CHAPTER VII. THE CUBA LIBRE MOVEMENT. Justified by the American Declaration of Independence-Conditions of righteous insurrection fulfilled-Suppression of Cuban representation in the CortesThe captain-general a dictator-Petitions presented at Madrid—A plan of government and pacification formulated-Spain's arrogant answer-Cuba saddled with cost of suppressing rebellions-Pensions for retired Spanish officials-Causes of commercial ruin-Present situation in free Cuba. UR Declaration of Independence declares "that when a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to reduce the people under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government." Exactly these words can be adopted by Cuba in justification of its present course. Where is there a country that has been more cruel and harassing than Spain has been in colonial dealings; and where is there a colony that has been more patient and long-suffering than Cuba? Early in this century patriots who had studied the question on the ground, and who, like Presbyter Caballero and Don Francisco Arango, were loyal to Spain, called the attention of the home government to the evils that were being enacted in the Colony and suggested necessary remedies; but these reports made no impression on a government that was determined to pursue its narrow, selfish policy. In 1837 the small representation of Cuba in the Cortes, at Madrid, was suppressed; and into the hands of a captain-general, living in Havana, were given the life and property of a peaceful and defenceless people. After seeing her sons exiled, crushed by heavy taxation, denied all the rights of citizenship, unlawfully prosecuted and hung on the scaffold because they dared to complain against social, commercial and political wrongs, Cuba in its despair arose in insurrection in 1850, 1851, 1855, 1868, 1879, 1885 and is now, let us hope, engaged in an effort that will result in breaking. asunder forever the chains of Spanish thraldom. The world should know that Cuba exhausted all resources to induce Spain to cease her unjust measures before taking up arms. Before the struggle of 1868-78, petitions were addressed to the power at Madrid, asking for redress for wrongs committed by Spanish officials at Havana, and a complete plan of government which met all requirements and satisfied the aspirations of the people was presented; but Spain answered by increasing the severities of her colonial policy. After the terrible ten year war in which Spain lost 200,000 men and spent $700,000,000, instead of learning wisdom by experience, she excluded every native Cuban from office and continued her former barbarous treatment of a people to whom she had promised desired reforms. From a manifesto sent by the Cuban Revolutionary Party to the people of the United States, it is shown that the number of voters were reduced by an electoral law so as always to give a majority to the Spaniards, that a Permanent Commission of Provincial Deputations was appointed, composed of those in sympathy with the Madrid government, to decide all controversies that might arise as to electors, and thus suppress. everything like a popular voice in any of the public affairs, that Cubans weredeprived of representation in local corporations to which they were entitled and that every avenue through which redress could be obtained has been closed. It is shown that Spain commits official spoliation through "its. fiscal régime, its commercial régime and its bureaucratic régime." After the war of 1878, although two-thirds of the island was in ruins, the government at Madrid was bent on making Cuba pay the cost of the war; and consequently the first budget brought in after that struggle for 1878 to 1879 was $46,594,000, the large part of which was to be borne by the island, crushed by Spanish tyranny. the words of the manifesto: In "As a consequence of such a reckless and senseless financial course, the debt of Cuba has been increased to a fabulous sum. In 1868 we owed $25,000,000. When the present war broke out our debt, it was calculated, reached the net sum of $190,000,000. On the 31st of July of the current year, the Island of Cuba was reckoned to owe $295,707,264 in bulk. Considering its population, the debt of Cuba exceeds that of all the other American countries, including the United States. The interest on this debt imposes a burden of $9.79 on each inhabitant. The French people, the most overburdened in this respect, owe only $6.30 per inhabitant. |