CHAPTER I

CUBA AND THe united STATES, 1895-1898

PREVIOUS to the opening of the nineteenth century the history of Cuba was narrow and marked by few events of importance. Discovered by Columbus on October 28, 1492, the conquest and settlement of the island was begun in 1511 under the direction of Diego, the son of Christopher Columbus. The native population was soon killed off in the revolts against Spanish rule, or by the severe compulsory labor in mines or on plantations; and by 1517 negro slaves had been introduced. The latter soon came to be the principal laboring class, and between 1521 and 1790, it is estimated that ninety thousand negroes were imported.

For three hundred years Spanish medieval practices fettered the life and industries of the island. The marvellous productivity of the soil and the richness of natural products were kept sealed from those who sought to exploit them. For two hundred and twenty years all the trade of the Spanish colonies was conducted through the Spanish port of Seville. In 1717 this was changed to Cadiz, which town enjoyed the monopoly for sixty years. Upon the island all importations and exportations must be made through one port, at first Santiago, and after 1552, Havana. As late as 1784 foreign vessels, even when disabled or seeking shelter, were absolutely prohibited from entering any port in the island.

Internal conditions were subject to similar restrictions. Some of these were, a heavy stamp tax laid as early as 1638;

the prohibition of trade between the Spanish colonies; the excessive taxes laid upon immigrants which retarded the growth of the laboring population; the various forms of arbitrary taxes consuming probably more than one-fourth of the yearly produce of the island; the Inquisition, which was often used for political as well as religious purposes; and the great number of Spanish officials, obtaining their positions by political influence at home, and retaining them. solely for personal pecuniary gain. The exacting nature of these economic, political and religious restrictions produced a depressing effect upon the island's industries. They discouraged individual incentive to such a degree that even rebellion or revolution scarcely appeared during three hundred years.

The first quarter of the nineteenth century saw a considerable alleviation of these burdens. Already, in 1762, the British occupation of Havana had given a temporary impetus to the sluggish trade of that port, and in 1778 some of the commercial restrictions were removed. In 1801 friendly and neutral nations were permitted to trade with Cuban ports, although their ships were later placed under heavy disadvantages as compared with Spanish vessels. These new regulations enormously stimulated the trade of Havana, and we are told that while in 1804, only about a dozen Spanish vessels entered the harbor, in 1806 a thousand vessels passed Morro Castle. Before this date many Frenchmen fleeing from the negro uprising in San Domingo, settled in the island, and their encouragement and knowledge soon led to a great increase in the cultivation of sugar. Loyal Spaniards from the Central and South American colonies also came to Cuba during the time of the political revolutions in these colonies.

Politically also, the condition of the island was improved. The Spanish constitutions of 1812 and 1820 were extended to Cuba; and although the latter was revoked in 1823, and two years later almost despotic authority was given the governor, yet the island prospered greatly down to 1824, and