Evening star., 1898-12-12
CUBA FOR CUBANS
Influence of President MoKinley's
Message to Congress,
SATISFIED HE is THEIR FRIEND
Business Men of Havana Still De-
sire Annexation.
RST PRES SION
Copyright 1925. by Charles NJ rcrpcr.l
Special From n Star Correspondent

Copyright. 1925. by Charles NJ Pcrncr.l
Special From q stan Correspondent
MARIANOA. December :. lslS.
First impressions are usually a good in
dex of the real sentiments They may not
he conclusive, hut they are always worth
finding out and recording. So a word about
the first impressions caused ny President
McKinleys message may be timely II
later analysis and discussion Of the iocu-
ment changes them the change can be re-
corded when it takes place
\ year ago the Presidents message was
OF great Importance to all classes in Cuba
but under the conditions which obtained
NOBODY was free To give his honest opinion.
This year everybody can say what he
thinks and everybody appears to be think
ing the same way. Cuba for the Cunans"
Is the Interpretation put upon II. do not
KNOW whether II is understood I'M fha
United States how greatly the message In
huences events here. In the states no one
except few of the former apologists Of
Spanish rule was thinking that the pledges
of Congress and the executive would he
repudiated The declaration that these
pledges are to be kept has probably caused
no surprise. In cuba a variety OF causes
had combined to create uncertainty. The
oilcial statement of the American pOllcV
Is, therefore of great moment
If l had an application for office filed
away in any of the departments at Wash
lENob Shoht9 al once take advantage of
the opportunity to Vcdldle out to the news
papers an interview praising the states
mantke document" and should follow it
with "A letter of Corgra tulatiOn addressed
To the White House. But as that isn't the
case. and as in the course Of correspond
ence from CuDa il often becomes necessary
TO write things which are not agreeable A
statement of the effect of the message NAV
be made Judging by the Cubaus in Ha-
Nana and the insurgents IN The camps
around Marlanoa and Gunahacoa. IL has
increased enormously the personal influence
of President Mckinley, and there fore OF A.s
administration.
Feeling of the Soldiers.
The ragged soldiers i'm the ranks If the
Insurgents had gradually come To look
upon the President as one who and arstood
them and the struggle they carried on Th.
belief had spread among them that his
personal sympatht"s we're with them and
that he know and made allowance Tor
thcir drawbacks. In going among N m
during October | found that to bc th.,
strongest impression. Some ambitious lead
ers were trying to create different belief.
and some impatient radicals w,rs talking
distrust- While these "frorts created some
uneaslness and Increased the expectancy.
/ could never discover that st shook TIM
confidence of the mass OF the Insurgents
At one of the camps in Pinar del Rio ono
oay black so!dler of unusual intelligence
said to me: 81 have "A brother i'm the I'pil.d
States He sends me word that President
Mckinley is my friend" And other in
surgents had the same notion. Il Wa
Sc netting for them to feel that IN. Prrs-
dent OF the United States was their fripnf
What they felt in October they feel surs
of in December. Thu influence Of this feel
ing would be difficult To explain to any ono
who has never been among the CuhanN
Ihey are almost children in some of n ir
traits. Whoever has their coufdc-r. can
accomplish wonders with them whoever
lacks 1t is helpless. They may be- per
suaded INTO certain course. hut they can
not be forced into 1t. II would haV. b..u
possible for the United States To ASSUME.
by acLs, If not by words, that the iu@ur-
gent army was made up of bandits and
nrlgands, ana that the distressed people
mad become beggars 10y choice. Sine th,.
other course has been taken the fufur,, he
comes clearer. Trusting the Pr.sd dent ~
the Unit ID States. the Cubans as a people
will more readily follow i'm the paths which
ne indicates. They VIII not be fr, TIED hy
the American military occupation into an
antaBonism which would DE hurtful to both
countries
have not yet met any one among tho
CuDans who was distustfu regarding the
reservation in the message that comnlete
tranquility is to be established before the
experiment of Independent government Is
to he tried. Some the insurgent cum
manders have been uneasy regarding the
conditions along the line between Puerto
Principe and Santiago provinces They do
not lear trouble with the Spaniards be-
cause there are no Spaniards there Whnt
mas worried them has been the actions OF
some OF their own fo.-owerS Lately I am
assured that less grounds exist for uneasi-
ness. but III the threatened trouble comes
Maxine Gomez himself will take il i'm
hand with vigorous measures. In Havana
unul the SpdniarGs are he and IA, Ameri-
can nag Is up, the possibility of "a row be-
tween Spanish officers and Cubans will eN-
list. but this Is emphatiCally a temporary
condition. In Pinar Del Rio the insur-
gents have maintained order for a fortnight
awaiting the arrival OF the American
troops. General Menocal has been sending
companies Of insurgents from the Marinoa
camps to garrison the various places in
Havana province, which have been cVacu-
ated by The Spanish troops. The insurgents
are very proud of the chance Il has given
them to show that Ihey are able tomaintaiu
order and that they have the confidence OF
the people.
Nero hnnts for AnneXnfin