The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-02
TUESDAY, November 2, 1897
SPAIN P0WERLESS TO CONQUER CUBA

10 throw conclusive light upon the Gu
ban question, as it relates to the ability
Of Spain to conquer the island, as Hon.
Hannis Taylor, Minister to Spain dur
ing the last four years. The people OF
his native State-he was born in New
bern, n. C.-have a peculiar interest in
him and in his view upon the Cuban
question.
Az American Minister to Spain, charg-
ed with the conduct of the diplomatic
negotiations arising out rof the Cuban
war. Mr.. Tayler was Obliged to possess
himself Of the most thorough informa-
tion as to the aims and policy of the
Spanish government, the. temper OF the
Spanish people, and their intentions re-
garding their revolted colony. He has
prepared an article in the hope that his
testimony may aid his countrymen in
taking wise and just action at the pres
emf crisis, believing that it is in the
power of the United States to bring the
savage strife now raging in Cuba to a
speedy conclusion. The article, which
appears in the current issue Of the
North American Review, is the most
interesting one that has appeared upon
the absorbing Cuban question. We
quote:
"Spsin herself has demonstrated that
she Is powerless either to conciliate Gu
ha 70 nfrvrnf ~
over 1t is, in my humble judgment, now
extinct for all purposes Of it's rightful
existence and the hopeless struggle
for It's re-establishment has degenerated
into a strife which means nothing more
than the useless sacrifice of human life
and the utter destruction Of the very
subject matter OF the conflict ITSELF
Tins deplorable state of things is not
only shocking to humanity, but 1T is a
special and gr:evous burden to the peo-
pie of the United States, by reason of
their intimate commercial and social re-
lations and sympathies with the people
Of an island so near our coast line as to
be a,ur,sst part Of our territory. Our
commerce with Cuba, amounting annu-
ally at the beginning Of the present war
to 100000, 600, has been nearly wiped
out lie millions of American capital
invested in the island have been neither
destroyed or rendered unproductive;
many Of our citizens reduced to abso-
inte want have been forced to appeal to
,ongrese for aid; while too many of
them have found their way into Span
ish dungeons from which some have
been able to escape only through the
door of death. But last, and worst OF
all. our peace as a nation is broken and
disQuieted by an endless strife that en-
ters as potent factor into our Internal
politics. With patience almost unexam-
MED we endured all such evils during
the period of the great war that began
at Yara in 1868 and ended ten years
later with the treaty of Zanjon; then
came the little war; and finally the last
great war that has now been in progress
for more than two years and a half.
Thus we have been called upon to wit
ness nearly fifteen years OF war in Gu
ba out Of the last twenty-nine. Through
out the present struggle, apart from our
commercial losses, we have been in a
state Of semi-war with Spain; a large
part of our feet has become coast
guard; and our diplomatic relations have
been so strained that for more than a
year the Spanish government deemed il
necessary to guard my place Of resi-
dence with soldiers, night and day. Since
my departure this impossible state OF
things has become still more acute, and
the uncertainty thus produced is the
one obstacle in the path Of the long.
hoped for prosperity just dawning upon
Us. Business men are plainly stating tt
each other that such uncertainty now
hangs like cloud over all future trans
actions.
ut is great folly to suppose that tht
Cuban question is something that W.
can set aside il we will and 60 abou
our own business. 1t has intrudeI it
self into our national affairs with all it
disturbing consequences, and it is her
20 stay until we take hold of it ant
solve 1t wisely, not only in our own in
terest, but in that of humanity"