The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-05-12
THE .GEM OF THE ANTILLES"


sad Mlsrule.
broadly speaking" says writer
in the Outlook, sit may truly be said
that the history of Cuba is one con-
tinuous story of misgovernment. Since
Cuba's first settlement by Spaniards In
1911, Spain has regarded IL as source
Of income rather than an integral part
of its kingdom. In early days it was
constantly threatened by filibusters and
buccaneers, and its trade was carried
ON by q single chartered company. In
1852 England held Havana for ten
months, and under an open trade sys-
tenn Cuba's commerce increased In
those ten months many fold. A sim
liar result followed in 1918, when Spain
for short time adopted liberal trade
policy. AS rule, however, the Span
ish policy has been to discriminate
against the commerce of Cuba, to wiring
the last coin possible in the way of
taxes, and, worst of all, to infiict upon
the unhappy island long series of
governors whose only aim was to get
rich as soon as possible and return to
Spain.
Spanish cruelty extinguished the In
dian population within half a century
of the islands discovery. The whites
are almost all of Spanish descent, but
the Cuban people have become to u
large extent separate race, and the
late-coming Spanish official class is
looked upon by the great body of ma
tives something as our Southern whites
looked upon the "carpetbaggers" in the
reconstruction period. The total pop
ulation is about l.65O,O 900. More than
once there has been political move
ment in the United States looking to
the purchase of Cuba, and at least once
(1848) an actual cash offer was made to
Spain; the idea of assimilating Cuba
was naturally favOrite one with our
slavehOlding states. American fill
busters took an active part in the
Cuban rebellion of l849, which was put
down in about two years.
The war now going Oh is the second
really formidable Cuban war for indie
pendence. The sO-called "ten years.
war" really lasted nearly twelve years.
Senior Cespedes was the president of
the so-called republic. Gomez, Maceo,
and others of the generals famous in
the present war were leaders. The
"ten years war; was carried OH in
desultory way, though with occasional
severe fighting. One by one the insur-
gent bands were dispersed and their
leaders killed or driven into exile.
Promises were made by Spain that
Cuban interests should be regarded,
but what little reform was put into
effect soon fell into disuse.
Soon the old policy of Spain was in
full force; she sent out hOrdes of Span
ish office holders bound only to make
fortunes and return; places were found
in government offices, the customs, and
in commerce for thousands of young
Spaniards, who became class by
themselves - that from which the
much-talked-of Havana Volunteers is
drawn.
Taxes became uncomfortable. Spanish
manufacturers were given a practical
monopoly of import trade into Cuba,
while Cuban products were put to a
disadvantage in the Spanish markets.
apart from specific complaints, the
stirring hope Of national independence
had grown throughout the former war,
anu UIlcf6 WdS OIIIy uCCuCu q iCsOCA W
set new one on foot. Agitation was
going OH constantly, and funds were
raised in the United States.
In the early winter of 1895 local out
breaks occurred, and soon Maxine
Gomez, Maceo, and other leaders
landed in Cuba with arms and sup
plies, and the island was again ablaze.
At present in Cuba we find three
strong parties-the extreme Spanish
element, which Is opposed even to the
pretence of autonomy now in opera
ton, and cares nothing for Cuba's fu-
ture or for Cuba ut all as distinct from
Spain; the autonamists, who once rep
resented an apparently hopeful policy
of such national independent govern
ment as now exists in Canada and
Australia, but have now become recon-
ciled to the hopeless scheme OF autono-
my which is farcically being admins
tered by Spain as lure to the insur-
gents to abandon war; and finally, the
"Cuba Libre" party, which is in arms
and absolutely refuses to listen to any
terms but independence pure and
simple. In Havana the first two par
ties are undoubtedly in the majority;
elsewhere the insurgents have the
masses of the people with Them.