The Cuban Army is, it appears, devoted to Cuba and
freedom, and unless its arrears are paid up will die in the last ditch for both. That is very Spanish, as is also the fact that in the last resort the Cubans will die, and be beaten. It appears, however, that if some ready-money is forthcoming a compromise is still possible. The Cuban agents in Washing- ton talk of twelve million dollars, and those in Europe of sixty million, but the American Government offer only three million ; and General Gomez, in command of the thirty thousand armed Cubans, finding that the sum will not be increased, has accepted it. If he distributes fairly, without making large claims for Generals and Colonels, this will give each man £20 sterling, and of course all who have lost property will have it back. It seems, from the addresses published by the leaders, that Cubans are greatly frightened by the American capitalists, who, as in California, are buying up everything. We fancy that in the long run energetic Cubans will emigrate to Mexico and Peru, and that the peasantry will work on quietly, forming with the Italian peasantry, who will swarm in, a fairly docile and comfortable population. The great difficulty of American administrators will be the one we found in Cyprus,—an astonishing number of crimes of violence.
Previous page
