The semi-weekly messenger., 1898-08-23

(WaShington PoSt.)

One or the humOrS or the war-peT-
haps it is the one which will cause the
greatest merriment-is the proposition
that the United States government
shall, in order to secure their promp,
disbandment and their peaceful and
orderly behavior in the future, pay
the Cuban insurgents all the arrears
they may see fit to claim. A dispatch
from the Associated Press, published
on Tuesday, says on this subject:
Santiago de Cuba, August ia Sc
cret meeting was held tonight at the
palace between the commanding Off
GERS Of the American army and the
Cuban leaders. The strictest secrecy
was maintained. but it can be said
with good authority that General Car
cla was present The meeting lasted
an hour and a half. The informatio
obtained is to the effect that the Gu
ban situation was thoroughly review
ed and that 1t was resolved to disband
the Cuban army, and that the United
States should pay the men off.
This involves the expenditure of
SIS, 100000, but it is most important to
the prosperity of the island whose
wealth is entirely agricultural; nobody,
planter or farmer. daring to cultivate
his lands while insurgent bands are
in the field raiding and burning
In other words, it is proposed that
this country shall, after having freed
Cuba from Spanish misrule and open
ed the way for an enlightened and be-
nefcent dispenSation, pay the Cuban
insurgents in the eastern end of the
island S15,00O.000, merely to secure their
assent to the regime of liberty and
civilization which we are endeavoring g
to inaugurate. 1t has been claimed in
their behalf that they fought for the
very end we have now brought within
their reach; that their one idea and
hope was to secure for Cuba the
blessings Of prosperity and peace: yet
here we are told that unless we pay
them to stop the work of desola ton
they will withhold their countenance
from us, and that industry, agricul-
ture, etc, will be arrested pending
their satisfaction. Their demand surely
cannot be based upon any other
ground. There is an overwhelming con-
currence of testimony to the effect that
they rendered no military service of
any measurable consequence during
the Santiago campaign. Every United
States official of any authority worth
mentioning has joined in the declara-
ton of their Worthlessness. We have it
from General Shafter, himself, from
his subordinates, from the Associated
formation. In Mondays edition of The
Post appeared a statement by Colonel
Charles Dick, Of the Eighth Ohio VOL
unteerS, who served in the operations
before Santiago, and has just returned
from there with his impressions still
fresh and vivid. We append an extract
from this papers interview with Colo
mel Dick:
"'They are worse than our Indians,
a fan will inc
as much, if not more, time to subdue
than 1t did to restrain the redskins.
The principal difference between an
American Indian and a Cuban insur-
gent is that the Indian knows what
honor is. Our men in Santiago will
have nothing to do with the Cuban
soldiers, while they fraternize quite
freely with the Spaniards.
"'Three CT four thousand men will
be all that are necessary to garrison
Santiago and maintain order, cOntin-
ued the colonel.
20 How long will they have to stay
there
"'Grea! heavens! I don't know Thir-
ty Yeas, if the insurgents are not soon
civilized and educated in civilization s
ways. Il tell you it is hard to fully ap-
preciate the Cuban insurgents without
coming in contact with them. They are
the worst set I know.
Colonel Dick takes 40 stock what
ever in the report that General Car
cia had attacked Holguin - Manzan
lilo and brought the Spanish COM
mander to the point Of surrender.
The only thing Garcia could at
tack was the commissary,' said the OF
ficer.'
And through the Associated Press
reports of the day following we learn
that the insurgent leaders in and about
Santiago are now engaged in seditious
agitation, appealing to their followers
and dupeS to ignore the armisIice and
to continue the work of barbarIsIn and
destruction. They repudiate the idea
of peace, and the regime of industry
and civilization which must follow on
it's heels, and incite the insurgent
bands to a renewal of the violence
which they have been practicing for
the past three years.
The question is whether this govern
ment, in view of such facts as are now
before u.s. need waste valuable time in
cOquetting with a situation which so
Enthusiastically demands heroic treat
ment. What are we to gain by trying
to delude ourselves with the optimistic
theory that Cuba is to be dealt with
otherwise than by outright annexa-
ton? 1t is sufficiently evident that the
property holding, the law -abiding, the
responsible and the respectable classes
of the Cuban population, whether of
Spanish or of native origin, all ardent
ly desire the protection of the United
States. It is beyond question that we
cannot give to the island the sound
stable, and enlightened government to
which we stand pledged in all faith
and honor save by making it part OF
our territory and bestowing upon ii
our political practices and methods
ALI the representatives of peaceful in
dustry and modern civilization plead
for annexation. We may procrastinate
but to that complexion we must come
at last.