The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-17
Our New Ne><t-Door~ Neigf7Oor

Today, Cuba is on the verge of a new
existence. From the ashes of her de-
struction she has risen, Phoenx-like, yet
more glad and beautiful, to blossom this
Easter morning, with a new soft verdure
which shows that in her soil and in her
spirit, new hope and new life are born
today.
Like all new beings, Cuba has struggles
yet to endure She must go through with
all infantie diseases she must be an
noyed by childhood ailments, and she must
suffer from the annoyances that aflct all
youth.
Cuba, like a fortunate child, has parent
upon whom she can depend. She is not
| like poor children, cast upon the world
| to battle for herself, for she nestles close to
| the United States, and in the travail of
| her birth, Cuba and the United States came
very near together AS Cuba was born,
| the love for her sprang in the hearts of
| the United States people, and through all
| her future the United States will be true
| to her.
The recognition of Cuban independence
| will mean that Cuba is a nation of her
| own, with flag of her own and her own
| form of government! She can be a repub-
| lie or she can become a monarchy; she
| can rule by placing a man in absolute
| control or she can choose her own heads
and become a generous representative
government. Cuba, as a nation, can make
her own laws of import and export. She
can be grandly independent in the goods
she brings into the island, and she can
put her own price on those she sends out.
C,,IS tod
| what her future will be, for the beginning
of her future is at hand.
In making a friend of this new little ma
/ ton which lies so close to her, the United
! States has done a wise thing Began by
! pity and continued by sympathy, Uncle
sam found that he was II the midst of a
fine commercial transaction, which would
result as well for himself as for Cuba.
Cuba is the richest little natoin in the
world to its size, and to be on friendly terms
with her is worth millions to Uncle Sam.
Years ago, when the old encyclopedias
were written, Cuba was set down as a
little island surprisingly rich in all tropi-
cal products" In those days there was
little communication between the ports and
the interior of the island, and the great,
rich, fertile center was left to the natives,
who cultivated the ground year after year,
ate the fruits, died and were buried in the
midst of tropical plenty. They had no idea
of the riches that lay in the great groves,
which 1t was their pride to cultivate. Their
only idea of wealth was that of possession
and as they planted trees and raised cattle,
their wealth began and ended. They knew
nothing of the immense value of the cop
per, coal and bitumen mines there, and the
valuable stones so freely unearthed in
Cuba were to them only ornaments to be
worn by their women. The marvellous ex-
ports of sugar cane and tobacco were
things of myth and fancy, meant only for
the brain of few ambitious ones who sug-
gested their possibilities
Now and then, in the old days of Cuba.
some explorer would penetrate the interior.
and with promoter following on his seels,
would suggest that the island be thrown
open to cultivation and export But at
this the poor downtrodden natives only
smiled and shook their heads, for they
knew well that it would bring nothing to
them.
For Cuba In those days lay under a pail.
A great black mantle as dark as DEATH
and as cruel as the grave was spread over
1t. In the city of Havana-that lovely
palace-like town by the sea coast-there
dwet a encouragement. a stern man sent
from Spain, who demanded of the natives
a yearly return; and to him must be paid
money, money and nothing but money,
every day in the year.
Well educated Cubans knew that long