Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-02

UlOuS, INV Suui0 We ssSSSPS SNSA.S~>'S
now?
cat the present time, continued this
gentleman, "the debt OF Spain charged up
to Cuba is we'll nigh $500, 000, 900: By the
time the war could be brought to an end
and all claims settled it would probably
he $500, 600, 600. That means $40, 600, 600
Ia year if interest alone, to say nothing
about principal and pensions and other
charges. AIlthis Spain would saddle upon
Cuba. She would expect us to pay every
dollar CT it. You may be sure that in any
scheme of home rule which Spain would
offer us she would be careful to retain
within her own hands the power to make
us pay the expenses Of the war. Such a
debt alone, to speak of nothing else, would
so burden Cuba for generations to como
that there could be no prosperity or hap
piness in the island. Imagine $50, 600, 900
or $40, 600, 600 year wrung from people,
in taxcs-a' people who number only
1, 500, 600, or, say, about the population OF
your state of Iowa!s
VIII Never Surrender.
"No, it is impossible continued the
Cuban. "Spain Is trying to cajole us into
surrenGering all the advantage we have
gained by nearly two. years of hard light
ing. We arc able to carry on the war in.
definitely. We will never surrender save
on one condition, and that Spain will not
agree to- If she will give us the same sort
of home rule that Canada has-which
means that she must withdraw her alien
troops and permit the peace to be pre-
served wholly by home troops-then we are
willing to accept autonomy. Spain will
not do that She will never withdraw her
lines of steel around the homes of the Gu
bans for she knows the moment they arc
taken away we will have independence in
80 days. Spain can never maintain herself
in Cuba except by her Imputed military,
and that is tho best proof in the world to
my mind that she ought not to have Cuba.
A people that cannot be governed except
BY military despotism deserve freedom.
II am surprised that President Cleve-
land-whom I admire very much-should
be willing to waste time trying to bring
about peace in Cuba in this way. He must
know that 1t is q fight to tho death with
us. There can be only one of two results OF
the Neutrality-suspicious. or the destruction
\ of Cuba. II Spain hangs on till she has
suppressed us, there will be nothing left
worth fighting for. l know what Spain's
present policy is. She is trying to prepare
. series Of events all leading up to home
rule. She has enlisted the support Of Pres
ident Cleveland. She has oontrived to de-
stroy General Maceo. Now General Weyler
is trying to clear all the insurgents out OF
the western Provinces so that the tobacco
crop can be planted. AS soon rs he has
done that, or has made such progress that
he can pretend to have done il, Spain will
be preparsd. to say to us that We see we
are whipped and that the best thing we
ioan do is to come in and lay down our
arms and have peace. Let me tell you
that General Weyler win not clear the In
Isurgents out Of Pinar del Rio. II he tells
the world he has done that, he will falsify.
/ Sec victory In sight. 8'
s"Nor will our leaders accept home rule
even II the United States offers its good
Offices. Weare determined on that. We
would be foolish to do SO. We seq victory
/ in sight We know that in less than a
year the United States will Interfere, and
when it interferes We know we shaif snc;
iced. We can afford to wait. Wssh6ve
the sympathy Of q great part OF the world,
and we can keep thew war going for ten
years If necessary. Spain il nearly bunk
rupt. A year more will endAh6r She has
troubles enough, at holiiu and in the Phil
ippine islands to absorb all her energies
and resources 1t would be craven Of III
to surrender witt, victory In sight In the
last war we fought ten years and had never
made SO much Roadway as we have made
in the last 12smonths
do you know what would be likely to
happen if a Spanish agent were to APP
- -