The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-23

IL Is a good deal Of stretch of senti-
ment 90 say that Col. Ruiz, the Spanish
envoy. who met death because he ven-
tured To approach Cuban officer with
an offer of autonomy, "bore the olive
branch. " The suspicion is strong, and
the evidence seems To substantiate IL. that
IL was deliberate bribe and nothing in
the nature of an olive branch that Col.
Ruiz bore.
His killing seems a terrible thing. but
war is terrible all around and the mill
tary necessity often justifles an act which
10 the layman, far removed from the
scene, cannot reconcile with his sense Of
mercy and iustness. The historical .n-
oident OF the death Of Major Andre whose
sentence was confirmed by Gen. George
Washington against all the dictates of his
personal wish. his heart and his human
ity, is not an Isolated instance by any
means Of the urgent military demand as
illustrated in meeting out such a penalty
regardless Of circumstances which seem
to crave for pardon on behalf OF the un.
fortunste
Col. Ruiz, as now appears clear. rec
ognized that he took his life in his hands
when he approached the Cuban camp
with his errand Of peace. ADd yet, if lie
went there with the CELEBRATE attempt to
offer a bribe he had hardly moro reason
20 expect 10 bo spared If he was not sue
cessful in being made welcome than as "
he had been a,spy. And difficult as the
act OF capital punishment may seem to
be to explai2 or excuse II is to be said
that In all the history of tho Cuban war
this is tho frst act that has brought any
charge whatsoever against the insurgents
Of lack Of humanity or Of conducting
their warfare otherwise than after the
fashion recognized and approved by
civilization. All tho horrors of the
Cuban war have been so far committed
by the Spanish arms. The Spaninrd has
been ruthless and mercilecs and has ever
conduoted himself as If ne were engaged
in massacre and not warfare. Ho has
never recognized the Clban officers or
soldiers as worthy foo while the Cuban
has, almost without exception. dealt with
the enemy like true soldiers, shooting in
BATTLE but committing no acts OF ven-
geance on the defenseless or the prisoner
that may have fallen into his hands.
Cruel rs has been the Spanish warfare,
ayoMadlY under Aeyier n warfare of ex-
termination, the Insurgents have never
retaliated in kind, though often enough
the world would have endorsed reprlsals
Almost coincident with the killing Of
Ruiz, report comes of another Cuban
who accepted hribe To show the Span
iards to an insurgent camp. The camp
proved to be hospital and tho forty sick
and wounded inmates thereof were ruin
lessIy slain. But the world seems to have
grown almost callous TO Spanish atrooity.
While the merits OF the question as to
the fate Of Ruiz may we'll prompt the in.
quiry of civilization into the necessity,
il is well to remind ourselves OF two i'm
portant factors in the controversy One
rs that Ruiz had fair warning and that
his act was doubtless hazarded to dem.
onstrate that the Cubans were bluflinQ
when they announced what would be
done with such sn envoy regardless OF his
rank ui personal acausintanceship with
his Fellows In the Cuban cause. The
other is, that the attitude of the Cubans
throughout three years of most horrible
fighting en- the part of their enemies and |
tho utmost patience and toleratlon on /
their own part that has excited the ad- |
mlration of the world, Is, on the face of |
IL, evidence that the act now committed |
was justified, else IL would not have been
permitted to 90 on tho fair records Of the
Cuban arms