The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-16
CUBAN LEADERS, IDEAS.
Rev. W. S. Cowan Tells Of
Interview With DR..
Abusqueby.

The Rev. w. S. Cowan, in Grace
Methodist Church, last evening, as a pre-
Jude to his sermon talked on IA Personal
Interview with a Cuban Leader" He said
in part
This last week I had the pleasure OF q
visit from DIR. A~busqueby, one OF the
Cuban eaders, a man of fine culture and
wide experience. He Is a Cuban by birth
and deeply Interested for the freedom OF
his oppressed countrymen. He held a
commission as a General and fought
under that great leader Gomez in the
Cuban war. He is also a physician ana
has travelled in all parts of the world
having been in Manila, the scene Oh
Admiral Dewey's great victory. He spoke
enthusiastically of Admiral DeWey's Drill
liant victory in Manila Bay as moving
great skill and daring as a naval COM
mander. From him l learned the follow
ing facts about Cuba and the Cuban
question:
.eThe Cubans feel deeply indebted to the
American people for their humanity ana
courage in defending their cause. AS q
people they have fought bravely and with
some success for their freedom under the
most discouraging circumstances. Thoush
MANY of the Cubans are ignorant and
poor. vet there. are among them men OF
intelligence and leadership, as their his
tory has shown, and under the oppor-
t~unities of freedom they will show them
selves capable of self government. Inc
policy of Spain has been to keep them in
their present wretched condition, having
opposed the extension Of railroads and
proper modes of sanitation. There are
valuable industries in the Pearl OF the
Antilles that might be promoted, but the
Spanish Government has been against
civilization and progress. Its aim mas
been to obtain revenue and impoverish
tba neople. Senator Proctor's report of
Spain's cruelty and policy of extermina-
ton towards that unfortunate people mas
not been overdrawn, but is too sadly true.
1t has not all been told. Spain's treat
ment to her own soldiers in Cuba has been
allowing them to go without
blankets or shoes, caring but little for
their health or lives. She has made Cuba
more OF a graveyard than garrison for
her troops. When a government shows
but little care for the comfort of the
common people it need not wonder II 1t
mas FeVOlL dDlodo oAN
home.
"The chief danger to United States
soldiers now in entering Cuba Is not
found in yellow fever, but dyserItery. The
yellow fever as a rule comes later in the
season. Negroes or white people living
in the South are better fitted for this SER
vice. Indeed Cuba does not so much need
United States troops to occupy the coun-
try as her own soldiers well equipped with
supplies of food and modern frearms,
with the cooperation of the a force
Of the United States and her soldiers
operating in the var she is able to con-
quer and drive the Spaniards from her
territory. When the Spanish feet is tor
ever driven from Cuban waters and the
Spaniards' base of supplies cur of, she.
will have an easy victory. What Is done
ought to be lone by preconcerted action
or the Cuban forces and the United States
navy and done quickly.
..Dr. Abusqueby thinks the war will end
in sixty days. But whether short or long,
Cuba will be free and SPANS long years
of barbarity and misruie come to an end
in that beautiful island"