The National tribune., 1906-10-04
SOUTH AMERICAN
REVOLUTIONS
CONTINUED from page u

L
REVOLUTIONS.
CONTINUED from page -
the barbarities of that ignorant negro
chief are in fact. not to be classed with
the internal cruelties perpetrated by
the representatives of a so-called civ
iliZed Government, in hundreds. nay
thousands. of cases" And he goes IN
to say that the Guisa massacre should
only be condemned on account of the
''in njudiciouS choice of the victims.
meaning that they should have killed
Spaniards instead of the Cubans.
The Revolution of 1895.
After the emancipation of 1886 the
planters in Cuba found themselves
taxed as heavily by Spain as when they
had their slaves, and it became unbear-
able. so that in 1895 the revolution
again broke out, this time the President
chosen by the insurgents being Saliva
dor CisneroS Betancourt, Marquis of
Santa Lucia, large landed proprietor
and former Shareholder like Caspedes.
The object of the uprising was different
from that of 1868. Then they desired
independence in order to hold their
slaves, but now they desired independ-
ence so that they could unite themselves
with the United States. They never for
moment contemplated continuing n
Republic in Cuba, should they gain
their independence. for they believed
that by annexation their lands would
enhance in value, as American capital
and enterprise would build up the is
land. and thus they would be partly
compensated for the loss of their slaves.
Our Southern States encouraged their
efforts, and Senator II. De Soto Money
of Mississippi, and others, went there to
confer with them, for it was believed
that if Cuba was annexed, the Demo
cratic Party would gain that much.
Then. again. the Cubans whose prop
erty had been arbitrarily confiScated,
expected to recover it by annexation.
But the treaty with Spain. by which
Cuba became free, upset all their cal
culations. for it provided that the per-
sons recognized by Spain as possessors
of property must be sustained in their
claims. Thus the owner of the principal
hotel in Santiago was an insurgent SYM
pathiZer, and aided Garcia all in his
power. Weyler, learning this, arrested
him, confiscated his property without
any legal process. and. gave it to one
of his friends, claiming his power to
do so under the act of 1925. The Cuban,
who was sentenced to be shot. was final
ly released, and reached the United
States. returning to Cuba after peace
had been declared. But he found that
he could not recover his property,
which, under the treaty, belonged to
the person who held it last under the
Spanish administration. 1t seemed very
strange to him, for the independence
of the island offered him no redress
from the Spanish confscation. And
there We're hundrds of such instances.
The Cubans in their Instructions
We're exactly in the position of our
Southern States in rebellion, and the
same cause affected both. excepting
that the United States had not proposed
to free any slaves when the Shareholders
rebelled, and, then, while they were in
arms, proposed april 2. 1862 to COM
pensate every State which would grad
ually abolish slavery.
Who Desire Annexation.
There is no doubt but that the great
tobacco and sugar interests of Cuba de-
sire annexation, and they are backed by
the landowners (the ex-slaveholders)
and the majority of the intelligent peo-
pie and merchants of the island, as well
as the British and American planters.
The mass OF the people. however, are
in favor of the present Government;
but, as in the United States, where the
400, 900 ex-slaveholders regained con-
troll of the Southern States after the
war, so the $4,000 ex-slaveholders of
Cuba will control it's million and a half
of population. The Cuban people look
upon the Americans as their friends.
How is it, then, that the insurgents are
destroying the property of Americans? :?
1t shows a deep-laid plot to induce the
interference of the United States and
result in annexation, which If it does
not result from this insurrection, will
surely come. and that within less than
10 years. / expected it before this time.
Haitian Revolutions.
Now, when it comes to revolutions,
Haiti can double discount any Govern
ment that ever existed for number and
frequency. 1t results principally from
their form of Government, which is i'm
possible in some respects. The organ
ization is all right, but they are try
ing a socialstic problem. They call
themselves the Haitian family, and
nearly all the property in the island
belongs to the Government, held in
trust for the people-so said. Thus the
party in power has control of all the
big coffee and sugar plantations, and
graft 10 the ruling principle The ST.
perintendent of plantation takes a
slice Of the produce. the Minister OF
the Interior takes a share, and, of
course, the President receives his part,
and the result is the Government Is
mulcted shamefully. These perquisites
are so attractive that the outs are con-
stantly struggling to get in. Two great
parties have been fighting each other
steadily since the organization of the
Government in 1904. One, called the
Lizards" is composed largely of mu-
lattoes; the other party is called
"Cacos," after black parrot that feeds
on lizards. But the balance of power
is held by the "Pequints," or back
woodsmen, who always go with the
party that pays the best. Out of 16
Presidents, four of whom proclaimed
themselves Emperors, two were tried
and executed by the people, one COM
mitted suicide, four fled the country,
two were poisoned by their enemies,
one resigned under pressure, and one
was banished by the people. Since
President Solomon fed the island in
though in 1891 there was great excite
ment at the time of the Presidential
election, for Manigat, Legitime, Pro-
phete and Piquant were determined to
prevent the reelection of President
Hippolyte. They were all candidates
But Manigat!
A Black POOh-Bah.
That colored gentleman should be
placed on the roll of fame as the cham
pion officeholder. Under President Sol
omon, former Duke of Limonade, he
held the offices of Minister of State
Minister of War. Minister of Marine
Superintendent of Public Peace and In
structiOn, Judge of the Supreme Court
General of Corps and Commander-in.
~ IL. 90