Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1896)
HE AMERICAN JUDGE SCOTT'S VIEW Of the Causes Which Prompt Cuban Patriots to Rebel Ania it tt Tyrannical Bale of to 9 paabtk. ttfraattat rrifstcraft at toeBstwsi afTatlr War. So much had beeu said about Cuba recently that we ood eluded it would be a good ldoa to get an article from one who had resided there and knew the island, iU people, their tradition! and customs, and by one who would not hesitate to tell the truth as to why Cuba was ia rebellion. Having de cided that part the uext question was who had been there and was fearless nough to place the blame where it rightly belonged? As we were debat ing that part of the question Judge Scott came In and we asked him what he knew about Cuba, and in an inter esting conversation told us of its people, their trials, their hopes and their disappointments, which we in duced him to plaoe in the form of a letter so that you might all know what an American thinks of the contest now being waged on that island. Here is his communication: Omaha. Neb.. March 4tb, 1896. Cuba, the "Queen of the Antilles." "It is the most beautiful land that eyes vor beheld!" was the enraptured ex clamation of Columbus when the island was first beheld by him. Cuba was settled about two centuries before the settlement of this country; is a part of the great American conti nent; its rock-bound northern shores are washed by the same waters that waih our southern boundary; it is only a few furlongs south of Key West, and so near us that the inhabitants thereof could almost hear the booming of can nonthe shouts of our people the peals of our liberty bell on the 4th day of July, A. D. 1776, proclaiming for the first time in the history of the world those undying, ever-living, self-evident, inherent principles of self-government and universal human liberty: "That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with cer tain Inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government be- comes destructive of these ends it Is the right of the people to alter or to abolish It, and to institute a new Kc ernment, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its power In such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happl k, ness." v Cuba Is the largest of the Antilles, or West India Islands, and by far the most important of Spain's transmarine possessions. Its length is about 750 miles by an average width of about 50 miles. It has an area of about 43,233 square miles about 10,723 more square miles than Ireland. It Is nearly half as large as the Island of Great Britain. The population, according to the latest authority (1894), Is 1,631,687, of which 65 per cent are white, the balance being colored, or negro. Only about 10 per cent of the area of the island is cultivated, 7 per cent un- claimed, 4 per cent forests, with large tracts of land still unexplored; and yet, notwithstanding the fact that so small a per cent of the area is cultivated, so rich are its mineral resources, so pro ductive its soil, so industrious and pro gressive are the Cubans, that in 1893-4 the revenue of the island amounted to (he enormous sum of 24,440,759 pesos or Spanish dollars. The debt of Cuba in 1894 was over 37,200,000. The number of landed es tates on the Island In 1892 was estimated at 90,960, of the value of 220.000.C00 pesos, the rental of which was 17,000,000 pesos. There were 584,725 horses and mules, 2,485,766 cattle, 78,494 sheep and 670,194 hogs. The chief products are sugar and tobacco. The quantity of sugar produced in 1891-2 was 976,789 The Magic Touch ov I wd's Sarsaparilla You smile at the idea. But if you are a sufferer from Dyspepsia And Indigestion, try a bottle, and 04 for yoa hav taken half a doten doses, Jon will Involuntarily think, and onbt exclaim, That Just Hits Itl" "That soothing effect Is a maglo touch!" Hood's Sarsaparilla (tally (tones and strengthens the stomaoa and digestive organs, invieoratas the llvsr, creates a natural, healthy dssir tor food, gives refreshing sleep, and -v i In short, raises the health ton of th - entire system. Remember Hood's x Cures Hoe' Pill sar kvsr Uls, sonsttpattoo, MBsasasss, laiadtse, slsk aaoa,lalf11oa toes; la 1892-3, 815,85 tons. Of 718,204 tons of sugar fi ported la 1833, 630,64: tons and 7,654 hogsheads of molasses came to the United Stale. Ia 18W 9,304 pipes of rum were exported. The export of tobaooo in 1390 was 194 000 bales; ia 1891, 205.000 baV.; in 1892. 