The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-24
SPAIN. IN CUBA.
A Long Record Of Cruelty, Tyranny
and Robbery.

and Robbery.
Spanish deviltry in Cuba began the
day she sighted the island.
According to Mr. Keith Johnson, +.
r. q. S., Spain found there some $780,.
600 aborgines living in state of happy
tranquility among themselves, worship.
ing great and benefccnt being and
cherishing belief in the immortality Of
the soul.
Before 1860 Ii. e., tifty-eight years
after the discovery the original pop
ulation had vanished from the island
In 1888 French privateers reduced Ha.
vana to ashes, repeating the medicine in
1854. For $50 years thereafter Spanish
''honor' was kept trembling like jelly
for fear Of attacks by the English, French
and Dutch. All nations hated Spain
and not one had escaped the results OF
her insolence, greed and cruelty.
In 1852 Great Britain, with the aid OF
her American colonies, sent POO ships to
Havana, capturing the city, the entire
island and spoil of near 81 200 600. I'm
luckily for civilization the treaty OF
Paris in the year. following restored
Cuba back to detested Spain. 1t is evi,
dent that only the mildest protests
should be heard from England and
France at the impending castigation.
Neither of these countries acted on hall
our provocation, yet both dragged her
thoroughly in the dust
Succeeding the British occupation of
l7G2 only one OF Spain's Governors Gen
eral has made decent history for himself
and for the woltish peninsula styling
herself the 'mother country" This was
Governor General Las Casas, who ruled
for quite period from 1870.
He promoted useful pub ic works,
stimulated trade and strove hard for the
emancipation of the native enslaved
Indians Under him also the island re-
manned tranquil during the revolution in
San Domingo
! Since Las Casas not a single Governor
General has proved himself competent to
rule in a civilized way or to fully subduc
periodical revots against Spanish tyran-
ny and greed.
A few have returned to Spain with
with clean hands, but Spanish chroni-
cers themselves record that the majority
have loaded their names with infamy. 1t
is due General Campos, of recent memory
to say that he is not thus pilloried.
In the Cortes of Madrid 1850 it was
shown in debate that within the eight
years preceding Spain had sent 5000
soldiers of Cuba, and though led by her
best commanders the rebellion was still
then rampant.
The appalling loss OF men and money
within the past three years exceeds the
figures exhibited to the Cortes in 1876, a.
they show also the incurable hatred felt
by Cubans for Spaniards and the hope
lessness OF Spanish dominance of the
island
A foul and nsensate disregard OF sani-
tary laws has made Spanish Cuba a
menace to the United States since the
day we became an independent people
Hundreds and thousands of untinIely
graves in Southern cemeteries bear wit
ness to the deadly ettluvia which floats
out season after season on wind and ship
from Cuban shores. Spanish nastness
alone would justify expulsion from Cuba
by force and arms.
/ In the matter of education Il starless
night hangs over the whole OF Cuba.
llIiteracv is universal. Mr. Keith John
ston, in his report estimated even so
late as 1888 that out OF perhaps 100000
children OF free parents not a tenth part
/ received Iettered education of any kind.
Intelligence among he serfs and lower
strata has continued for Il century in 4
degree little above that of animals.
The island became Il buttress of