The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-18

American correspondent who has re-
/ NAMED continuously in Cuba since The
/ beginning of the war for independence
who is a friend of President Masso. an6
who was consulted by President Nc
Kinley in regard to the attitude of the
Cubans toward the United States, con.
/ tributes the following interesting &C
count of the political situation in the
island at the present time:]
| Yacht Alfredo, Miami, Fla, Sept.
If the assurances which have eman-
ated from Washington within the past
few weeks are made good the people OF
Cuba will soon have an opportunity tc
cast a free, unintimidated vote for the
| first time in the history of the island
Elections held in that unfortunate
country in the past have been mere
shanls empty ceremonials, that failed
to express the desire of the people
That which is now expected Will be
held some time this fall will be one
of the most important events that has
taken place on the island. Separatists
annexationists, autonomists and Span
iards, all look forward to it with the
greatest interest and concern.
The people who compose these parties
are resident in Cuba, and have inter-
estS in common, but they viii look at
the future government of the island
from entirely different points of view.
The SeparatiStS are the insurgents VINO,
during the past three years, have been
fighting for liberty and independence.
They are composed of two entirely dis
tinct elements; first, the old Creole
population of the island, the aristoc-
racy the best blood, the best brains,
the best citizens, the best representa-
tives of the Latin race on this hemi-
sphere. With these people the desire
for freedom, absolute. for an independ-
ent republic, has become a passion. 1T
has been their dream and their ambi-
ton for years past For it they have
given up life, property, everything. Nu-
mericaliy they are probably in the min
ority; socially, politically and intellec-
tually they deserve greater consider
alton than any other element on the
island They include the Agramontes,
the Cisneros, the Betancourts, the
Menocals, the Castillos, the Agueros,
the Molinas, the De Icons, the Veronas,
the Massos, the GaTcias, the Artegas,
the Sanchez and Quesadas. These fam
lilies own more than half of the prop
erty on the island They have descend
ed from the nobility of Spain, many of
them have been knighted for acts of
bravery or patriotism.
They are the liberal the intellectual,
the progressive people of Cuba. Many
of the sons of these families have been
graduated from our universities. They
are familiar with our literature, our
history and our institutions, political
and economical; they were the inspira-
ton, the leaders and the backbone of
the late revolution. They adore the
United States, her Institutions and her
oa0nla h11t fhaU will NOT vote for n
neXation at present. With them per-
sonal pride and sentiment have played
a very important part in the struggle
for liberty, and although in few years
time they will undoubtedly be the most
earnest supporters of annexation, If it
were forced upon them now, though
we'll aware of the benefits accruing
therefrom, it would nevertheless be un-
welcome. The real secret for this is
that they desire at least brief period
of self-goVernment.
To enjoy this privilege would be the
greatest boon that could be granted
them, and they are aSSuredly capable
of self-government.
The remainder of the separatists com
posed the rank and file OF the insur-
gent army. Many of them are negroes
or mulattoes, nearly all of them are
farmers, country people, pacificoS, ig-
batiVe, save under actual compulsion.
Numerically they are undoubtedly in
the majority They have never held
office, nor would they be likely to do so
under an independent government.
They care only to attend to their own
affairs. They may in time. with educa-
ton, make fairly good citizens. They
will probably vote against annexation.
This class will never furnish rulers,
1-,1-v -fe-f TrTerN
form of government. In evidence of the
non-combative nature of this element L
may state that during an intimate as
ISOLATION of three years in the inSur-
gent army while these men were under
arms, I never saw a blow struck, %
knife drawn or a shot fired among
themselves, nor have 1 ever heard Of
such an occurrence.
The anneXat ioniStS include large
number OF respectable and intelligent
Cubans, many of whom have spent the
greater part of their lives III the United
States, and who, keenly aware of finan-
citl and other advantages that would
accrue from annexation, are in favor of
it, and will vote for it at the first oD-
portunity. They compose a worthy ele-
ment in society, and are practically
American in everything but birth. NJ
merically they are not large, and to
W nat extent lIiSS Uldy eAcIl oil 4iiiu-
ence toward winning over the Separat-
lists to the policy of annexation, it is
impossible to say. They are an I'M
known quantity.
What attitude will be assumed by the
old party of the 'autonomiSta" is al
most equally uncertain. The autonomlS-
ia were chiefly property-holders of the
old regime. They compose an emlnently
but not over progressive
element, and they were never devoted
to the Unborn principles of liberty and
They were always eager
to compromise, to accept the best the
present afforded and to let the future
take care of itself. AT heart they ia
vored the cause of the insurgents, but
they do not espouse it openly. In plain
W ords. during the revolution most of
them sat on the fence. In point of num-
bers and influence they exert consider
able political power. Between annexa-
ton and independence they will prob
ably choose the former as the easier
way out.
The conservative party, or the Span
iards. form an entirely different class.
AS to their merits or dement's, their
claims to consideration or otherwise,
opinions will undoubtedly differ. In the
past they have assumed an air Of SUI
periority over all or the island, except
the army and the church. They were
the merchants, the shoDkeeDers, the
usurers, whose sole purpose was to
profit at the expense of the Cubans. For
centuries they have done all in their
power TO hold him down and prevent
his appointment to any office. Many
years ago they entered into a consDir-
acy with the church and state TO keep
him in condition of financial and pO-
itical slavery. They took good care
thai neither he nor his interests were |