The times., 1898-07-22
The Cuban Question


forc:ble expulsion OF its oppressors,
and not also exercise the right and
duty Of establishing peace and good or
der in the island The American peo-
pie have viewed the wrongs of their
Cuban neighbors with deep sympathy
enough so to take up arms To redress
them. But the Cubans ought to appre-
ciate, better than they appear to. that
the freedom and relief from inhuman
persecution that will come to them as
direct result of war between the United
States and Spain, Will be free gift
and that the preliminary operations
and preparations of the donor are not
TO be interfered with or questioned We
have been willing and eager to feed,
clothe and arm the Cuban forces and to
succor their helpless dependents. On
landing in eastern Cuba we found them
naked, hungry and nearly without
means of offense or defense. We sup
piled their necessities. They We're
scattered in small bands over the
province Of Santiago, existing in a state
OF nature as completely as if they
had been so many bushmen. We gave
them a chance TO gather their forces
such as they were, and to use them in
open fight against the common enemy,
as their leaders have a thousand times
declared they wanted to. whenever
they could secure arms and ammum-
ton. To what an inconsiderable ex-
tent the Cubans availed themselves CT
The opportunity, during the movements
in front Of Santiago, is too We'll known
TO need discussion. In brief, they were
greedy for the rations. upon which they
gorged themselves sick. for all the
clothing and blankets they could get.
and for the ammunition which they
wasted, too often at a safe distance
from the Spanish firing line.
All they had, or have, and all their
chance for escape from the horrors OF
Spanish tyranny, they owe to the Unit
ed States. Yet, many of them, includ-
ing Garcia, we are sorry to say, seem
to imagine that the only legitimate Oh
ject the American army can have, is
TO defeat the Spaniards, capture their
strongholds and cities while the native
patriots at the rear conduct hostilities
against the Yankee commisariat, and
then at once surrender prisoners and
places to the Cubans for the satisfac-
tion Of their vengeance and aoquisitive-
ness AS a matter of fact, they have
expected US TO spend blood and treas
ure in destroying Spanish rule, only to
devote the conquered territory to an
archy.
Such a position is the acme of ig-
norance and ingratitude combined. II
it represents the sentiment Of any large
portion of the Cubans of the insurgent
party, it viii be unfortunate for them.
and create new difficulties for the Unit
ed States. We have guaranteed to Gu
ba its freedom from Spain. We Shall
accomplish that in our own time and in
our own way. As the Cubans seem
TO be incapable of contributing TO the
result, they will not be further consid-
cred as active factors in the problem of
conquest. After the last Spanish sol
der has been deported from the ISL
and, and its military occupation by this
country is complete, it will be time
enough to consider the matter of a sta
BILE government for Cuba. Our expe-
rience so far has dispelled some disilIu-
sions. If the leaders of the revolution,
the only people in the territory who are
comparatively intelligent, educated and
civilized, are unable to appreciate the
proprieties or the necessities of the sit
uation, the capacity of the ignorant
masses for self government within a
measurable time, is open to serious
question, and it is one which the United
States must consider carefully. and an
swer at the bar of civilization
No one need suppose that Europe
would allow US to expel an organized
administrative power from Cuba, no
matter what its shortcomings may have
been, without assuming ne responsible
ity of replacing it with a government al
least as efficient for the preservation
of order and the protection of foreign
interests and commerce. The mere sus-
picion that the American people could
tolerate the establishment of a new can
nibaI Haiti in the Pearl Of the Antilles
would bring down upon us the wrath
and the armed Interference of united
Europe.
What we have before US is not to b.
misunderstood. We have one duty to
civilization and humanity 10 perform
in the eviction Of Spain from the West
ern Hemisphere. We have another
quite as serious and mandatory, ia
guaranteeing better conditions to fol-
low. The truth is unacceptable, that
while minority Of the native Cubans
are men who have the necessary quail
fications for Independent citizenship
the masses behind them are largely
composed Of semi-barbarous blacks
who, in point of intelligence, viii not
compare at all fayorably with the negro
race in the United States. 1t is they
who would form the dominant eIernent
in any Cuban native government that
would be constituted upon the basis
Of the revolution at this time, or prob
ably in the near future. The enlight-
ened opinion Of the world would sternly
resent such a solution and inexorably
hold US to account for it. Therefore
il cannot be.
What may happen, as a consequence
of the jealous and sulky conduct OF
Garcia and others, is a matter of small
moment. If his men misbehave, they