The record-union., 1898-09-21
UNFAIR METHODS IN CUBA.

The Spanish are not playing fair in
Cuba. The protocol calls for immedi-
ate evacuation. Our evacuation Com
missioners are now in Havana and
their first proposition to the Spanish
which has not been given to the public
ELECTED a reply which was unsatis-
factory. Our Commissioners thereupon
presented a second demand. To this
there has been no reply. What the
nature of this second demand was is
not made public, the State Department,
for reasons of State, declining to per-
nit the documents to be examined by
the press.
But some CLEANS of light are thrown
upon the reply of the Spanish to the
first demand by a Herald" dispatch
which states that Blanco's Commission
ers wish the completion of the evacua-
ton to be delayed until February IS
1899; the troops as they go out to
carry their arms and to depart with
flying colors; the evacuation to begin
with the lesser towns and Havana to
be the last to be abandoned. These
terms and such others as were en-
bodied in the answer, appear to have
displeased our Commissioners, and well
they might
Clearly the aim of the cunning and
treacherous Spanish officials is to held
on to a good thing to the last possible
moment. They are collecting the rev.
enues of the port Of Havana and this
shall not be closed against them as long
as delay can be secured. Then, too,
they are Shaping it to the Cubans in
a most cruel and exasperating way.
Cubans are being confiscated right and
left and converted into cash. Heavy
fines and penalties are imposed upon
every one suspected Of entertaining
sympathy for the Cuban cause or
friendliness for the United States, and
these penalties are collected in money
form under seventies little short of the
barbarous.
Only two unimportant places have
been opened to ships of the United
States carrying supplies for the starry
ing people, and no such relief is allowed
to enter the harbor of Havana Fight
ing, here and there, between insurgent
and Spanish troops continues in the re-
gion of estates where there is oppor-
tunity for plumber by either party.
Spanish control is exercised with ex-
ceeding harshness, and Blanco main
tains a rigid censorship over the press,
the telegraph and the mails. The situa-
ton is exasperating and would seem to
justify a protest on the part Of our
Government that the spirit Of the pro-
tocol is being violated.
If the Spanish attempt to delay the
completion Of evacuation until the end
Of next winter succeeds God help the
starving and homeless poor of Cuba.
Our humane interposition will have
been all but defeated, and when the
behind him only ruins and restitution.
He will be able to smile grimly and
chuckle that he has visited his ven-
geance upon his enemies. despite the in
terposition of the American pigs"
But we have not the slightest fear
that President Mckinley is going to per-
nit any such unconscionable procedure
and delay. The Administration cannot
nation for which Blanco is striving. The
proposition to send $4,000 American
troops to Cuba at once is indicative of
the intention of the President to push
the evacuation matters to the speediest
possible conclusion. If it is a part Of
Blanco's game that the United States
shall be compelled to furnish transpor-
tation for the departing troops because
send over transports, we apprehend
that the Administration will exact
payment for the extraordinary ex-
penditure necessitated in retaliation for
the Spanish trifiing.
1t Is now more than a month since
the peace protocol was signed and i'm
mediate evacuation agreed upon. Spain
has had ample time in which to make
something of a showing regarding
transportation facilities, but she has
done nothing in the matter, not even
pleaded inability to secure and pay for
the necessary ships. The whole course
of the Spanish Government is one Of
insincerity, delay and trifiing. We APP
prehend that If it does not take a
sounder form very soon, the American
Government will insist upon the Span
ish soldiery moving out of the Cuban
towns and forming camps until trans
ports can be secured. That Cuba shall
for five long months more be dominated
and prosecuted, not to say robbed, by
the officers Of the Spanish army, and