The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-01-01

CUBA WON'T SUBMIT
TO SPAIN.

TO SPAIN.
1t is worst than idle to discuss
the question of intervention by the
United States to end the Cuban rebel
lion on any basis that involves the con-
tinued rule of Spain on that Inflated island.
1t is no longer possible for Cuba to have
peace as a province of Spain. 1t has been
tried for generations and it has failed.
Insurrecticn has followed instruction,
heretofore resulting in promises of reform
the Spanish government, but in every in
the people of Cuba have had increased
oppression instead of relief from the
terrible eNactions of the past.
Had Spain carried out on generous
basis, or even in fairly good faith, the
promises made at the close of the ten
years rebellion, its authority over Cuba
might have continued for years to come.
But not single material promise given
for the relief of the CUBAN people was
fulfilled by the Spanish government In
creased taxation and oppression in every
possible form followed the surrender of
the insurgents at the close of the former
rebellion, as is clearly demonstrated by
the nearly united action of the Cuban
people, of all conditions and races, in
the present desprate effort to overthrow
the SpaOish power on the island.
There can now bc no peace in Cuba cX
cept upon one of two theories. Either
Cuba must be entirely free from the
bondage of Spain and be permitted to es
tablish republic of her own, or the
war must continue until the insurgents
are entieely annihilated ant. Cuba made
one vast field of desolation from the east
crn to the western end of the island. One
of these two results is inevitable. Already
many thousands Of lives have been
barbarously sacrificed by the Spanish
government, and it has logically provok-
ed like fiendish retribution on the part
of the insurgents. The faircst fields on
the island have been devastated, the torch
of the vandal has destroyed the homes and
the sugar mills throughout three fourth
of Cuba, and there is now nothing left for
Spain to fight for but barren island that
would require scores of millions to restore
to fruitfulncss.
Cuba has entirely ceased to be source
of revenue to Spain, thus losing to that
government an annual income of thirty
millions. And even if the war were to
end to- day by the willing submission of
Cuba, it would be many years before Spain
could relize any considerable revenue
| the government would prevent invest
| ment of outside capital. and neither the
Cubans nor Spain have the means to
rehabilitate the desolated sugar, coffee
| and tobacco estates.
| There is nothing, therefore, for Spain
| in Cuba as a matter of revenue for many
years to come, even und9r the most favor
able conditions which could possibly re-
suit to the Spanish government. Never
| in the whole history of Cuba have the
native Cubans of all races been so intensi-
fed in their hostility to the parent govern
ment. There is not only no sympathy
between them, but there is the most
implacable hostility: hostility that re-
peats the history of Hannibal, who was
sworn to the destruction of Rome. There
can be no peace between such peoples, and
| Spain must decide for herself the question
whether Cuba shall be released now, or
/ b~, h1 Il al hat 10
property remaining in Cuba shall be de-
stroyed and tens of thousands of addi-
tional lives sacrificed. The United States
can have no part in making peace between
| Spain and Cuba as a Spanish province,
| for the reason that it would impose upon
this government the illogical and un-
warranted duty of suppressing rebellion
on the island when we can have no
interest whatever in aiding Spain to con-
tinue her oppression of the Cuban people.
| Spain is on the verge of bankruptcy.
| She cannot continue the war for another
year; and if her pride compels her
to persist in IA war that is utterly
! hopeless, and that can make her
conspicuous in history only for the tiendish
atrocities practiced by her soldiery, she
must be permitted to do So until the
neutrality laws respected by the world
shall compel intervention by other civiliz
ed powers. If Spain shall thus protract
| the strife, the inevitable end must be
| the freedom of Cuba when there may be
but few people and little property to
profit by free government and the utter
overthrow of the Spanish throne.-Phita'
| Times