The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-05
Copyright. 1898. by the Author

copyright. 1898. by tho Authorl
Cubal 1t is name that now is fa-
miliar to every household in ali the
civilized earth. Tho suffering of its
people, the dying groans Of it's tortured
patriots, have formed the minor key of
sorrow in the worlds grand song Of
progress. And yet. in spite Of the fact
that it has long held tho interest and
sympathy Of fair minded people, no
land Is so little known and so greatly
underestimate. Tho traveller who
glimpses for the first time hor marvel
Gus shores is overcome with astonish-
ment at tho panorama Of immense pos
sibility that lios shimmcring before
him, for oven now, hor richest vest
ments shredded, her body bleeding un.
der the violent hands Of an unnatural
parent, Cuba remains the indestructible
Pearl Of tho Antilles with such wealth
in her soil and under it as Il earthly
power can tako away.
AS everybody knows, tho develop
ment Of Cuba had been from its earliest
occupancy retarded and at times prao-
tioally stopped by tho rule Of Spain
Soon after tho foot of Columbus touched
her virgin soil the dark cloud Of oppres-
sion began to hover over her, and it war
only by the sheer force Of her innate
worth, coupled with the necessities of
her inhabitants. that her glorious prod.
ucts became, oven to limited extent
available.
When in 1911 Columbus sent his son
Diego, with a number Of colonists, to
Cuba, the big island was speedily set
tied, and measurements of it's proper
tlons wore made by a party Of official
aRramensores (surveyors), and these
measurements We're Of such accuracy
that they remain as standards today
Tho length OF tho island was found to
be in round numbers 600 miles, its
width at its narrowcst point 81 miles
and at its widest point Ill miles.
This gives to the long, shark shaped
island an area Of approximately 48, 900
square miles, or nearly tho size Of the
, state Of Pennsylvania.
In view Of the necessity Of the exten-
sive exploration which was incident to
this comprehensive survey it seems
passing strange that no moro Of Cuba's
richnoss was discovered and utilized for
the development Of tho strength and
value Of the now colony. This derelio-
tion, however, was probably not the
fault OF the really vigorous and progress
i've adhorents Of the son of the great
discoverer. Indeed from careful study
Of history, though exact dates are not to
be obtained, it would seem that it was
soon after its colonization that tho
greed Of the mother country began to
cripple the enterprise and mar the des-
tiny Of the new government that was
forming on this new SOIL
Cuba's Great Grievance.
The grievance Of Cuba, which has
lasted all theso years, dates from this
early period. 1t was in it's nature and
operation tho parallel Of the one which
brought about the bloody but glorious
birth Of our own indopendence--tha is
to say, taxation without representation.
But there was q vast difference In the
situation of tho Cubans. While our Rcv-
olntionist fathers were vastly inferior to
tho enemy in point Of numbers, their
proportion to the whole number Of fight
ing Englishmen who could be landed on
our shores was not Of such smallnoss az
to preclude all hope, whereas the moro
handful of Cubans wero SO overwhslm-
ingly overmatched by tho armud force
that Spain could muster as to be praoki-
caily in her power after the first demon,
stration.
And SO there have been insurrection
after insurrection and defeat after de-
feat, and tho consequent horrible butch
cries Of retribution, until Cuba, tho
beautiful, tho rich, tho wonderful, has
been little moro than bloody abattoir
wherein tho lives and hopes Of weak
but marvelously courageous people have
been periodically sacrificed.
But the immortal longing for liberty
could not be crushed out Of the breast