The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-26

What is Cuba's complaint against
spain? OF course it Is generally un-
derstood that it is tyranny, injustice
and oppression, but at q time when it
looks as though the United States
might be compelled to intervene to gain
Cuba's independence a specific state
ment of the acts Of oppression COM
plained of may be opportune. As I'm all
cases of this kind the statements OF
the party making the arraignpent are
one-sided, and contradcted by the 9TH
er side. The Declaration of lndepend-
ence was an eX parte statement, ana
no doubt King George regarded ii as
false and slanderous. but the American
people put it before the world and then
proceeded to back it up with the force
of arms. Few people even in England
now attempt to defend the course of
the British government toward the col
onies, and while there are those now
who assert that the Cuban representa-
tions with regard to the injustice they
suffer at the hands of Spain are over
drawn and in many respects false, it
is not likely that people would have
risen in rebellion against a powerful
mother country six times in 20 years,
waging once a struggle that lasted 10
years and cost Spain the lives of 200,-
0OC soldiers, and have now waged for
three years another in which Spain
has sacrificed nearly as many more
without having a real and substantial
ground for complaint and resistance.
Cuba's grievances, stated as briefly as
possible are as follows
Cuba is not allowed to manage her
affairs Tho Cuban ic
sented by the Madrid government to
the Cortes and voted by over 500 Span
ish representatives, regardless of the
Cuban special ones, except those who,
being elected through the influence oS
the government, are always ready to
vote with it, even if it is against the
interest that they appear to represent.
CUBA has her own treasury and
what is called her own debt, but not
the right to fix expenses salaries,
number of employees, nor to appoint
them. The Madrid government holds
that right and sends the officeholders
from Spain Generally paying to be ap-
pointed, they fall ~ Cuba as birds of
prey ravaee the country, and return
home with the spoils. An official who
has served Is years in Spain may serve
two more in Cuba and then retire on
pension of four-ffths his salary which
Cuba has to pay
Scuba has been paying the debts
raised by Spain through her wars in
Mexico, South America. and San Do
mingo; also the salaries to all the
Spanish ministers and consular officials
in America and the amount granted by
Spain to the line of steamers between
Spain and Cuba. Lately Cuba has been
released of part of this burden.
All loans raised to meet the war
expenses and keep up the integrity of
the nation are not paid by the nation
at large, but charged exclusively on
Cuba, without any interference from
her part as to the loans, interest, form
OF payment, etc.
5-Cuha takes no part in regulating
her commercial affairs nor her tariff
The Madrid government rules over all,
having always a majority i'm the Cor
tes ready to approve its acts. SO it
happens that while the United States
is the commercial metropolis Of Cuba
and buys from her 80 per cent. of her
production, Cuba in exchange cannot
buy of the United States machinery,
farm implements, provisions and goods
of all kinds, because the important
duties fixed by Spain amount to more
than the price of the articles in the
American market; but if the same ar
ticle is shipped to Spain it can be re-
exported to Cuba and compete advan-
tageously in price with the same object
imported into Havana from the United
States, injuring thus the interests of
Cuba and of the United States i'm their
commercial relations.
6-While most of the merchandise
from SnDin Cnho Of J,,+
and only q few articles are subject to
normal duty, Cuban products are ex-
cluded from Spain. Sugar from Cuba
is subject to such high duties in the
so-called mother country that they
amount to prohibition. Salt meats
from the Argentine republic are forced
into Cuba, not in reciprocity for the
admittance Of Cuban cigars or any
other Cuban products, but for the bene-
fit granted by the said republic TO the
wines from Spain.
7-Cuban tobacco and cigars are al.
most excluded from Spain, notwith-
standing their being the second inn
portant production of the island and
unriValed in the world. The Madrid
government has established so strong
a monopoly in favor of a trust for the
manufacture and sale of cigars in
Spdln tndI CuDan pfOuuctS can only
be sold there through the agency OF
and payment of a high commission tC
this company.
S-Countless millions of dollars have
been officially taken from Cuba tC
Spain in times Of her prosperity, and
when she has come to her ruin through
the scandalous mismanagement Of the
Spanish government she is charged
with all the expenses made to preserve
the integrity of the nation and the
oppressive policy that will at last pro.
duce the independence OF the island.
9-Separate from the municipal and
the provincial taxes, the ordinary bud
get imposed upon Cuba by Spain has
been as high as S4O,OOO,OOO, being at
present over 2S,OOOOOO, to be drawn
from population OF 1900, 900 and a de.
soated country. The extraordinary
budget to meet all the expenses Of wal
is unlimited.
Nu4A M W0uR. yA ~