241,291 bales; ia 1893, 227,865 bales. Number of cigars exported ia 189, 250,407,000; in 1890, 211,823,000; in 1891, 196.644 000; in 1892, 154.931,133; la 1893, 147,365,000. Two-thirds of the tobacco and nearly all of the cigars exported from Cuba come to the United States. Mahogany and other of the finer tim bers, which abound upon the island, are exported as are also honey, wax and fruit. The total export from Cuba in 1892 amounted to 89,652,514 pesos, of which 84,964,685 pesos was for vegetables, 871,625 pesos for animals, and 3,485,924 pesos for mineral prod uct. In 1891 the total mining titles Issued was 296, with an extent of 13,727 hectares. Of the mines reported and claimed, 133 were iron, 88 manganese and 53 copper. There are over 1,000 miles of railway, 2,810 miles of tele graph lines. Havana, the capital of Cuba, Is connected with the United States by submarine cable. All this Immense wealth, which has been produced by the sweat and toll of the Cubans, together with the Island of Cuba, belongs to the Cubans and not to Spain, as truly and justly as did the co lonial states belong to the colonists and not to England at the time of the Declaration of Independence. This enormous and almost fabulous development of the resources of Cuba is not due to the government of the island by Spain, for the Government of Spain as it always has been, ana so long as not the power behind the throne but the throne behind the power has control of that tyrannical, bloodstained and bloodthirsty, liberty-hating, freedom-detesting, church-ridden, inquisi torial monster a crushing despotism to the people under its fiendish domin ion. No galley-slave was ever lashed into a galling, submissive servitude more than have been the Cubans by their tyrant-master the Cortez gov ernment at Madrid. The Cubans are taxed to starvation and to death by the Spanish ministry. They have only the right to live, labor, starve and die In order that the revenue from their hard and unrequited toll may fill the coffers of an unmiti gated Spanish despotism. The Cubans have no voice or representation In their government. They are denied all rights except to labor as slaves for a merciless, inhuman master. Cuba is divided into six provinces, each and all of which are ruled by a governor-gen eral sent from Spain, and with unlim ited powers over the Cubans. The governor-general is assisted by a coun cil, of administration, nominated by royal decree, and the Island is repre sented at the Spanish Cortes by 16 senators and 30 deputies. It is true that the Cubans may, by royal grant, send representatives to the law-making body, but they have no vote, as I am informed. It is unnecessary to say that such are presentation is a mockery a travesty upon justice and human liberty. When I was In Havana, several years ago, all the government officials of the island and of the city were Spaniards sent from Spain by the Cortaz court at Madrid, to lash the poor Cubans into obedience to the loyal edicts and mandates to sink the chains of slavery still deeper Into the quivering flesh of the liberty-loving but priest-ridden Cubans to enrich the treasury at Madrid and the throne behind that power, over on the Tiber, History attests the truth of what I say. All the priests and church dignitaries are also sent from Spain. No Cuban can be a priest, as I am informed. All salaries, expenses and luxuries of these foreign emissaries from the Cortez court are paid by the sweat and blood, yea, the lives of the Cubans. When there I visited the church building at the corner of Empedrado and San Ygnacio streets, which was erected in 1724, for a college of Jesuits, but which was constructed Into a ca- thredral in 1789. I saw a solid royal silver diminutive cathedral which cost 835,000 and for which the Cubans were taxed, to satisfy a whim of the priest. I also saw a poor woman, the picture of poverty, bearing in her arms a ragged, half-starved babe which she brought to the priest for baptism in the holy church. The good priest and father in the church baptized one side of the child's head for which the poor woman had to pay $2.50 with the injunction to come back in so many weeks and have the other side of the head baptized, for which the poor mother would have to pay another $2.50. I shall never forget the picture of woe that crossed the poor mother's face as she left the presence of the good father, wondering where and when she would get the $2.50 for the other half of the bap tism. During carnival season, called by the church "The Holy Season" the "sub of the so-called successor of St. Peter" issues and causes to be posted up upon the church buildings and doors of the cathedrals, as also in all public places, a notice that the church members may go and sin for forty days. Here Is the notice: "His Extremely Illustrious Excellency makes known to all and each oos of th faithful that go to br th Word of God la this holy season, that h concede to them forty days of indulgence for each time that they thus do so, and also, a spec ial apostolic favor, a full indulgence