Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-05-07
STRUGGLES OF CUBA.
The Beautiful and Prolific Island
Always subjected TO span
ish MisruIe.

lie Cuba is the richest little nation in tn.
ID world in proportion 10 It's size, and 10 b.
at on friendly terms with her is WORT
ID millions 10 Uncle sam. Years agu
Is when the old encyclopedias were writ
d ten, Cuba was set down as a little isl
:. aud surprisingly rich in all tropica
! Products" In those days there wa,
little communication between the port,
and the interior Of the island. and the
great rich. fertile center was left 10 ma
tireS, who cultivated the ground year
after year, ate the fruits, died and were
buried in the midst OF tropical plenty.
They had no idea OF the riches that lay
IL the great groves, which it was their
pride to cultivate. Their only idea of
/, wealth was that Of possession, and as
they planted trees and raised cattle
their wealth began and ended. They
knew nothing Of the immense value of
the copper, coal and bitumen mines
there, and the valuable stones so freely
nnearthed in Cuba were TO them only
ornaments 10 be worn by their
The marvellous exports Of sugar cane
aud tobacco were things of myth and
fancy, meant only for the brain of few
ambitious ones, who suggested their
possibilities.
Now and then in the old days of Cuba
some explorer would penetrate the in.
terror and, with a promoter following
ON his heels, would suggest that the isl.
and be thrown open to cultivation and
export But at this the poor down.
'rodden natives only smiled and shook
their heads, for they knew well that it
would bring nothing to them.
For Cuba in those days lay under a
pau. great black mantle. as dark as
death and as cruel as the grave, was
spread over it. in the city of Havana
that lovely, palace-like town by the sen.
coast-there dwelt a encouragement.
a stern man sent from Spain, who de. !
ihahaed Of the natives a ! yearly return. .
and to him must be paid money, money
and nothing but money every day in the
year. :,
Nell-educated Cubans knew that in
,an,. rtr'%'0 name" loIumbus had Z,
Iha5.a ,'""ie 81 queen Isabella
- ,He 'S'ahu OF ouba with II
III the name OF the queen y
II spain take possession" he said ms
ie mote the fertile land with L;z
a. i'l'.ie ana WIN ms SHARP +
ba IT,. ~ years theE nae felt II
nd e, ''o" ana haa Smarted
ur. r.,
I,'no"' representation in Spain. 4,
,o,n wen d Cuoan IN Madrid, the N
,rnsot w "' sea- without one
s.r Ill 'ie queens cabinet TO tel "
u'''t Struggles they were compelled -
, IoIA year at'er year to dig the soil ,
P'""' 'ne seed TO raise the crops, tc Z
''Ne' me FRUITS to ship to market and i
pay tribute IN whatever and every 1
'hey could without anything in n
,,'IH 10 compensate them. H
no'n from hey West and from st
"S.'nc ana Tampa, Punta Gorda
nS, and other happy cities Of
,orlda there came seamen on vessels
stopped over in the ports and Wis.
~ VIVA ,ne Cubans, These told grand
TI,sS o., NE ni'ed States rule.
me Ouoans listened in silence TO,
e"'s' uh'lt IN 1880 after a hare MI
a,I !, Dssdn 70 get very discontent. III
anu IN the years Of lsjo-jl they got
{ american seamen to help them fight III
'neir independence. They wanted
nave one little corner of the island
,I5 .ney could rule and where the,
gro" fleh' but the Spanish crown
'shea at them and sent over great