The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-07
fOR CuBA LIBRE:.
Intsr.,tlng Lecture las, Night by Or. N.
Thomas Cubani will Eventually Win.

khteFebtlng Lecture iaSt Sisnt ny bf. Ne
Thomas Cubans will Eventually Win.
1hsy may Purchase their independence.
Or. C. ". ThomasSot Illinois. dellv-
cred a highly interesting lecture in the
Martins Ferry German lutheran
church on Cuba last night to a good
sized and apprecIatlye audience. He
was Introduced by superintendent
Stewart, otlthe Martins Ferrv schools.
He began by describing Moro cantlc
and Havana and said the present
financial standing OF Cuba Is very
alarming. lie told OF the ten years
war and explained that what few pro-
misses Spain made to the Cubans when
that struggle ended were not fulfilled.
He said the Cubans are justified In
carrying on the present war. and gave
six reasons; first, overtaSatlon; second.
nearly ull the opportunities are offered
to the Spanish; third. during peace 25.-
600 soldiers are kept on TIE island nj
the expense OF Cuba; fourth. the lack
of educational facilities; Nth, there
Is no fair trial by jury. and sixth. the
people have as much right 10 fight for
freedom as our f%orefatiers had.
DR.. Thomas said II ever a people T;ere
justified In fighting for freedom 1t Is
the Cubans. He said the Cubans could
govern the Island successfully by being
divided into three classes, colorcd, Gu
bans and Spaniards. The Cubans are
not Spaniards. though Of Spanish de-
scent. Their tastes are different. the
Spaniards enjoying bull fighting, while
the Cubans prefer base ball. Among the
finest, looking women In the world are
the Cuban women In Havana, who are
seldom seen or the streets without an
escort. The place TO see Cuban wo-
men Is at the churches on Sunday
morning.
The Cubans sag that II they DO not
win In two years they will in five and
II not in five they will in ten and that
there Will never be peace In Cuba until
the flag OF freedom waves over the Is
land. The Spanish are q wonderfully
industrious people. small, but strong,
physically and Spain always grants the
Spanish privileges on the Island that no
other people enjoy. II Cuba is free,
thousands of Americans Will 20 there.
There Is no place in the world that
would be better for the w~orkingman II
Il should become free and there Is no
better place for the capitalist.
If The island ever becomes free we
will see wonderful development. II you
wish 10 know the real condition OF Cuba
you must go into the interior. II Spain
had treated the English or Germans
like she has the Americans have been
treated Havana would have been
blown up long ago.
The suffering OF the Spanish soldiers
as seen by DR.. Thomas was awful. The
Cuban soldiers, who practically con-
troll the interior, have plenty OF fruit
and meat. need little clothing and could
hold out for years. Cuban women who
frequently slept on the sidewalks and
In the streets told DR.. Thomas they
considered the great American govern
ment cowardly to permit such treat
ment so close to its doors. Historians
will call the American government
cowardly for not interfering IN behalf
OF the Cubans and not wlpinS out this
terrible 4 II Cuba Is free. the Span
ish queen will lose her crown. The pol
Icy OF the Cubans Is to wear out Spain.
AS soon as %belligerent rights are
granted the Cubans by the United
States. Mexico and the South American
republics will follow suit. The Cubans
are making a wonderful fight consid-
ering their disadvantages. No people
ever fought so nobly and they should
win. The best plan is for the Cubals
to buy the island from Spain.