The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-19
Annexation of Cuba Not
an ImpOSSibility.
Opinion Given by a Member
Of Presidents Cabinet.
SPANS Military Failure A Great
Stroke for the United States.


10 an open secret here that ere many
months have passed the United States is
likely 10 intervene between the Cuban In
surgents and the Spanish government. Ii
IL reported on what appears To be excellent
authority that President McKinley's spe-
cial message To congress, asking an appro-
priation for the relief of suffering Ameri-
cans in Cuba which was SO promptly re-
spoDded To 10y that body, Is the forerunner
OF policy which may lead either TO Cuban
independence or to that island becoming
sort Of dependency Of tho United States.
was talking about this today with a
member OF the presidents cabinet and
this official said to me:
1T would he a CREST thing for the Unit
cd States II we could acquire Cuba, either
directly as u territory or indirectly as de-
peEdency whose existence we were to guar
antee. Leaving out OF the question the
humanity of the matter, the demand
which exists for some solution of the prob
lem that viii protect life and put stop to
the suffering which exists among peaceful
people In the island, Cuba is of vast i'm
portancc TO ms commercially ! have seen
the reports OF our consuls on file at tho
state department, and they tell an amaz-
Ing story of Spain's failure to care for tho
noncombatants who were driven into the
fortified cities and towns by General Wey-
ler's edict. They are suffering from lack
Of food, smallpox RACES among them To
such an extent that at one place it Is re-
ported 2, 500 men, women and children
have the disease, and yellow fever threat
ems TO break ont The sanitary condition
of these refugees Is most wretched. 1t Is
high time something were done to relieve
all this suffering. and think the presi-
dents move TO afford relief will meet with
the approval Of the whole world.
The Truth About Cuba.
"There is another thing" continued
this member of the cabinet. 1.-The truth
about Cuba is likely to come out now.
The men who 90 down there To- distribute
the supplies purchased by the government
will soc some heartrending scenes. They
will see thousands OF people huddled to-
gether In little huts, starving, diseased,
hopeless. Not many of these are Ameri.
cans, either native or natnralized, but all
will beg for help. The agents Of tho gov.
ernment will find it difficult to refuse such
appeals. 1t will he almost impossible to
refuse to deal out little bread or medi-
cine, even II the suffering person Is not en-
titled To the protection Of this government.
Thus all the facts about Cuba's failure TO
take care Of the refugees, of the victims of
her own edicts, Will come to light. The
news will be spread all over the world.
And II mistake not the people of all the
world will demand that the United States
intervene for the purpose Of putting stop |
10 these horrors
"But, Mr.. Secretary" I remarked, call |
this has already been made known through |
the newspapers.
"That Is true" he replied. at Is only |
fair To say, TO the credit of the men who |
have been In Cuba as the representatives
of our great newspapers, that they have
told the truth. They have accurately de-
scribed what they saw there. They have
been confirmed in every particular by our
consular reports. But now the facts are
TO come out in semiofiicial way. The
world will no longer be skeptical. 1t will
have TO believe that Spain has not only
scored a military failure in Cuba, but that
she has failed most miserably to meet her
responsibilities as a civilized governments.
Nothing Is better settled than that when a
government finds it necessary To remove
tatants from their homes, as a
measure, it must take care Of
them. II Is responsible for them before
the world. Spain thought TO starve out
the insurgents by removing the people
from their farms. The insurgents are not
starving, but the poor people who were
ordered into the cities are
Tho Presidents Feelings.
"Do you think, MIR Secretary. the pres.
idCnt will bo forced to intcrveneY'
II do not feel at liberty to talk about the
intentions of the president. Much will de-
pend upon the attitude Of Spain. II she
I,l % a., o,t eka |
do, If she retres the generals and military
leaders who have disgraccd her name and
robbed her Of her resources by their cor.
ruption and worthlessness, and makes
sincere effort to relieve the sufferings Of
the refugees and TO restore order in the is
land, tho president may not interfere. But
could not answer for the consequences II
Spain pursues her past policy and goes on
scoring failure after failure. lam sure the
president has very earnest, u very deep
feeling on this question, and that he Is de-
ermined 20 dc his duty rs he sees IL. He
believes the American people will uphold
him In anything he undertakes for the bet
;erment Of the people Of Cuba, among
whom are many American citizens.
"Thcre is one thing feel very sure Of"
continued this member Of the cabinet. 1T
Is that IL events bring about the annexa.
ion Of Cuba to the United States, or the
placing of the island under American pro-
;cction, IL will be a fortunate day for this
Since came 90 Washington I
have made n special study of Cuba and it's
citations to the United States, and have
been amazed 70 discover what n boon To-
his country, commercially, Cuba would
d.. If order is restored In the island and |
he people are guaranteed n strong, just
government for all time To- come, you will
zee in Cuba one of the greatest booms Of
modern times. IL Is the richest land In
he world. Its plantations, its mines, its
orests, need American money and enter.
rise.
a Prediction.
within 30 days after the future OF Cuba
vas assured hy Its being placed under our
or authority. you would see
thousands of americans going there TO
,egin business operations. Cuba would
blossom like rose We need some such