Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-04

1873 that might have been successful
Dut Tor foreign influence, which was
mainly from the United States. We
urged upon Spain, then despotic
monarchy, the retention of the island,
knowing that it would be bulwark to
slavery in our Southern States. Well
might Bolivar have despaired to see
such action taken by the country that
bore Washington, whose statue was
the first to be erected in the capitol of
Venezuela According to history,
American interference in the affairs of
Cuba has not always been humane or
disinterested. Traffic in human beings
blunted our moral sense
In 1924 Bolivar fitted out an expedi-
ton to Cuba, but it ended disastrously.
In 1928 third attempt and in 1880
fourth attempt failed In 1874 there
was what was alleged to be a negro re-
volt, but the number of white men it
was necessary to suppress in the rebel
lion was notable. In 1850 and 1851
Martin Lopez twice landed on the Gu
ban coast with fllibustering expedi-
tons, both of which failed. All of
these failures convinced the Cubans
tnat they could not succeed unless the
lower orders could be indowed with
liberal ideas. In spite of the means OF
newspapers, the mere publication of
the news of the outside world leavened
the whole lump Of Cuban ignorance
Our own civil war and the freeing of
slaves in the South made a tremend-
Gus awakening; the desire for political
freedom followed close on the heels of
enlightment. In 1860 the pressure of
public opinion for reform was so great
that the government of Spain appoint
ed a commission to inquire into the
condition of the island More than
half of this commission were Spaniards
and the others were lected by the mu-
inequalities of Cuba, who submitted a
plan for reform. The commission was
disbanded and the taxes increased,
since Spain was in possession of better
information of the resources Of the ISL
and than they were before The result
of this insolence. was the rebellion of
1868. which lasted ten years. 1t cost
Cuba $4,000 lives in battle and 5000
more by massacre, and $1G0,0O0,000 in
money. The bones of 1884, Spanish
soldiers We're laid in Cuban soil. fully
half having died of maglignant fevers.
The war was fought as this one is be-
ing prosecuted-by the guerrilla meth
cd; the only one possible where the
insurgents have neither arms nor mo-
ney The pacificos paid the penalty
when the rebels eluded the soldiers.
Thirteen thousand estates were
confiscated at the close Of
the war 1000 belonging to
women and children. Twenty years
before there had been a proposition
that the United States buy the island
for $12O, 900, 600, but the offer was re-
fused. In the meantime we had repu-
dated slavery, and our whole moral
atmosphere was cleared. Sympathy
with Cuba ran high in this country.
BY curious turn of events Spain was
at that time republic under the pres
idency of Senior Casteller, and optim
lists professed to believe that the Loop
ard was to change its spots. We were
urged to wait; once peace was declar-
ed Cuba would share in political lib
erty and enlightment that had come to
Spain, In impassioned phrase Castel-
lar imposed his policy upon the Amer
lean people. 1t was during this period
that the Virginius incident occurred.
The immediate cause of the present
rebellion was the attempt Of Spain to
negotiate a loan of $3.50, 100000 with
Cuba as guarantee. There was moth
ing to be done but for the Cubans to
shoulder their rifles and machetes and
fight for freedom, against a govern
ment whose rapacity, insOlence, treach-
cry and tyranny have no limits. The
present struggle are we'll known and
need not be recounted. They are but
repetition Of the last war. The civil
lied world is beginning to realize that
the Cubans will have liberty or death,
and that even death is preferable to
remaining under the hated Spanish
yoke. For a stranger visiting the ISL
and, the Spaniard and the Cuban are
indistinguishable; they live in the
same street, speak the same language
and attend the same church, but one is
the robber and the other is the robbed.
The Spaniard is an official, soldier or
merchant temporarily; toward Cuba
his feeling is the same as it was in the
time of Valesquez. Spanish provinces
are the enrichment of Spain. One may
ment, the officials of which act under
lOi SlSu utCltCS LII law lHpOScu ny
resident rulers. Every industry is
every resource crippled; ev-
ry enterprise discouraged. Half of
what is collected probably never
reaches the treasury at Madrid. The
little wooden wharves are rotting, the
palaces going into decay, and slow suf-
location is settling on the island To
crown. all. one huge mortgage, equall-
ing the entire revenue Of Cuba for five
years, was to have been placed, yet
Spain believes this to be most just, be-
nign and glorious government under
heaven. The real Spaniard has never
yet seen the humor of Don Quixote,
but he has a sense of the fact that the
Yankee is amused by his airs and dis
gusted by his method Of ruling Cuba.
He never for moment imagines that
we could defeat him in battle. The no.
bility of Spain are as well educated as
any in the world, but between them
and the common people there is a wide
gulf. The commoner of Spain has been
taught that his country is invincible,
SO that proposition to accept the in
tervention of the United States in Gu
ban affairs would probably result in a
revolution in the Peninsula.
What is to be done for Cuba? 1t is a |
most beautiful land. In spite of the
it can raise revenue of
$50. 900, 900 year. 1t has the climate
of perpetual summer. 1t is a crescent |
wooing the commerce of the world with |
L &c