f the
island, sugar and tobacco, suffering the most. While other countries
gave encouragement to their colonies, Spain did everything she could to
discourage her well-beloved "Ever Faithful Isle."

The Cuban planter had to struggle along with a heavy tax on his crop, an
enormous duty on his machinery, and an additional duty at the port of
destination.

America once rose in wrath against unjust taxation, but her grievances
were as nothing in comparison with those of--we had almost written--her
sister republic. May the inadvertency prove a prophecy!

To show how the products of Cuba, under this ghastly extortion have
declined, we make the following statement, based on the most reliable
statistics.

In 1880 Cuba furnished twenty-five per cent. of all the sugar of the
world. In 1895 this had declined to ten and a half per cent. In 1889,
the export of cigars rated at forty dollars per one thousand amounted to
ten millions, nineteen thousand and forty dollars. In 1894 it was five
millions, three hundred and sixty-eight thousand, four hundred dollars,
a loss of nearly one-half in five years.

Then besides all this, Cuba had to pay the high salaries of the horde of
Spanish officials, nothing of which accrued to her advantage.

There can be no doubt but that the treaty of El Zanjon was a cheat, and
its administration a gigantic scandal.

Can any fair-minded person think then that the Cubans were wrong, when
driven to the wall, oppressed beyond measure, goaded to madness by an
inhuman master, they broke out once again into open revolt, determined
this time to fight to the death or to obtain their freedom?

CHAPTER VII.

SOME CUBAN HEROES.

Although the natural resources of Cuba are remarkable, as will be
demonstrated later, and more than sufficient for all her people, a large
number of Cubans have, either of their own free will or by force become
exiles.

Besides over forty thousand in the United States, there are a large
number in the islands under British control, as well as throughout the
West Indies and in the South American republics.

It is perfectly natural that these exiles should feel the deepest
interest in their native land, and although Spain has complained
frequently of being menaced from beyond her borders, what else could she
expect after the way in which she treated these exiled sons of hers?
Besides she has had no just cause for grievance, as the right for
foreign countries to furnish asyl