the hispanic nations of the new world-第24章
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r of Nicaragua； a country not only entangled in continuous wrangles among its towns and factions； but bowed under an enormous burden of debt created by excessive emissions of paper money and by the contraction of more or less scandalous foreign loans。 Quite undisturbed by the financial situation； Zelaya promptly silenced local bickerings and devoted his energies to altering the constitution for his presidential benefit and to making trouble for his neighbors。 Nor did he refrain from displays of arbitrary conduct that were sure to provoke foreign intervention。 Great Britain； for example； on two occasions exacted reparation at the cannon's mouth for ill treatment of its citizens。
Zelaya waxed wroth at the spectacle of Guatemala； once so active in revolutionary arts but now quietly minding its own business。 In 1906； therefore； along with parties of Hondurans； Salvadoreans； and disaffected Guatemalans； he began an invasion of that country and continued operations with decreasing success until； the United States and Mexico offering their mediation； peace was signed aboard an American cruiser。 Then； when Costa Rica invited the other republics to discuss confederation within its calm frontiers； Zelaya preferred his own particular occupation to any such procedure。 Accordingly； displeased with a recent boundary decision； he started along with Salvador to fight Honduras。 Once more the United States and Mexico tendered their good offices； and again a Central American conflict was closed aboard an American warship。 About the only real achievement of Zelaya was the signing of a treaty by which Great Britain recognized the complete sovereignty of Nicaragua over the Mosquito Indians； whose buzzing for a larger amount of freedom and more tribute had been disturbing unduly the 〃repose〃 of that small nation！
To the eastward the new republic of Cuba was about to be born。 Here a promise of adequate representation in the Spanish Cortes and of a local legislature had failed to satisfy the aspirations of many of its inhabitants。 The discontent was aggravated by lax and corrupt methods of administration as well as by financial difficulties。 Swarms of Spanish officials enjoyed large salaries without performing duties of equivalent value。 Not a few of them had come over to enrich themselves at public expense and under conditions altogether scandalous。 On Cuba； furthermore； was saddled the debt incurred by the Ten Years' War； while the island continued to be a lucrative market for Spanish goods without obtaining from Spain a corresponding advantage for its own products。
As the insistence upon a removal of these abuses and upon a grant of genuine self…government became steadily more clamorous； three political groups appeared。 The Constitutional Unionists； or 〃Austrianizers；〃 as they were dubbed because of their avowed loyalty to the royal house of Bourbon…Hapsburg； were made up of the Spanish and conservative elements and represented the large economic interests and the Church。 The Liberals； or 〃Autonomists；〃 desired such reforms in the administration as would assure the exercise of self…government and yet preserve the bond with the mother country。 On the other hand； the Radicals； or 〃Nationalists〃the party of 〃Cuba Free〃would be satisfied with nothing short of absolute independence。 All these differences of opinion were sharpened by the activities of a sensational press。
》From about 1890 onward the movement toward independence gathered tremendous strength； especially when the Cubans found popular sentiment in the United States so favorable to it。 Excitement rose still higher when the Spanish Government proposed to bestow a larger measure of autonomy。 When； however； the Cortes decided upon less liberal arrangements； the Autonomists declared that they had been deceived； and the Nationalists denounced the utter unreliability of Spanish promises。 Even if the concessions had been generous； the result probably would have been the same； for by this time the plot to set Cuba free had become so widespread； both in the island itself and among the refugees in the United States； that the inevitable struggle could not have been deferred。
In 1895 the revolution broke out。 The whites； headed by Maximo Gomez； and the negroes and mulattoes by their chieftain； Antonio Maceo； both of whom had done valiant service in the earlier war； started upon a campaign of deliberate terrorism。 This time they were resolved to win at any cost。 Spurning every offer of conciliation； they burned； ravaged； and laid waste； spread desolation along their pathway； and reduced thousands to abject poverty and want。
Then the Spanish Government came to the conclusion that nothing but the most rigorous sort of reprisals would check the excesses of the rebels。 In 1896 it commissioned Valeriano Weyler； an officer who personified ferocity； to put down the rebellion。 If the insurgents had fancied that the conciliatory spirit hitherto displayed by the Spaniards was due to irresolution or weakness； they found that these were not the qualities of their new opponent。 Weyler； instead of trying to suppress the rebellion by hurrying detachments of troops first to one spot and then to another in pursuit of enemies accustomed to guerrilla tactics； determined to stamp it out province by province。 To this end he planted his army firmly in one particular area； prohibited the planting or harvesting of crops there； and ordered the inhabitants to assemble in camps which they were not permitted to leave on any pretext whatever。 This was his policy of 〃reconcentration。〃 Deficient food supply； lack of sanitary precautions； and absence of moral safeguards made conditions of life in these camps appalling。 Death was a welcome relief。 Reconcentration； combined with executions and deportations； could have but one resultthe 〃pacification〃 of Cuba by converting it into a desert。
Not in the United States alone but in Spain itself the story of these drastic measures kindled popular indignation to such an extent that； in 1897； the Government was forced to recall the ferocious Weyler and to send over a new Governor and Captain General； with instructions to abandon the worst features of his predecessor's policy and to establish a complete system of autonomy in both Cuba and Porto Rico。 Feeling assured； however； that an ally was at hand who would soon make their independence certain； the Cuban patriots flatly rejected these overtures。 In their expectations they were not mistaken。 By its armed intervention； in the following year the United States acquired Porto Rico for itself and compelled Spain to withdraw from Cuba。*
* See 〃The Path of Empire〃； by Carl Russell Fish （in 〃The Chronicles of America〃）。
The island then became a republic； subject only to such limitations on its freedom of action as its big guardian might see fit to impose。 Not only was Cuba placed under American rule from 1899 to 1902； but it had to insert in the Constitution of 1901 certain clauses that could not fail to be galling to Cuban pride。 Among them two were of special significance。 One imposed limitations on the financial powers of the Government of the new nation； and the other authorized the United States； at its discretion； to intervene in Cuban affairs for the purpose of maintaining public order。 The Cubans； it would seem； had exchanged a dependence on Spain for a restricted independence measured by the will of a country infinitely stronger。
Cuba began its life as a republic in 1902； under a government for which a form both unitary and federal had been provided。 Tomas Estrada Palma； the first President and long the head of the Cuban junta in the United States； showed himself disposed from the outset to continue the beneficial reforms in administration which had been introduced under American rule。 Prudent and conciliatory in temperament； he tried to dispel as best he could the bitter recollections of the war and to repair its ravages。 In this policy he was upheld by the conservative class； or Moderates。 Their opponents； the Liberals； dominated by men of radical tendencies； were eager to assert the right； to which they thought Cuba entitled as an independent sovereign nation； to make possible mistakes and correct them without having th
