The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-08-18
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE.
BY AIKEN E. SCHMAHL.
THURSDAY, AUGUST IS, 1898.
NEW POSSESSIONS.
Something About the Extent and
Wealth of Them.

IL ldE LDlIOR. no I0l0SO Olo-
patches indicate that Spain has
accepted the terms of peace proposed
by President Mckinley, though as yet
he has not been officially notified of
the acceptance. There can be no
doubt that the demands of the United
States have been substantially
accepted though there are intimations
of requests for some notifications on
minor points.
The terms offered to Spain, as far as
given to the public, are the relinquish-
ment of sovereignty and title to the
Island of Cuba and it's immediate evac-
uation by Spain, the session to the
United States of the Island of Porto
Rico and other small islands owned by
Spain in the West Indies, and the like
session of an island in the Ladrones.
The United States to occupy and hold
the city, bay and harbor of Manila
pending the conclusion OF treaty of
peace which shall determine the con-
troll, disposition and government
of the PHILIPPINES. If these
terms are accepted by Spain in
their entirety it is stated that commits
ioners will be named by the United
States to meet commissioners on the
part of Spain for the purpose of con-
GLIDING treaty of peace on the basis
above indicated.
This is the beginning of the end of
SPANS control over people and pro-
perty in the Antilles and whether she
maintains her supremacy in any or all
of the PHILIPPINES. must abide the re-
suit of an arbitration, with the chances
from present indications that will
come out of the deal with only part,
If any, of the Archipelago remaining
under her flag. tits bad grace for the
victor to manifest too much exultation
rover q vanquished foe, particularly
when the humiliation has been very
sgreat. We cannot, however, prevent
"a Yankee from asking questions,
though he must answer them himself.
Why did not Spain give Cuba her
freedom rather than risk an attack by
the U. S. Army and Navy7 Our guess
is;-because the threat of Uncle Sam
to go into fight to enforce and pro-
tect the rights of a people not allied to
his government by race, language or
tradition, was new thing in the worlds
history; no country had thus far
rushed into war to enforce sentiment
or in the interest of humanity, and
surely the money-loving Yankee would
not be the first; Spain believed he was
only putting up big bluff.
The United States was understood
to be Nation of tradesmen, manu-
facturers and farmers unused to, and
incapable of conducting a war. Her
resources we're underestimated, and
her navy was car:catured as wooden
tubs built in the form of an immense
hog with tail curled over his back
There was time, at the last moment
before the declaration of war, when
Spain gave up the hope of staying the
threatened disaster, why did she not
then make the concession demanded?
Because her hands we're tied by fear
of revolution at home. According to
the census of 1877, the latest at hand,
only "a per cent of the people could
read and write and if we add that the
masses are and have been kept in ig-
norance of the the plans of their rulers,
we can see clearly that to give freedom
to Cuba meant possible anarchy.