New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-31
WHAT CERA WINS.

Tho foar that the paciiication OF Cuba Is 20
ING 70 he very difficult task. and one which
will require many years has little 10 war
rant H. WIRE the whole population repre-
scn,cd by men like Garcin and CASTILLO VINO
have falsely asserted that Admiral 'ervera was
captured hy Cuban troops when In fact u" was
taken off. as Admiral Sampson states ny inc
Gloucester and surrendered on board the Town
were the whole population represented ny the
insnrccnt band which has pIlfcred about camps
near Santiago, the difficulty might b" great ana
the task prolonged. BIT II IL sufficiently CD
v,ous that "the insurgents" In That sense, nave
never numbered hfieh part OF the poptla-
lion. The actual fighting force does not appear
TO DO more than twenty thousand men, ana
while II has been declared that ten times ms
many were ready TO join AT any time when they
could be provided with arms and ammunition
the distribution of weapons by various eApedi-
lions and by the American forces III santiago
Province does not appear to have apprrchbIy
increased the number actually fighting.
Between the conflicting accounts IT IL not
difficult to read one fact. that the number ~ IN
habitants sympathizing with any and every ef-
fort TO cast off Spanish tyranny has been many
times the number of those who have taken part
in guerilla warfare under lnsurgent leaders.
Whether these people have ever favored the
establishment Of n separate government except
as the only means heretofore visible or destroy
ing Spanish authority. there Is as ye. no owl
dcnce No one Is authorized. and from the very
nature OF the case II Is obviously Impossible for
any one. to state how many OF these 'uhan
syInpathizcrs would prefer direct connection
with and government by .he United States.
Precisely the same is true Of the insurgents
actually fighting. Nobody can say how many
of the men who enlisted in Cuban ranks when
there was no prospect Of American intervention
would now prefc' American freedom to any
other government If the choice were given them.
The United States will bc compelled to give
free choice to the people OF Cuba. II Will Ger
talnly not undertake to establish al indepcn-
dent and stable government in that island. sup
ported by minority and opposed by Il major
lty:a government in which only those who have
fought or openly acted with the insurgents shall
have part while all the rest of the inhabitants
shall bc treated as having no political rights.
Government by the people means very diNcr-
ent thing In the United States. II does not cx-
clude the Spanish resident If he is ready to take
an oath Of allegiance Exactly the same basis
of government by the people will have To exist
In Cuba or there can be none. But great part
Of the Spanish residents II Is already Obvious.
will prefer government by the United States,
through military or any other form, to govern
mcnt by the Cuban insurrcctioDists. and this is
so natural that Cubans Of the most Jealous sort
cannot seriously dispute it. The Spanlarls who
have made n living by plnnderlng the island
, will doubtless prefer to go home. The pcrrna-
ncnt residents OF The islands extremely like
" TO welcome American authority their only
hope of security and justice.
1t does not appear nj all improbab bic that the
Cubans who have sought Independence rs
matter Of principle md for the good II their
country will look upon the matter in the same
light Talk Of a separate government under an
American protectoInte is too vague and shadowy
for men who have any business interests NJ
stake No supposes that this Nation will
undertake to protect an outside government
which by ill-reatment OF part Of the pOpula-
ton or by wrongful acts toward foreign Pow
crs. can at any time involve this Nation in war
The Judgment Of the men who have farms and
plantations. manufacturing works and business
interests AT stake Is likely be that the United
States must necessarily have ultimate power
In order TO preserve order in the Island and
insure IT'S independence from foreign interior
ence, and that they had better give this coun-
| try and themselves the highest degree Of Sc