to those who at'end tour sermons ia said missions, and confess and worship de voutly;" signed 'Hls Extreme Excel lency, Senor IT shop Diocesan." More indulgence to Cuban more sins; more sin more oonfesilons; more con fessions more money to th "sucoesor of St Peter" and 'God's Vicegerent." These church i galtarle have a regu lar schedule of tariff prices to be charged for baptism, for burials, for marriage, or masses, for prayers, for purgatorled souls and for hearing con fessions. ; There Is an old adage that the nearer the church the farther from God." Upon almost every squar within th wails of Havana Is a church surmounted with a cross. The suerior authority of the secular Cuban church Is the captain-general (from Spain) as vloe royal patron, and bis deputy In the arch-bishop of Cuba, the commanding general (from Spain), of the ea.tern department There are orders of St Domingo, San Francisco, Jesuit, San Augustine, con vent, nunneries and monasteries in Havana and Cuba galore. The priest- hood and the church have an almost unlimited influence upon the female portion of the Cubans. I am unable to state th number of young women who have "married the church" and are Im mured within the Impenetrable gloom of convent walls in Cuba, hut they are numbered by the thousands, I am in formed. That the Roman Catholio church should rule Cuba and the Cubans is not strange, because the Roman Catholic church Is the national church of Spain. The pope at Rome rules the Roman Catholic church in Spain, the Roman Catholio church rules Spain, Spain rules Cuba through the church, hence the pope rules Cuba. The great body ol the Spaniards are Romanists. There the church and state are united, the church dominat ing the state absolutely. In 1884, the last date at hand, there were in Spain 32,435 priests, 62 dioceses, 1,684 monk?, 161 monastic houses, 14,592 nans in 1,027 convents, 65 cardinals, 30 religi ous colleges, 18,564 churches, and all other church edifices count 11,202 in Spain. All of these have greatly in creased since that date. According to article ,12 of the consti tution of 1876 (Spain) a restricted lib erty of worship is allowed to Protes tants, but it has to be entirely in pri vate. All publio announcements or public worship by the Protestants is strictly forbidden. The same constitu tion also enacts that the nation binds Itself to maintain the worship and min isters of the Roman Catholic religion. In 1889 the population of Spain was 17,552,346, of which 68 and one-tenth per cent could neither read nor write. It Is unnecessary to say that what Is wanted in Spain just now is an absolute divorcement of church and state less so-oalled vice-gerents of godless so- called successors of St Peter less rule by the pope and more rule by the peo ple, uninfluenced by the church. A few little red school-houses in Spiin would help both Spain and Cuba. This is what Cuba wants and will have. Mark the prediction. Their swords will not only be beaten into plowshares and their spears into prunlng-hooks, but their convents, nunneries and monastic institutions will be turned into free, untrammeled, unsectarian, unprlest- ridden schools for their children, wherein will be heard the joyful laugh of happy, bounding childhood. The light of heaven's Bun will enter the walls of benighted, moss-covered, abominating purlieus of monasticlsms, and crumble them to the earth. Trees and grass and flowers will rest the eye and cheer the hearts of free children of free Cuba, while the Stars and Stripes of Old Glory will wave over them. I have not forgotten, nor have the American people forgotten, that in our struggle against the slave power in the south, the pope at Rome, of all the rulers of the earth, acting as a temporal prince, was the only one that officially recognized that arch-traitor Jefferson Davis as the head of a real government, and the only one that recognized the Confederate states as a government, On the 23rd day of September, A. D 1863, Jefferson Davis, as president of the Confederate states, officially ad dressed the pope as follows: "The Most Venerable Chief of the Holy See, and Sovereign Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church," to which the pope answered, December 3rd, 1863: 'To the Illustrious and Honorable Jeffer son Davis, President of the Confederate States of America." It must be remembered that the Southern Confederacy was waging a war against the United States to per petuate human slavery in this country, while the Cubans are waging a war against Spain to abolish human slavery In Cuba. We owe Spain nothing. In 1768, when England was threatening the colonists with all the rigors of the law if they would not submit to the English Parliament, Spain, through its minis ter, Fuentes, expressed