tly denies, as does the
long trial of exile as well as of the respite in the island, the menace
of a race war, with which our Spanish beneficiaries would like to
inspire a fear of the revolution. The war of emancipation and their
common labor have obliterated the hatred which slavery might have
inspired. The novelty and crudity of social relations consequent to the
sudden change of a man who belonged to another into a man who belonged
to himself, are overshadowed by the sincere esteem of the white Cuban
for the equal soul, and the desire for education, the fervor of a free
man, and the amiable character of his negro compatriot.

"In the Spanish inhabitants of Cuba, instead of the hateful spite of the
first war, the revolution, which does not flatter nor fear, expects to
find such affectionate neutrality or material aid that through them the
war will be shorter, its disasters less, and more easy and friendly the
subsequent peace in which father and son are to live. We Cubans
commenced the war; the Cubans and Spaniards together will terminate it.
If they do not ill treat us, we will not ill treat them. Let them
respect us and we will respect them. Steel will answer to steel, and
friendship to friendship."

It may be that not all the generous and altruistic anticipations of this
exalted utterance were fully realized. It may be confidently declared
that all were sincerely meant by their author; and the world will
testify that seldom if ever was a war begun with nobler ideals than
those thus set forth by Jose Marti.

CHAPTER II

We have said that there was no consideration of annexation to the United
States, on the part of the organizers and directors of the Cuban War of
Independence. Neither was there much if any thought of intervention by
the United States in Cuba's behalf; though that was what ultimately
occurred. No doubt, if ever a fleeting thought of that passed through a
Cuban patriot's mind, he esteemed it "a consummation devoutly to be
wished." But it was not reckoned to be within the limits of reasonable
possibility. Certainly it was never discussed, and it may be said with
even more positiveness that there was never any attempt to bring it
about by surreptitious means. The charge was occasionally made, in
quarters unfriendly to the Cuban cause, that the Junta was endeavoring
to embroil the United States in a war with Spain. That was absolutely
untrue. No such effort was ever made by any responsible or