The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-03

Of the outrages committed upon the
Cubans by successive Governments Of
Spain. Nor are these outrages only
Of to-day. WEYLER Is not the first
Captain. General Of the island who burned,
p~lundered, and pillaged, or who has com.
mitted atrocities upon the persons Of the
unfortunate people. AS far back as 1851
VALENCIA, then Captain. General, issued an
order declaring that every male above the
age Of 10 years found away from his habi
tation, who could not give a satisfactory
reason therefor, should be shot; that every
unoccupied house should be burned; that
every house not bearing a white flag should
be reduced to ashes that non.combntants
should be herded in towns. In tho various
struggles ON the island up to 1872, Spanish
official reports show that over $4,000 Gu
bans had been killed In battle that upward
of 43, 900 prisoners had been put to death.
The work Of extortion, Of murder, OF de-
struction of property has gone on increas-
ing since that period. Never since WAR
rem HASTINGS looted India has a country
been so despoiled. Never since that ruler
turned over to the tormentors the old
eunuchs Of the two Begums OF Dude with
the view Of making hen disclose where
their treasure was concealed, have any
people been tortured as have been the
Cubans, In order to wiring from them their
earnings that they might be appropriated
by their unnatural kindred. Indeed. II
there Is any mercy to be found in
the above comparison It is on the
side of HASTINGS. After conquering the
P~eninsular he saw that the laws were
executed. After he had extorted some
Ell, ZOO, 900 from the unfortunate Begums
he released their lonR.sutfering faithful
servants, and they were permitted to drag
what was left of their mutilated forms in
quiet to the grave. But the Spaniards !
For many years there has been no law in
Cuba except the will Of the Captain-Gen-
erals. The treasure which they have taken
from the island is counted in bill
lions. The value Of property destroyed
by them has been enormous. The
| atrocities they have committed are not con-
fined to an individual here and there.
Whole districts of country have been laid
waste. Men, women, and children have
| been driven from their homes, deprived Of
food and clothing, herded like cattle where
fevers and pestilence might do their horrid
| WOTh upon Jutul. cllll VIC WIN VI
| ton, torture, and murder goes on.
Remember what they were in the days
when they were allowed to enjoy their own.
Look at them to-day! Their prosperity is
gone. Their liberty has been taken from
them. No more is the Paseo crowded. The
only sound heard in the Plaza is the tread
of the sentry who guards the entrance to
the Governors palace. No more carillons
from church steeples; the bells only toll the
knell of some one departed, or summon the
faithful to prayer.
These are the unfortunates whose cries we
will not hear, or, hearing, we will not heed.
These are the people who, although they
have successfully resisted an army of two
hundred thousand men for more than two
years, we will not acknowledge to be bellig.
erents and entitled to the treatment of hu.
man beings. And it is Spain whose ally we
are in this unholy war which is being waged
against them Spain, which has Haunt in
dignities in our face over and over again
whose wal ~vessels, while enjoying the hos
pitality of the port of New Orleans, were
crowded with refugees whom they had
no right to receive ; from whose ports sailed
blockade runners loaded with everything
which was necessary to those with whom
we were then at war; whose vessels have
fired on our flag which has arrested, i'm
prisoned, and murdered our fellow citizens
This is the Spain which we have allowed tt
direct US in the enforcement of our OWL
neutrality laws, although IL she ha.
any similar avs she never put then
in operation in our behalf when tn,
opportunity presented itself, but per
mitted the Shenandoah, probably the mos
destructive piece of naval architecture o
her day, to remain nearly a month In one o
her ports while completing her equipmen
and taking on her armament, all of which
was contrary to SPANS proclamation o
neutrality, and in spite ofdaily promises t.
our representative to prevent the outrage.
1t Is to thisS Spain that we still bow tn
knee and sue and flatter while we assist he
in the preparation of atrocities. Has on
manhood entirely deserted usl Have W,
been cowed by some occult power so tina
we fear to do what we know we have tn
right to do and what would be right If w
did iti Will the House of Representative
adjourn without taking up and passing tn
Senate resolutions2 First. of course, tn
tariff bill must be passed, but that out O
the way, let it do justice to Cuba and t
ourselves,
Tho Award OF Army Stars.