The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-05-05

General 1. II. Sherwood discusses the
war with Spain in his forceful style, |
setting forth the ch Nraoter Of the fellows
this country is now at war with. The
General says:
Horseman are at all times patriotic
and deeply interested in all spatriOtio
endeavor. Hence, while the war lasts,
we shall dwell with avidity and enthu.
siasm upon the achievements -of our
army at the front. Politics, civic diplo.
macy and theology are barred In turf
journal, but war is too intense and all |
pervadiug a theme to be ignored in any |
field of human effort. gsa~j-'s tSttsSss |
With the sure surrender Of Cuba, Spain
will end a'century Of barbarous misrulo |
Of her American possessions, which one
by one havs slipped from her grasp. At
the beginning Of the nineteenth century, |
under the name of Spanish Amorica,
Spain took precedence of all European
nations in the extent and ricless OF her
territorial possessions on the western con-
tinent. Spanish America embraced
Mexico vita sixteen provinces, including
Guatemala; Terra Firma or Castillo de
Ore, seven provinces including Venezuela;
Peru, Chill, Paraguay, known then as
La Plata, including Uruguay; also the
Spanish West Indies, embracing Cuba,
Porto Rico and Nueva Sparta or Mar
garita, of the coast of Venezuela. The
Mexican provinces, known as New Spain,
including Florida Louisiana, Texas, New
Mexico ami California, forming a fringe
around almost the entire southern and
western boundaries of the United States.
The policy which has prevailed in Cuba
has characterized Spanish occupancy in
all these vast regions. Cruelty and ex-
tortion have marked every step of her
Advancement from the time of the dis
covery of Christopher Columbus to the
present day. Now she has no valuable
possessions on this continent outside Of
the great island of Cuba.
Cuba, the emerald gem of the Antilles
has been key to all her rich territorial
possessions on the western continent
1t was the base of supplies for the Span
iards in the expeditions of Fernandez de
Cordova, John de Grigalva and Fernan-
dez Cortez, in the conquest of Mexico in
the sixteenth century. The brutal policy
pursued by General Weyler in Cuba was
the same as that of Cortez in Mexico. In
forty years of Spanish misrule in Mexico
fifteen millions of human beings, innocent
of any crime, perished from the earth by
cruelty, starvation and the sword. To
extort hidden treasures, to appease Span
ish greed the chiefs and native rulers Of
Mexico were roasted on gridi'ons, or had
their feet burned off until the marrow
dropp d from the bones, or thy were
forced into deadly caverns where they
died from privation and starvation.
Whether in the barbaric monstrosities
practiced in the halls of the Monte2umas
in Mexico, or an Ong the fever-stricken
camps of the reConcentrados in Cuba, the
path of the Spaniard on this continent
has been tracked everywhere with the
Corpses of his victims.
Spanish policy for long time forbade
trade between her own colonies. In 1862
she got into broil with England, who
occupied Havana after two months
seige, during which she took nine ships
of the Spanish line and destroyed five
others, together with a great number of
merchantmen and treasure to the amount
of three millions sterling. The British
held Cuba for year, until their full In
demnity was paid, and then turned her
over TO Spain.
In Cuba, as in other Spanish American
countries, a few Spanish grandees have
held the monopoly of the soil, while all
the rest of the people have been in the
condition of serfs and slaves. None but
SPANISH bora have enjoyed official and
commercial privileges. Even their chill
dren of colonial birth have been treated as
aliens and outlaws. For two hundred
years not one Cuban has been allowed to
hold any office in Cuba, either civil OF
military; not even patrolman of the
Havana police.
In the kingdom of Spain there is a
larger percentage of illiteraoy than in
any other European country, amounting
to sixy-eight percent Of the entire popula'
ton. A country like this, with such q
policy and such a record, is unfit to rule
any country where Christian civilization
hasa lodgment in human hearts, much less
the island gem of the Caribbean sea, peo'
pied by as game and gallant a race as the
Cuban patriots. Cuba is close enough Ia
our southern shore lines to belong to us.
She is so close that our search lights on
Florida Keys almost shine on the dark
and cruel battlements of Moro Castle,
guarding the harbor Of Havana. We
should be unworthy our teroic heritage
should be fail, in this crisis, to save Cuba
for freedom and free men, even If we
should not extend to her long-sufferinR
people the graf eflul boon Of our strong,
protecting arms
With the passing of the century Spain
will have said her last goodby to her
American possessions. We shall rescue
Cuba speedily from her despoiling hands.
We should make short work of the Span
ish navy, should it venture into Cuban
waters and the army in Cuba will be
easy mutton for our boys in blue. The
Spanish army in Cuba has not fought
one stand-up, manly battle in the entire
three years of the war with the insur-
gents
We believe our regular army and navy
can end she Cuban war successfully, even
without the aid Of the volunteers. Such
is the ayowed opinion Of one Of the most
capable and experienced officers of our