The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-15
a DESPERATE SITUATION.


DESPERATE SITUATION.
From whatever point Of view it may
be regarded, the situation now exist
ing in Cuba is a desperate one. Society,
government and public order are prac-
tically dissolved. There is nothing
there but a desolate country ravaged
by contending forces, few camps of
Spanish soldiery unable and perhaps
not too willing to venture forth scat
tered bands Of insurgents animated by
a desperate resolve to fight to the
death, and hundreds of thousands of
wretched people of the island concen-
trated in the towns and dying of dis
ease and starvation in regiments ev-
cry day. The scenes that have of late
taken place in the capital are an index
of the terrible state of affairs and q
proof that it cannot long continue. Ha-
vana is beginning to be as severely
torn by factionaE disputes as the re-
mainder Of the island, and order is
maintained there temporarily only by
the power Of the Spanish troops The
eminent of Spain has proved to be a
firebrand instead of pacifier Not only
has it been rejected by the Cubans
themselves, but the proffer has been
signal for more desperate resolu-
ton on their part. The shooting of
Ruiz for attempting to approach an in
surgent commander with the PROPOSE
ton was final act of defiance 1t
left no choice open but independence
or death to the patriots who are now
under arms.
The effect in the capital city has
been utterly disastrous. It has made
the two factions of the people fly at
each others Threats. The Cuban-Span-
fards, who are more Spanish than the
people Of Spain themselves, have no
sympathy with or liberation for any
other policy than that of WeyIer. They
would probably rather see the insur-
gents triumph than to have Cuba pass
under form of government which as
sumes to convey authority to the rep
resentatives Of the Cuban people them
selves Their policy Is determination
with fire and sword. Ranged against
them are those who favor autonomy
and that element of native Cubans who
are in sympathy with Gomez and the
insurrectionists. Even the presence of
the troops cannot make these factions
tolerate one another Expressions Of
opinion by Liberal newspapers were
met with rioting and the destruction of
their offices. The troops had to be
called out to queIl the disturbance and
to protect the American consulate
which came in for it's share of the
fierce hatred exhibited by the repre-
sentatives of Spain. For the moment
order was restored, and there is little
apparent need of the presence of Amer
lean warships in the harbor. or of in
tervention by the arms of the United
States . ....,....
1t is none the less evident that all
authority in Cuba is on the point Of
dissolution The hold Of Spain upon
the island has been weakened. Her
representatives cannot well retire now
upon the brutal policy Of Weyler; and
autonomy, to which they are commit
ted, finds as few friends among the
merry Spaniards as among the patriotic
Cubans. What will be the outcome of
this maelstrom of passion is not clear
1t should certainly be enough to con-
vince Spain that her situation is grow
ing more deSperata a,,or1y do, o1 II,
she Will be without friend on either
side among the inhabitants of Cuba
For this reason the cause of Cuban in
dependence has brighter skies above if
now than at any time since the reha1-
lion against Spain began. It is more
than possible that the authorities at
Madrid realizing their desperate posi-
ton and urged to some final act bv the
pressure of those from whom loans
must be obtained, and who already
hold large amounts of securities based
on Cuban revenue that are today prac-
tically worthless, will be compelled to
seek some means of ending the Cuban
trouble. Either by uproars that will
require the whole attention Of the Span-
ish troops to hold Havana and leave
the rest of the island free to the na-
triot forces, which will then be so
strengthened as to be able presently TO
drive the foreign enemy entirely from
the island, or by some arrangement
through which the Cuban people shall
purchase their independence and guar
antee the payment to Spain of a suf-
ficient indemnity, it appears to us to
be likely that Cuban freedom will soon
be obtained.
1T CAN BE STOPPED.