The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-21
WHY THE CUBANS
ARE REBELLING.
CONTINUED from First Page)

guns. But the UniteG States soldiers can
easily march in from the opposite SIDE
and take the city. The capture OF the
rest OF the island will be matter OF only
a short time You see the supply OF pro-
visions in Havana is small Three weeks
ago there was only about 5000 tons or
coal available for the Spanish warshps
Since that time abolt 5000 tons have
been received there from Baltimore and
other American cities. There are coai
mines i'm Cuba, but none of them have
been developed. and all the coal used In
the island Is shipped there from America
The Spanish warships get their coal In
England There IS now not Spanish
warshp near Havana, and the city Is
really AZ the mercy OF the American
fleet. I'm glad OF H. They'll soon be
fighting. for Spain will not retire from
the island without resistance.
WHY THE INSURGENTS REBELLED.
Mr.. Carbonelrs manner was earnest. lie
displayed keen interest In the present
condition Of affairs. and a suggestion OF
smile played over his face.
His voice grew quicker when he was
asked what caused the insurgents 10 rebel
against the Spanish government in Cuba.
THAT would bee a long story he said
land IL would require the whole evening
to give an intelligent history Of Spanish
the bottom Of the Insurgents movement.
To make a long story short the bottom
Of the whole trouble IS the grasping.
greedy method of holding all the offices
and debarring the Cubans from the priv
leges OF participating IN the control or
the island. From the time the first re-
sistance OF any importance on the part
Of the Cubans took place away back yon-
der in 1851. they have been subjected 70
the same unfair treatment. The Spanish
hold al the offices. and the Cubans have
none. All the judges OF the courts are
Spanards. all the customs officials are
Spaniards. the Cubans are not allowed 20
serve In public life IN any way they are
debarred from the navy and from the
army. They cannot even be soldiers In
the army stationed on the island. This
has been so ever since the Spaniards had
control OF the island. There are now
about 10000 Spaniards IN Cuba. There
were about 100 900 Cubans when the last
war commenced. but this number has
been cut down 10000 or more by actual
starvation under the Spanish system Of
conducting the war
Though the Culbans thrice out-numbereG
the Spanlards in population. and more
than thrice out-numoered them I'm prop
erty ownership. they were not allowed
TO have any voice whatever i'm the gov
! eminent OF the island or In the munich
pal affairs OF the cities.
OF late they have been given a few re-
personalities I'm the Cortes at Madrid
but these had no power nor influence,
and were also voted down in any propos-
itiop they introduced Their positions
were merely nominal.
up 20 the war started I'm 1851 by
| NarcissJ Lopez, the Cubans owned prac-
ticauy all the plantations. and a large
part Of the other property on the island.
when the war terminated much of this
property went over TO the Spaniards
while good deal of il was destroyed. IL
was not many years before the Cubans
accumulated through thrift and ecOno-
my much o. their lost property. and In
! 1868 when the ten-years' war was started
| by Cespedes. they were the principal land
! owners large part OF this was cOnfs-
| Gated at the close Of this war. And so
| the same condition OF affairs prevailed
when the present war broke out in 1895
which was started by MartL Whenever
| the Cubans succeed in getting ia control
| Of the greater part OF the property on the
| island they become emphatic IN their de-
mands for some recognition and represen-
| tatlon m tine government. The Spanish
refuse and then comes another resistance
on the part OF the Cubahs. This Will be
the case as long as the Cubans have the
bulk OF the properly ana yet are given
no voice in tie government.
BRIBERY AND FRAUD.
"The Spanish control the customs the
elections. the taxes and revenues OF all
| kinds. and the Cubans nothing II is
we'll known fact In Havana that Spanish
office-holders I'm the city and all over the
| island 20 10 MADRID. pay down from two
10 five thousand dollars Tor an office, and
I'm few years from a system OF robbery
and puuder replace the purchase money,
and accumulate enough 90 live IN lux
ury. Il IS also a well known fact that
! half the taxes que by Spaniards are re-
mitted or never collected. while the regu-
lations are observed rigfdy in the case OF
the DuDAus.
.In the collection Of customs duty the
most fragrant abuses ard frauds are
practiced. The customs officials are paid
! regular fixed salaries. As matter or
fact. these salaries, like those or the
other officials and army people. arc from
eight 20 twelve months I'm arrear. stu
| there is a law against the customs ohi-
Gals receiving anything but their sala-
! rles In discharging their duties. Say an
article is worth 500. They charge about
an equal amount I'm most cases Tor I'M
port duty The government is supposed
/ 20 get everything but about 10 per cent.
that goes TO the customs broker. As
| matter Of fact the customs officers usual
| ~ pocket about 40 per cent.
/ GET RICH BY PLUMBER.
"Take real estate. Think of p per cent.
tax on an rents being levied. TINS IN
| cludes plantations from which $OOO,WO
worth OF sugar alone and S300OOOO worth
1 OF tobacco T. exported annually TX
man receives 500 per month rent from
piece OF property S22 OF this is collected
| for taxes. The tax was 8 per cent. until
this war commenced, and it has been
| Increasing ever since. The Cu0ans con-
! trol large part OF the commercial and
! banking houses. and nearly all the PLAN
| tations. Nine-tenths OF the revenue Tor
/ carving on the government Is paid by
! them. and vet they are allowed no ofnces.
and no voice in the political control or
! tho island. To be "A Cuban debars man
/ from public office. The Spanish ofiice-
holders are absolutely without honor'
They have been for years carrying on
a system OF plumber that mas proven
! burden % the property holders ainohs
| the Cubans. and has made the office
| holders themselves rich. Everybody knws
! that this condition OF affairs prevails
| from the Captain-General down, but no.
| bodv resists until the thing oecames IN
/ tolerable and results in an insurgent
movement DO you wonder that they
rebel against this systematic tyranny
| Mr.. CarboneI stopped a moment ana
anDeared 10 be thinking. Suddenly
smile played over his features, and he
added. "But I'm thankful 20 say the
United States has come to the rescue
! and the Cubans will be allowed to have
some rights soon
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/