the hope that "the English might master the col onies, lest the Spanish colonies also ....THEflraM. XN ORDER to enable every loyal American in the United State to read a patriotic paper during the most Important J political and commercial epoch of our Nation's history, we have decided to send an elght-pago weekly two-dollar paper from now until January 1, 1897, for the ridiculously low price of 60 cents. Cash must accompany the order. Old subscribers can take advantage of this offer by paying all arrearages to date and paying the sum of 50 cent for the remainder of the year 18. Orders must be sent direct to this office. Add 5 cents for each Paper you receive in 1896 Wi' fal 1,10 States Before the Day ol Deck Interest your friends. Talk of It In your Councils. Get up clubs. Let us all work to win this next Presidential election. Now is the time to'strikei Subscribers who are now paid Into 1896 can take advantage of this offer. Send CO cents and get THE AMERICAN for the rest of the year. Send your address in at once. The sooner you are la tha mora numbers you get for your money. No order for back numbers filled tor less than 5o per copy. No samples sent except when request Is accompanied by money. Sample Copies to any address in the country at $1.00 per 100, in one- thousand lots; $0.50 for five hundred; $2 for one hundred, and 2c per copy in lots of less than five hundred, post-paid. Are You witli TUs! AMERICAN PUBLISHING CO. should catch the ftaue." She "pre ferred a dependent colony to an lcdi- pendent republic." In 1776, the Catho lic Kingof Spaia, through his chief minister, was opposed to a republic being established upon the western continent. During all the contest with England for the establishment of a free and independent republican form of government in this country, Spain was opposed to the colonists, because a re publican form of government meant human liberty and Spain, as now, bated human liberty. Spain refused to recognize American independence until long after England bad been forced to the recognition. On the 17th day of June, 1861, before the civil war had fairly begun, the Spanish govern ment made unseemly haste to form a combine with the French emperor in order to secure belligerent rights to the southern confederacy. In January, 1862, the Sumter entered the port of Cadiz and was not olny permitted to obtain supplies, but was allowed the use of a government dock to make her repairs. Ia February, 1865, the Stone wall was compelled to put into Ferrol and was allowed to remain more than a month refitting, notwithstanding the protest of the United States minister. In May, 1865, the Stonewall entered the Spanish colonisl part of Havana The captain-general not only recog nized her as a vessel of war, although the Confederate government had, to all appearances ceased to exist, but he advanced to her commander the amount necessary to pay off her crew. The Cubans fought heroically, bravely and as became a liberty-loving people from 1868 to 1878, ten long years, and under promise by Spain that her oppressions upon the Cubans should and would be removed, the Cubans laid down their arms, to learn, when too late, that liberty-hating Spain only made the promise of freedom to de ceive and betray the Cubans and to fasten the chains of slavery more se curely upon the deluded Cubans. The Cubans have again taken up arms in defense of their rights as human be ings, and In spite of all opposition at home and abroad, have maintained a de facto government for over a year. They will now either die in the at tempt or succeed in establishing an' other republican government upon the American continent. All hail to the noble senators and representatives who have demonstrated to the world that the principles of our declaration of independence are for tho people upon every part of the American continent. Will President Cleveland carry out the work so patriotically instituted by the United states Uongressr if not, his ashes will go down into the earth unwept Cunningham R. Scott. J U V ' I V J 1 PAYS FOR FROM NO COMMISSION TO ACENTS. 