The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-03
dive the Cubans a Chance.

Writes William f. Curtis to the Chi.
cago Record: I'm any settlement of
the Cuban trouble which this govern
ment may promote, the sanitary ques-
tion will play an important part. WbcL
the present administration moves in
the Cuban matter this grievance which
the United States has against the island
will be kept prominently in view. At
some point In the negotiations 1t will
be insisted that whatever government
is established, upon the return of peace,
a guaranty shall be required to main
tain better sanitary conditions. The
state department and the marine hos
pital service will shortly consider the
sanitary proviso upon which this coun-
try will insist. The surgeon general
has estimated, as the result of an in
vestigation extending over a long Sc
ries of years, that over 95 per cent OF
the danger of contagion to this country
from yellow fever and other conta gious
diseases originates in Cuba. The rem
edy is only a question of the eXpendi-
ture of money, and that in Havana.
principally. 1t Is the conclusion OF ex-
perts, including several Spanish com
missions appointed to examine into the
conditions, that the same regard for
sanitary laws observed in the cities of
the United States and Europe will
stamp out yellow fever in Cuba, where
the ravages are continuous every month
i'm the year. The last invasion OF this
disease from Cuba into the Mississippi
valley caused $4,000 deaths and entailed
a commercial loss Of $780, 900.
THE stringency of the present quar-
antlne regulations which this govern
ment is forced to maintain against
Cuba is we'll illustrated in the fact
that the special commissioner sent to
investigate the Ruiz case cannot get
back into this country by the route
he went out. Mr.. Calhoun and his
secretary, Mr.. Fishback, are obliged
to come home by way of New York.
where, if the usual regulations are OBJ
served, they will be quarantined until
the health officers are sure there Is no
danger of infection. The commissioner
could not land at any southern port if
he wanted TO, or if there was great
urgency for haste. This is because
Havana is the chief breeding spot of
the world for yellow fever. At this
season OF the year there ought to be
no danger. Yet the latest weekly re-
turns to Surgeon General Wyman from
| the island show yellow fever prevalent
| in the four ports OF Havana, Matanzas,
Cardenas and Sagua La Grande, on the
north coast of the island, and with ev-
| cry one of them the United States has
close commercial relations. At the
same time Santiago and Manzanillo,
on the south side, report deaths from
this disease during the current month.
| The weather is exceptionally cool and
| dry in Cuba, but the disease is spread
| ing"
1t is a peculiar fact that the writer
of the above is jealous apologist for
| Spain: yet he can hardly escape from
! the conclusion that it is TO Spanish ig-
norance and sloth that we are indebted
| for the fact that Cuba at times is a
veritable pest-holo. Under the venality
of Spanish administration the people
| Of Havana. though they were to pay
double their present extortionate taxes,
could not hope for a modern system of
sanitation The only drainage that
! they could feel sure of would extend
! from the aX-gatherer's hands into the
pockets of the Spanish officials. On
this point the testimony is convincing.
To say that the native Cubans would
be just as rapacious II elected to office
Is by no means to offer a valid excuse
for Spain. Spain ought to be better
foster-mother than she has been. There
is no extenuating circumstance in her
black chain Of infamies, The Cubans
on the other hand, should be given a
fair chance. To condemn them as unfit
for government before they have
had an opportunity to test their ca
pacity for self-government is most unr
fair.