Cuba.

Manawatu Herald, 24 May 1898, Page 2

Cuba.

The desire to acquire Cuba is no new thing with the Americana, and it arises partly from the dislike to see territories so near to the United States in the hands of people speak-, ing a Foreign language, and partly from the knowledge that as long as Spain holds the island it will not be developed to the extent it might be. We have previously mentioned that in the year 1854 an attempt was made to purchase Cuba, but the pro* posal was regarded as the " sale of Spanish honour itself". Quoting from a work of Anthony Trollope published in 1860, and speaking of the time the writer was in Cuba, it is said that the purport of what Mr Buchanan, one of the envoies deputed to make a bargain said regaid-

ing Cuba may be expressed as follows : — " Circumstances and destiny absolutely require that the United State? should be the masters of that island. That we should take it by filibu tering or violence is not in accordance with our national genius. It will suit our character and honesty much better that we should obtain it by pu rchase. Let us therefore offer ? fair price for it. If a fair price be reius d, that of course will be a casua belli. Spain will then have injur d us, and we may declare war. Undt :-r these circumstances we should probably obtain the place without purchase, but let us hope better things." Though these words were uttered some forty-four years ago they appear to have been acted upon at last, and it has yet to be seen whether Cuba is obtained without purchase. Cuba appears to have decayed, not so much from the revolution which is only existent in the centre of the island, but from the island being administered under military conditions, for reports published show that the soldiers make no determined attempt to settle the rebels, being wall con* tent to keep a camp going in com* fortable quarters, and where all ranks draw increased pay to what they would receive if in Spain. From ihic? colony's expari.nce of the exp?nditure occasioned by the preaenc? of troops it can b? understood that there must be many in Cuba who would much regret peace being restored and expenditure stopped. The trade of Havana i? principally in :h> hands of American?, und (hough one baa no desire to j ink's one's neighbours harshly, yet the con u-r-d raids of filibustering cxivdii ns from the American coaat h lp to shew that from a trade poiut of view, the rebellion is not unprofitable. War has l> tn declared, and it remains yet to hi seen who will get the btst of H, hot the war has arisen because the United , States wanted Cuba, and had at last made up its mind to get it by any means. The time Anthony Trollope wrote "my best wish for the island is that it may speedily be reckoned among the annexations of the United States " was a time when slavery being in force in Cuba it made its competition with territories on which there was no slavery, unfair, and it likewise hampered the suppression of slavery on the African coast. These reasons do not exist now as slavery was partially abolished in 1878 and the last vestige of slavery- was abolished by the Queen of Spain's decree in 1886.