The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-04-01
WHAT THERE Is OF THE
CUBAN REPUBLIC.
BY HAROLD BENTLEY.

| Gus ilue band oil patriots mas headquarters.
Here a company of thoughtful, anxious,
determined men are pushing for all they are
worth the cause Of Cuban independence
| Three OF four rooms are devoted 10 the
practical business Of Cuba's freedom. Scat
tered about are various packages of medical
supplies, equipments and munitions for he
field and hospital. There are canned goods
and ,Iappngs. pamphlets and materials OF
| many Kinds, while on the walls maps OF
the island and portraits Of patriot leaders.
1t Is the Cuban Junta.
A steady stream Of visitors flows in and
out all day. Now it is some adventurer, who
seeks the chance Of excitement and free trans
portatlon 10 the scene OF warfare; again, 1t is
some ardent sympathzei, who is willing to
risk his life in the cause; next time it is 4
triaer, who looks for some pecuniary gain OF
bettcrment Of condition by volunteering in
the insurgent army.
To Ill these offers a polite refusal is given.
| The Juuta is keeping within the law, aud the
| orders have come, mo men 10 be SENT
There are important visitors, however, who
| come with money, advice and timely counsel.
| There are diplomatic matters to be discussed,
and matters of national policy ana expcdier-
] cy, and there Is plenty TO do. Here the Sccre
tary of War Of the Cuban Cabinet, Carlos
Roloft Santa Clara, discusses with the Gu
ban Postmaster General. O. NJ. Zavas, at
fairs Of state
The officers of the Junta are: Hon. T. Es-
| trada Palma, delegate of the Cuban Kevou-
tionary party and Minister plenipotentary
to the Uuited States; Gonzalo de Ouesadl.
First Secretary Of Legation; Benjamin T..
| Guerra, Treasurer; Horatio S. Rubens, coun,
| sci. There are also diplomatic agents IN
| Washington laboring for official recognition,
and throughout the United States there are
many other trusted agents striving for Cuba,
/ both by awakening public sentiment and by
| raising money for the war.
What is Cuba?
Here is handful OF figures. The length
of Cuba is over 7oomiles. 1t has an area of
over ~, 900 square miles.
| What this means is suggested compassion.
Cuba IS nearly one fourth larger than Ire
| land, and only one-seventh smaller than
| England 1t is A trifie larger than Virginia
or Ohio, and trifle smaller than Pennsylva
| mia. 1t has , 200 miles of coast line and a
| population of nearly 100000, of whom
95o, 900 are white Cubans. 10000 colored
| and 10000 Spaniards. Probably no place
| on earth has finer climate, a vegetation
more thriving and beautiful, or fruit so deli
| Cious and abundant.
! uCiF are 7 T-OOO.OoD acres Ol unCItlfeu
virglH forests, containing the finest cedar
| and mahogany in the world. Two million
| acres of the islands $4,000, 900 are unGer
| cultivation, and 6,oOo, 900 are natural pas
| turc land. The most important products of
| the soil are sugar, tobacco, coffee, cocoa,
| bananas, ,coCoanuts, wax and various woods.
In some years the total exports nave a
mounted to over SS2, 900 600; OF that, S6S,
| 600, 600 was in sugar and molasses and So,-
| 600 900 in tobacco.
Think whether Span would be willing to
give up so rich 4 spot Of earth. 1t is no
wonder that Spain has held Cuba with an in
vincible cupidity.
The history of the island is one Of blood
| she'd and opposition from the beginning.
Columbus discovered the land on his first
voyage 1892, twelve days after the first
glimpse of land. The Indians thought the
fleet had descended from heaven, an idea of
which they were soon disabused.
The conquest ofthe island was undertaken
seriously in 1911 by Diego Velasquez. The
Spanlards had treated the San Domingo In
dlanS with harShneSs and brutality, as they
have ever treated their dcpcndants, and
these abongines fled to Cuba, where they
hoped to live IN security. But they were pur-
sued, overcome, and the chief burned at the
stake.
The lana was divided among the Spani ard
and the Indians captured in battle were
taken as slaves to till the soil. In half a cen.
| tury almost the whole native population of
the island had disappeared, so ruthless were
their taskmaSteIs.
For three centuries thereafter Cuba was
condemned by her oppressors to isolation and
neglect Hcr inhabitants were forced to
live in poverty and squalor. Dnring her
four hundred years of rule, Spain, with an
incomprehcnsibIe dullness, had rot taken a
single step toward the development of the
country or the we'll being of the people
Her centralized, complicated and inefti
Cient administration. dominated by blind
spirit of routine, has always looked upon
| every reform rs dangerous experiment.
Whenever private effort developed n new
industry the government demanded q new
tax, or an increase for an existing one. To
bacco was the first 10 acquire Importance:
Spain at once taxed and mopopolzed its
cultivation, sale and manufacture, that the
planters IN despair rose lie arms several times
and destroyed their fields rather than submit
10 eNactions which not only deprived them
OF all theirprofts, but even of part of their
labor.
The English captured Havana in 1852,
During tee British occupation the port ior
the first time was thrown open to foreign
| trade, and the inhabitants had the novel ex-
| periences its advantages. 4 desire for
education began to be felt, and there being
no Institution in the country which could
| satisfy il, number of youths were sent to
the United States for schooling.
SPAN, however, does not approve of edu-
cation.
\ royal decree was issued in Madrid in
| 1900 that Cuban parents Sheuld be diSsuaded
| from continuing practice from which only
| evil consequences could be expected, In
1898 this was reissued in 4 more severe form.
| All youths were ordered back from the Unit
ed States, while those who had received an
education were placed under police surveil-
lance.
! Uprsrngs against this and other iniusti-
| ceS began first in 1925. followed by others in
1926, 1928, 1880, ISiS, 1880, 1851. 1855, and
then came ten years of war OF 1868 IS.
Other uprisings occurted in 1879 and 1885.
The preent revolt began on February "a,
1905.
Depressed as were the Cubans by the fail
ure of 1883, the idea of any other immediate
movement was generally abandoned. Among
| those, however, who never lost faith was
lose Marti, the great leader. He was a pow
erful orator and a devoted patriot. and he
applied himself to that for the lack of which
other rebelllons had failed-organization
| Funds were accumulated. clubs organized,
newspapers published and an active prop2-
canda of education carried on, inspired and
conducted by Marti.
Under his direction the scattered CunanS
were nnited, weekly contributions were made
10 the general fund by all classes of patriots.
and every one who could be counted upon
was located. When Marti believed the time
ripe, he fixed q date for the revolt. Two
months af er hoStilitieS began he lost his life
on the field of battle.
; The first encounter between tide Spanish
army and the Cuban forces took place at Los
!, NegroS, in the province of Santiago. Others
> followed, whice were generally disastrous to
the government, and in the middle of July