The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-04
Spain'S Task Of Subjuga-
tiOn Seems Hopeless.
Sentiment FavOrs Interfer-
ence by This Country.
American Capital In Island Is SUI
fering q Terrible Loss.

WASHINGTON, May r. special Now
that another summer Is upon us and noth>
ing tangible has been accomplished toward
putting an end To the rebellion In Cuba, n
great many public men here are saying the
time has come for the United States To in
terfere. In quiet way, under the surfaces
l believe the sympathy for Cuba is stron-
ger than IL ever was before. It il not aa
demonstrative as it once was, not 80 likely
TO break out in resolutions and denuncia-
tions, but there is n more general recogni-
ton of the hopelessness Of Spain's task.
Coupled with this find realization that
the interests of the people Of the United
States arc beginning 10 suffer. We have in
the past enjoyed large trade with Cuba.
If the island were at peace, we should have
a large and growing trade now. Cuba is
naturally a customer Of ours. We buy the
greater part of her products, and il trade
relations were normal, or were encouraged
by closer political connection, we should
find In the fertile island fine market for
our agricultural products and our manu-
factured articles.
PROSTATE Business.
Hitherto commercial influence has been
paramount I'm suppressing interference ON
the part of this government with the Cue
TeDelilOn. whenever congress nd0
shown any disposition to take up the Cue
ban question business men and fnanciers
and the representatives Of large intereste
have brought an influence to bear In the
other direction. They do not want war OF
rumors of war. They want peace and pros.
perity. So far they have managed to choke
off everything of tangible nature sug,
gested in Cuba's behalf. At last the tide
is beginning TO turn. Even business men
are beginning to perceive that If Spain ever
reasserts dominion over Cuba IL is goin4
to take a very long time To do 1t. Years
will probably elapse before there is even
semblance Of peace there under Spanish
rule Meanwhile the commercial interests
OF the United States are suffering and
must continue to suffer. Spain, az Is we'll
known, maintains Cuba simply as plac0
to pension off her politicians and as q
market for her wares. She contrives tars
iff which forces the Cubans to buy in
Spain, while Spain buys where she can got
things the cheapest.
The coming of the summer has practi>
| caIIy put "a stop 20 military operations In
Cuba for several months. This means anq
other period of delay. American capita !
invested i'm Cuba is suffering a terrible
loss. Trade is paralyzed, and many busis
ness men are forced into bankruptcy. The
revenues of the United States government
are curtailed on account Of the diminutio0
| of tobacco imports. Citizens Of this coun.
| try are thrown out Of employment on 40
| count Of the disturbed state Of our trade
| relations with Cuba The question which
| conservative and cautious Statesmen are
asking now Is how much longer will IL be
fair to permit this state Of things to con-
Tc oil 10 Ind 6,it IN r,nA
in which To- assert her authority? II a for.
eign power can govern an American prov
incc only by the sword II the people are
SO much opposed to her rule that permas
nent peace is impossible, If one rebellion ID
sure to be followed by another, II prescno
trade disturbances are only precursors OF
more Of the same sort I'm the future, Is II
not time to give serious consideration to
the question what our duty to ourselves
| and to humanity is?
Cuba's Vast Riches. !.
If it should ever come about that Cubs
| attains IA free government, either under inc
| dependence or by means of annexation t0
| the United States, Americans will find In
| that island many opportunities for trade,
investment and activity. 1t is one Of tho
richest islands in tho world, and its reA
| sources have not been developed to a fifth
part of their limit. About as large as the
state of Pennsylvania, and infinitely
more fertile, Cuba is capable Of supporting
| population twice as great as that OF the
| Keystone State Yet the present populas
| tion of Cuba is less than third that OF
Pennsylvania. Although settled mora
| than 80 years before the United Statess
| there are still in Cuba l3, 600, 600 acres oN
| primcval forests which have never heard
| the echo Of the woodsman's ax. Thesa
| forests contain mahogany, logwood, red
weoci; rt0ny, Tgnum vite and caiguarans
| the last named being reputed more duoAe
BILE In the ground than iron or steel.
1t is said by good authorities that II all
| the land i'm Cuba suitable To the growth OF
the sugar cane were devoted TO that purs
pose it might supply the whole western
hemisphere with sugar. As it is, greao
quantities Of sugar are brought over from
Germany. In Cuba half the sugar ground
that is supposed to TO under cultivation 10
wasted by bed methods. The coffee fields
are only expcrimcntally developed. Cubs
will havea great future as a coffee produce
ing country IL political peace can be So
cured for any considerable length Of time,
Its Mineral Ores.
The vast riches Of mineral nature whioh
repose in the Cuban mountains are little
understood by the world at large. Copper
was mined in Cuba before Columbus disc
covered America, and there is pretty good
evidence that this metal was carried across
the straits of Florida for barter with the
continental Indians before Europe knew oB
dreamed there was an America. PROFESSOR
Sanders of the Academy of Sciences Mt Phil.
ndelphia has recently made an analysis o1
copper found I'm the mounds of Florida and
also OF ancient copper found in Cuba, and
has found them TO be identical. The cop
per deposits of eastern Cuba offer promis.
ing field for capital
Cuba contains some of the best iron ores
In the world. Already there is a large ex-
portaticn, in American company having q
great plant near santiago. But peace and
development might build up a still great
or industry. I'm southern Cuba Is u vast
deposit Of manganese an ore which Is in
dispensablc I'm the manufacture 0t steel.
Most of the manganese used in the United
a 4.