The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-16
EVER RESTLESS CUBA.
"The Pearl of the Antilles. :"


an elaborate article in recent issue
of the New York Tribune under the
caption, 'Ever Restless Cuba" The
article was condensed-not an easy
task-expressly for The UNIVERSAL
IsT:
The island of Cuba has ever been
the cause of anxiety. 1t has COM
plicated the foreign relations of the
United States. President Monroe,
and John Quincy Adams, feared that
Great Britain would seize upon this
low-lying fertile island, the beautiful
Pearl of the Antilles. Later Presi-
dents were worried over the burning
question of annexation. Others were
tempted to help the insurgent bands
that every few years sprung up and
turned Cuba topsy-turvy. A little
over twenty years ago, the Virginius
affair aroused the whole American
people, and kept President Grant
and Secretary Fish distracted fer
weeks at time. President Buchan-
an said in 1858: "Our relations with
Spain, which ought to be of the most
friendly character, must always lie
in jeopardy while the existing coloni-
al government of the island remains
in its present condition." That "con-
dition" has not changed, except, per-
haps, for the worse, up to the pres
ent day. Spain has annoyed Ameri-
can shipping in every possible way;
filibustering expeditions without end
have stolen away from our shores,
provoking the wrath of Spain. Con
sidering all this, it is no wonder the
United States is deeply concerned
about Cuba.
1t has made no difference to Cuba
who has been in power at Madrid, be
it the Napoleons, the Bourbons, or
some new and rising dynasty. The
fixed policy has been to rule with an
iron hand. In President Jefferson's
time, Spain offered to transfer Cuba
to the United States on the easiest
possible terms.
1t was fortunate that the admins
tration did not take advantage of the
offer, for Cuba, being slave-holding
and slave-trading island, it would
have strengthened the South, and
retarded the anti-slavery movement.
Since that time the Cuban popula-
ton has again and again risen to
shake off the Spanish tyranny, and
the tales of horrors enacted on the
island have been magnitied for the
benefit of sympathizers in the United
States, and the cry from Cuba has
never failed to wake a sympathetic
echo. Expeditions have been sent
out, of which many have been sue
cessful, while many have been cap
tured, and the Spanish Government
has almost constantly kept detec-
tives in this country.
The Virginius, small steamer en-
gagged in filibustering expeditions,
was captured by Spanish cruiser
October 81, 1878, with all on board,
ITO, passengers, and crew, including
several Americans and Englishmen.
Fifty-three of these were shot down
in cold blood. Had it not been for
the threat of the commander of a
British man-of-war to lombard the
city, all might have met the same
fate. Ever since the formidable in
surrection in 1920, the United States
has declared a strict neutrality, and
has made every effort to prevent
American filibusters from reaching
Cuba, but considering the long stretch
of coast, it is no wonder so many
have been successful in stealing
away. Sympathy on the part of the
United States is only natural, and,
while endeavoring to remain neutral,
the success of so many filibustering
expeditions. makes Spain suspicious,
and anything but friendly. They
are on a constant lookout for schemes
of annexation. One of the peculiar
ly successful expeditions, was that
conducted by Cisneros. The entire
cargo of ammunition and arms was
unloaded on the coast of Cuba, in
sight of Spanish man-of-war. Many
of the stories of these expeditions
read like tales of a wondrous ro-
nance. During the present war, the
successful expeditions have been
many, and the number Of men armed
and equipped as result of them, is
about 14,0O0. Maceo landed on the