The record-union., 1897-11-16
fire this shot into the denial of CASTELAR,


substantial change or improvement in
the condition of Cuba during the pres
ent century. The Cuba of Ferdinand
VII. was the Cuba of Castelar, and the
republic The vices of Spanish rule in
Cuba are incurable and permanent. NO
Spanish statesman has succeeded, if he
desired, in ameliorating or improving
conditions in Cuba. Spanish govern
ment in Cuba only provokes insurrec-
ton. CASTELAR, and Sagasta have seen
thirteen years of civil war in the islano.
Neither they nor any of their contem-
poraries have found remedy for those
evils, if they have sought remedy.
They are to-day as incapapie OF
reaching a solution, either by force or
by concessions, as they have heretofore
been Can anybody wonder, then, tnat
the Cubans, wearied, incredulous, des-
perate, after so many years OF persecu-
ton, tyranny, spoliation and misruie'
refuse now to listen to any further suo-
mission to Spanish authority? NO An
glo Saxon community would have en-
dured a tithe of what Cubans have SUI
| fered.
/ This is a broadside, but it is not all.
The impassioned old General who IS
liberty loving from crown to heel and as
brave as any patriot could be. declares
that our recitation of grievances IN the
Declaration of Independence are si1gnt
and trivial, compared with the long
catalogue OF wrongs Cuba has endured
for the last fifty years.
Then he proceeds to defend ex-Mins-
ter Hannfs Taylor. That gentleman
was silent while he was Minister. Re-
turning to his native land he was free
to speak of matters of general puplic
debate as long as he did not discuss
| his instructions nor reveal any STATE
secrets He has done neither, but as
a private citizen is discussing with his
| fellow citizens matters that are on
every tongue and are of absorbing in
terest. His views are temperately eX-
pressed he has received no check from
| the State Department and has given
occasion for none. AS General SICK
| les did, so did Mr.. Taylor endeavored
to restore peace to Cuba so far as his
| influence as American Minister could
be properly exercised to that end. He
failed as did General Sickles, failed even
to secure for Spain peace under semi
| independence for Cuba such as Canada
has. in her relation to England.
| General Sickles says that the Cubans
are really Americans and their ideas
and those of the Spanish are irreconci.-
/ able; that is the root Of the whole
trouble" and the veteran General be-
lieves therefore that the cause Of Spain
| IN Cuba is hopeless. Then he turns
again to CASTELAR, who charges that
General Sickles offered for the United
States to buy Cuba, while he, CASTELAR,,
was President. This the General de-
nounces as fatty false. What he did
do, was to counsel with General Prim
| for the independence of Cuba on the
basis of an indemnity to Spain. That
would. he thinks, have been accom-
plished but for the premature exposure
of the negotiations, due to the impa-
| tience of President Grant. But an
| nGXaJlOn OF CuDd WAS lot cOiitSIIPidt-
ed, says Sickles, and was not even men
! toned.
The General thinks Spain will not
yield up Cuba except as the inevitable
outcome of war, or because Of the de-
mand Of the United States couched in
an offer for mediation that means in
| reference and that is not to be mis-
| taken.
As for a war with Spain the General
scouts the idea If it should come
| Spain, in his opinion. is too enfeebled
| to make it uncomfortable for the Unit
ed States. Spain knows that such a
war would mean total loss Of Cuba anu
fiat bankruptcy of the Spanish nation.
We are peaceful nation, the most
| conservative of all great Powers, and
only extreme provocation will drive the
| United States into war, but ii is evil
dent from the tone of General Sicilles'
statements that for one he would not
deplore war with Spain, if it would free
Cuba.