered unproductive; many
of our citizens reduced To absolute want,
have been forced to appeal to Congress
for aid: while too muny of them have
found their way into Spanish dungeons
from which some have been able to es-
cape only through the door OF death. But
last and worst of all, our peace as a
nation Is broken and dlsquieted by an
endless strife that enters as a potent. fac
tor into our internal politics With
patience almost unexamplcd we endured
all such evils during the period of tho
great war that began at Yara in 1865. and
ended 10 years 1ater with the treaty of
Zanjon; then came tho little war; and
finally the last great war that has now
been IN progress for more than two years
and half Thus we have b,sn called
upon to witness nearly 10 years of war in
Cuba out of the last 90
Throughout the present struggle, apart
from our commercial losses, we have been
in a stake of seml.w war with Spain; large
part of our feat has been coastguard;
and out diplomatic relations have been so
strained that for more than year the
Spanish government deemed IL necessary
to guard the place cf residence of the
American minister with soldiers night
and day.
Truly, rs Mr. Taylor So explicitly
points out, it is great folly to sup
pose that tho Curan question is
something that We can set aside IL
we will and go about our own business.
1t has intruGod Itself into our national
affairs with all it's disturbing conss-
quenccs, and IL is hers TO stay until we
take hold OF it aAa selye it wisely, not
only in our own interest but in that of
humanity.