The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-07
Problem. waiting soIutIon.

The problems after the war viii be
| most troublesome and viii demand the
| most earnest efforts of us all. For my
| part, 1 hope that ali these problems may
/ be worked out consistently with our time
| honored and dearly bought institutions
srd with the traditions OF our wise fore
fathers"
Spain having accepted the Presidents
terms Of peace, it will not be long before
the problems to which Speaker Reed re-
! ferred Will be requiring the most earnest
attention. The people will be profoundly
interested in them. because they viii be
! called upon TO choose those who will be
! charged with the duty of solving them.
/ When Congress decided that Spain must
Withdraw from Cuba the question as to
/ whether or not it would be an easy mat
/ Ter to provide that island with a govern
ment which would have the approval of
our own people, as well as the Cubans,
| was not given much thought Those who
considered it at all were confident that
the task would not be a difficult one. The
| CUbans it was believed, were DESTROYS
Of a government like our own, and there
was no doubt that they would gladly ac-
cept a government of that kind. Nothing
| has occurred to change that belief, but it
is apparent now that 1t viii require pa
thence and judgment TO establish a re-
publican form of government in cuba I'M
der the prevailing conditions there.
There is some sort of a republican gov
eminent there now, but it exercises no
authority, and the men al the head of it
haven't the full support of the better
classes of the people, nor do they repre-
sent apparently a majority of the inhab
itants but they have the support of the
Cuban army. such it is, and there are
good reasons for thinking that they will
endeavOr 10 obstruct our efforts to es-
tablish a government if we do not give
them assurances that they shah have the
important position in it. The purpose of
these men were made very Gear by Gen.
Garcias action at Santiago. He thought
that he and his army should have been
put in possession of that city when the
Spaniards surrendered to US. and when
that was not done he announced his in
tention to carry on a war on his own ac-
count.
Owing to the bitter feeling between the
insurgents and those who have remained
loyal to SPAIN It is evident that it would
not be wise to put the insurgents in con-
troll of the government established by US.
The insurgents, having the power, would
undertake, in all probability, to force all
who syampathzed with Spain during the
war to leave the island They would at
least refuse to permit them, and all who
have been absent as refugees during the
troublous times of the last two or three
years, to have any part in the govern
ment. The result would be that the feel
ing Of bitterness, which now exists be-
tween the insurgents and those who have
sided with Spain, would be kept alive,
and would manifest itself in frequent out
breaks of lawlessness. Immigrants and
capitalists would shun the island and
Cuba, instead of becoming rich and pros
Porous as she would under a good and
wisely administered government would
sink into deeper depths of poverty and
disorder.
Many of the most responsible of the
citizens of Cuba desire to be annexed to
the United States, but annexation can
not be thought of at this time. We have
ment of her own, and that promise will
be kept, but if the Cubans wish annexa-
ton after they have tried self-govern-
ment, their wish undoubtedly will be Civ
en- the consideration to which it is en-
titled.
1t is apparent from this brief state
ment that cuba presents problems for the
solution of which the wisest statesman
ship will be required. They will be solv-
ed, of course, and Cuba will be made
prosperous and her people contented, but
a good many difficulties will have to be
overcome before that condition of affairs
is brought about.
There is no reason to expect that we
shall have much trouble in Porto Rico.
The great majority of the people of that
island are not only willing but anxious
to live under the protection of the Ameri-
can fag \ territorial government will
doubtless be provided for it, and in the
course of time it may be admitted into
the Union as state.
All the indications are that the Philip
pines are going to be a source of trouble
What a commission can do towards main
tanning order there and establishing a
government that will be acceptable to The
people of the islands and satisfactory to
Spain and other nations of Europe and to
this country is not now apparent. That
is a problem which VIII have to be care
fully worked out. If We do not become
involved in complications with the Pow
ers of Europe before the task IS com
pleted We shall be fortunate.
influence of HobSOn's Act
nh 1,.,,.3, toe rr.t--.-