The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1897-04-09
SPOKE FOR CUBA LIBRR.
An Able Address in the Interest of
an Abused People.

Prof. w. G. Hawley, president Of VIII
lamette University, delivered an able
lecture last night at the Presbyterian
church, the sixth in the college course,
Ladies College Quartet, Misses Redfeld,
Page, Allen and Skeels, were heard in q
song, rendered in delightful manner.
The subject OF Cuba Libre is the most
important one before the American PEG
pie and was elabora.ely treated. The
lecture was opened with q couple OF
stories illustrative Of the importance OF
the United States. A description of Gu
ba was then given. Cuba is the top Of q
mountain range, rising as high az 5000
ieet abose the level OF the sea, with TO-
0o0 feet OF water on its south. Its
variation in temperature il only 20 de-
grees- Its soii il mzrvelousIy fertile. As
rich as Egypt Is in col, Cuba Is rich far
beyond IT. The planting of cane was
described. Il is planted easily and crop
after crop is reaped for ten wears and
twice as much juice is obtained TO that
in Louisiana, three crops in year. The
fruit ripens ceaseieesiy. without work.
Wonderful sou. and yet tonight there is
not happy soul On this Island. The
present population is the third worked
TO death Once Spain had title dezj to
half the habitabIe globe; bur that vas
her downfall. The wealth she res ped
made her piandereF and che gave up
her great industries aod slowly went
doznward, IRON the highest descending
20 the lowest nation Now an old and
xo,no nation she faces great reyo-
luton. There have not been ffty years
Of righteous government in Caba since
1892. Cab4 has an ARA OF IS coo square
miles, Of which about oae-half being
habiiAble- Her foreign commerce has
been 900 0o0, 600 q year. It's population
is 500. 600, and ihe island is capable Of
supporting 20.00o 600. fhe island pays
SIS .0oo, coo taxes 10 Spain every year,
sls for every person white or black,
yomg aud Old. The regular farm tax is
$50. or about 35 per cent. He Is taxed
10 death. II Cuban wants 10 vote he
must PAY poll tax VI 500. while the
spaniard is taxed almost nothing. To
do susiness you must pay $50 tax year
~, IS Tor every letter On your sign. and
3 per cent on your lncSme- The Span
ish Law is that . man suspected Is guilty
until hs proves himself innocent. Moro
Castle has been full os men fading away.
4
document OF ideniiiiC alton, and be is
not safe without IL. The Sp2niarjs have
been oppressors At every p3snt, and the
Cuban hates him, as The SP2niArd hates
the Cuban.
Spain. worn out, cannot support itself,
50 il seeks il from Cuba and The Phiili-
pine islands 5000 Spanish officers,
sops OF prominent Spaniards, are in the
island, living easily and robbing the peo-
pie. The tax collectors, OF which there
are many, get six per cent for collecting
the exorbitant tax, which be often arhi-
tsarily increases. and II nat paid sells
the property. Spanisri hare thus got
ten possession Of 90 per cent OF the prop
erty, robbed from the Cub2ns. The
present war began in 1875, and has sub
sided and continued 10 the present time.
Tho governor-general OF Cuba is absolute
master of every person on the Island.
/ Arbitrate! Only revolution can settle
the question.
/ Cuha has q debt OF 500, 0,ooo, 900. OF
the 81. 600 900 tax about 20 per cent goes
to Spain. OF that used on the island it
is used exorhitantly by Spanish officers.
Examples were given OF Spanish justice
that makes ones blood boil with indig-
nation. No, dollar IL spent for public
schools, which have been maintained
outside OF taxation, and the Cubans are
an educated people. Tue Cuban revo'
luton is being fought By the whole peo-
pie from the highest 10 the lowest. They
have ARISEN to lsy tbs island waste or Sc
lcure freedom The United States gov
lerpment should have backbone to SEE
tha, no country bat Spain, Cuba or the
q. s. should control the island.
| Under the treaty of 1879 Cuba vas tc
have local autonomy; but it was never
permitted, and Spaniards only went to
the Cortex. The treaty was lawlessly
burned without the knowledge OF tbs
Cubsns until just before.the present war
when they said they would stand 1t nc
longer.
The Cuban campaign is to lay vast
the entire island unless freedom is grant
ed. He can live on the wild fruits an'
the yams from the ground, and cloth,
himself with the bark OF the trees. al
he wants is ammunition and guns.
In the past Te years 10000 Spanisl
soldiers have been sent TO the island an
6o0, 900 of them have found graves at tn
hands of the Cuban's terrible slsshes.
Now the Cubans say not another dol
lar shall be paid in taxes TO Spain an
Ithey will die in the last ditch.
/. In closing the speaker spread Cuba
flag over the pulpit and said MAY th
flag of Cuba Lhre float over free Cuba,
and every one impressed with the eari
n est words and the burning arraignmel
of the brutal Spanish rule united in Il
r wish.