1G1G Howard Street, OMAHA, NBH. Linton Is the Man. ' Editor The American: I am ex ceedingly well pleaded at the manly stand which you have taken in behalf of the gallant Linton for president ol the United States. You occupy ten able ground, from which you cannot be dislodged. Linton is the recognized leader of the patriotic forces of the na tion. He Is a statesman who Is a United States man. He is a man of undoubted honor something which can truthfully be said of but few of the leading politicians of the day. He is not like Grover Cleveland, a Dritl elzed edition of an American states man. He is for the promotion of American interests even at the ex pense of the neglect of British or European interests. We do not want a president who will curry favor with Irish Roman Catholics, with Italian Roman Catholics, or with any other class of aliens in the midst of us. We want a president who is, In every fiber of his being, In his every instinct, an American one who is not susceptible to foreign influence. Such a man is William S. Linton. Some A. P. A.'s may think Mo Kinley loyal, but all A. P. A.'s knmc Linton is loyal. Linton richly deserves preferment at the haids of Americans, and his candidacy would obviate the necessity for honest Republicans and honest Americans apologizing for any thing their candidate ever did. Linton is undoubtedly sound on all those questions which affect the safety, welfare, happlnesi and prosperity of the American nation. As president, he would be In favor of extending pro- tiction to the American worklngman as well as to the American manufac turer. He would be in favor or rero- lutioniziiui foreign immigration. He would maintain the honor of our flag at home and abroad. He would see to it that all laws looking to the ameliora tion of the condition of the American workingman were strictly enforced. He would not appoint a Roman Catholic to any office within the gift of the ap pointing power. No disloyal Protes tant would receive official favors from him. Let all the A. P. A.'s throughout the country set to work to elect Linton delegations te the St. Louis conven tlon. Let all our friends unite as one man on Linton of Michigan. We will never accomplish anything unless we do this. We must cast aside every personal predilection, every local prej udice, which will In any way interfere with the accomplishment of our pur pose to put an American In the White House. We must bo united on one man for the presidency of the United States. And If we will unite on Linton we can win. Why should any honest loyal, consistent member of the A. P. A. 0 up to time you Remit. refuse to support Linton for p-eildent? Some A. P. A.'s will say: "Walt four years; we are not yet strong enough to elect an A. P. A. president." We cannot afford to wait four years. It is neither politic nor politics to wait four years, we get a cnance to vote lor our choice for president only once In four years; and for that very reason we should do what lie In our power and we have great power to elevate a plain man of the people to the presi dency of the United States. Adalbert Beach. Mexican Veterans, Attention. Should this notice be read by any of the surviving comrades of the Mexican war of 1846, serving under General Kearney, In Colonc 1 Don iphan's division, who knew a comrade by the name of Joseph D. N. Thompson, of Missouri, who was of medium height, light com plexion, brown hatr, blue eyes and 35 years of age, and was born in White, Clay county, Tenn., of Irish parents, they will confer a favor on his heirs by writing and will be relmbursea lor expense of postage. Address all let ters to Mrs. Rachel t. zook, 4339 Lake St., Omaha, Neb. Mrs. H. C. Ayer, of Rlchford, Vt., writes: "After havlng.,fever I was very much debilitated and had dyspep sia so bad I could scarcely ;eat any thing. A little food 'caused bloating and burning in the stomach, .with pain and much soreness in my side and a great deal of headache. My physician seemed unable to help'me and I con tinued in this condition unuii wok ut. k&v'b Rnnnvntnr which comoletelv cured me." Sold by druggists at 25 cts. andtl. Hi Tempered Babies are not desirable in any home. Insuf ficient nourishment produces 111 tem per. Guard against fretful children by feeding nutritious and digestible food. The Gail Borden Eagle Brand Con densed Milk is the most successful of all Infant foods. Abraham Lincoln. Some are suggesting that we make the birthday of Lincoln a holiday. While I admire Lincoln and have al ways been a Republican, I do not sup port this. Some at least of the Roman athniii'B wnnld nut this throuch iust at this time, so as to divide the vote of the north and soutn, wnicn wey are afraid will become wild, and which we should work to make solid in order to down the pope's Irish and dagos. A. New Money-Making Invention Dear Rkaosb: I met a friend selling a new case for attaching photographs to tomb stones so they are Imperishable and last for ever. Being out of employment, I ordered two dozen from the World Mf. Co., Colum bus. O.. who manufacture many good selling articles for airents. I sold twelve the first day. proHt Eveiy family has photo graphs. Anyone can put one on the monu ment In Ave minutes. The case Is elegant, made of aluminum, the new metal. Every family Is glad of a chance to buy one. They are beautiful, and yet so cheap. Imadestii In one week, f lsti last month. You can do the same by writing. C. B. S!ow. 1.1,1897.