The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

SelZeu I0Otn0ld IN the GUldndS. ana L0en
helped themselves. one after another, to the
smaller islands in the Caribbean sea By
the time of the Dutch war of 1865 the pre-
tensions OF Spain TO universal ownership in
those regions were wholly ignored, and there
was put into operation
'"rhe good old rule--the simple plan,
That they should take who have the power,
And they should keep who can"
In that year Cromwells Englishmen seized
Jamaica The French first took Tortuga.
and thence sent out filibusters. who present-
~ drove the Spanish out of Haiti-Eiis-
PAMELA, Little Spain-and made 1t a French
province. Even Havana was attacked more
than once. Drake had a fruitess venture
at 1t. Peun and Venables, who took ia
maica, tried 10 take it, but failed England
dld storm the forts in 400. and held the city
a few years then gave ii back TO Spain.
BY the end of that century Trinidad too.
was Snatched away and SPANS commerce
with the American colonies substantially de-
stroyed. England came TO her aid at home
in the Napoleonic wars. and then France
IN turn helped the wretched Ferdinand VII
TO hold his throne.
THE PASSING OF THE EMPIRE
In the early years of the present century
81 sh misgovernment in the South Amer
il olonies, long continued, began to bear
-rtain fruit. Secret societies were
ed, which had for their object the
throwing off of the Spanish yoke The chief
founder and promoter of these was Span
iSh creole Of Venezuela, Francisco Miranda
by name He had served under Washington
in the American revolution, and had become
thoroughly imbued with the spirit of liberty
and with the principles of republicanism.
What had been done in North America could
he thought, be done in South America. He
therefore formed in London, since it could
not safely be done at Caracas, the Gran
Reunion Americana" Into this Boliver and
San Martin were initiated. For some years
Miranda made occasional but futile attempts
at revolution, in one of which he engaged
the interest of the great Dundonald. Moth
ing or importance was achieved, however.
until April l9, 1910, when Caracas openly
rose against its Spanish Governor Miranda
and Boliver heading the revolt Two years
of conflict followed not promising for the
insurgents. Then came an earthquake 1t
destroyed Caracas. killing thousands of peo-
pie. The superstitious troops of the insur-
gents thought II was an omen. threw down
their arms. deserted or surrendered, and the
rebellion was at an end. Miranda was cap
tured, taken to Spain and died in prison
murdered, Ii may be surmised. BoliVer es-
capped into the neighboring province of New
1t was in September, 1912, that Bolivar
fled TO New Granada. In October he re-
entered Venezuela with $50 men, declaring
followed victory In August, 1Sl3 he re-
entered Caracas in triumph. Then came re-
verses, and he had to flee to jamaica For
some years more the struggle went on until
were united as an Independent republic I'M
der the name of Colombia, the last of the
Spanish troops being driven out in 1894.
Ecuador was added to the republic in 1922
Peru formed another state in 1926, under the
name of Bolivia, Peru itself-and Chile also,
thanks to the genius of Dundonald-becom-
ing independent in 1924. Mexico threw Off
the yoke of Spain in 1921, and Guatemala
then including all Central America--in 1922.
Nor did the provinces on the Plate river lag
behind. Paraguay, indeed. was first of all
to win her independence, in 1914. Uruguay
tine Confederation, after a ten years war
in 1924. Brazil had been lost to Spain in the
secession of Portugal, and Florida was ceded
to the United States in 1919 Thus, in the
first quarter of this century the entire Span
1sh empire in the western hemisphere, says
only the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico
was forever lost to the declining monarchy.
The last of SPANS holdings in America.
the one which slipped from her grasp for
ever at noon on Jan Twas the first, or the
first but one, that she acquired. Columbus
sighted land on Sept 25 1892, and actually
landed on Oct. y. Then, on Oct. Is he
sighted Cuba, which he supposed to be the
eastern shore of Asia. This" he wrote in
his journal of that day, SIS the most beau
tiful land ever beheld by human eyes
Beautiful 1t was. and occupied by a peace
full amiable folk. These the Spaniards pres
emily eXterminated with all possible acces-
butchered in half a century. Since there
was no gold in the island, Cuba was neglect
ed and ignored for many years. But the
Spanish colonized 1t, and ultimately found
that its sugar plantations and tobacco fields
were more profitable than gold mines For
two centuries 1t has proved the most valu-
chief support Of that bankrupt nation.
SEEKING FREEDOM
But Cuba grew restless under the plumber
ing and laundering of Spain, and early in
this century began to grope about for path
to freedom. Rebellion after rebellion arose,
only to be quelled ruthlessly. A passage in
an English paper in August. 1925, says:
Cuba is the Turkey of transatlantic poll
tics, lettering to it's fall, and kept from fall
ing only by the struggles of those who con-
tend for the right of catching her in her
descent" That was seventy-three years ago.
The Cuban captain generals proclamation
in $780, commenting on an attempted revolt
against the despOUsm Of Ferdinand VII
who abolished the Constitution and restored
the InquiSition declares; This happy land,
the abode of peace, plenty and loyalty, pre-
sents to the world a striking contrast; en-
joying, under the mild government OF her
king, all the blessings which spring from
security OF properly the uninterrupted pros
ress Of the arts education and science, while
revolutions, factions, discord and anarchy
have established their empire in the rebel
lous provinces. Some Of them
have been misled by fallacious theories, ig-
norant of the irresistible arguments based
upon a simple comparison between the state
of the ever-faithful Isle of Cuba and the
deplorable state of the continent.
Madmen All men of sense in this island
are faithful to the King, our master
whose heart never thrObs with pleasure eX-
cept when contemplating you as contented
and happy" The smaller island of Porto
Rico, which has already passed entirely un-
der American control has had a colorlesS
history lacking in the significance and In
dViduality Of Cuba, upon whose fate its own
destiny was largely dependent
Columbus declared cuba TO be the most
beautiful land ever seen by human eyes.
Magellan could scarcely have given higher
praise TO the islands he discovered on
March Is, 1921 Yet could he have done so
they would have deserved it, for there is no
lOvelier group of Islands in the world than
the Philippines. Magellan discovered them
on the one great voyage which ne under
took for Spain. the first circumnavigatiOn
of the globe which he did not live to COM
plete. He discovered the strait which bears
his name though he gave it the name OF
the Eleven Thousand Virgins, then crossed
the Pacific ocean, stopping at and takhg
possession OF the LadrOne islands, and nnal-
group. He took possession of the whole
archipelago in the name of the King OF
Spain and entered forthwith upon the work
of subdung and conciiiatng the natives
In that he was at first emtnently SUCCESS
full But a few weeks later he fell into an
ambuscade of hostile Malays on Maltan and
was killed with a poisoned arrow. Never
theless, his work remained and the Phl!lp-
pines belonged to Spain from that day until
the time when they practically preceded
Cuba by a few months in passing from
Spanish control
What is left to Spain? There are the
Cauaries, but they are, like the Balearics,
reckoned enthusiastically part OF Spain
itself and not as colonies. Then there aTc
the Carolines. with 22000 population, IN the