The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-16
ORR ATTITUDE TOWARD CUBA.

n mercantile business there. writes an in
teresting letter to that paper. lie IS
| characterized by the Post as a Scotch
man .without bias. and without political
interests of any kind" After stating that
| the remuneration by Spain Of her rights OF
sovereignty over the island warrants the
inference that "it is the intention Of the
! I'rited States 70 grant independence to
Cuba under an American protectorate
| this correspondent ventures the opinion
that If the wishes of the people-the peo-
pie Of Cuba,-are consulted immediate an
nexation would be more acceptable than
| independence" He adds that "by the peo-
pic mean resident Spaniards who repre-
sent about 60 per cent. Of the wealth OF
the island; all the foreigners; and might
say a large. If not the greater part OF the
cubans. certainly of all those possessed Of
any property"
our New York exchange makes inc
following comment on this letter OF It's
Cuban correspondent:
He Cthis correspondent represents only
! the commercial view of the situation lh
| the island. and we are bound TO assume
that he speaks the real sentiment OF that
! class. and for this sentiment we have the
greatest respect What Cuba wants Is
rest and this our correspondent believes
can be obtained, not by a protectorate'
but only by annexation. This may De
true. but the interests Of the United
| Staes are paramount and these Woula
| not be promoted in our judgment by me
INCORPORATION into our body polite OF
country so completely alien TO MS IA IDEAS
In customs, in religion, as Cuba. IhiS
was the nearly unanimous opinion OF our
Congress and people four months ago.
and we have seen few signs Of change III
that behalf as yet An experiment lh
| the way Of self-government ought TO ne
made. II it fails something else must be
| tried afterward.'
We believe that the Post IS right and
that the interests of the United States
are paramount to the wishes Of the Cuban
people. and that these interests would
not be promoted by "the incorporation
into our body polite OF a country so com
pletely alien TO us in ideas. in customs
and in religion, as Cuba" II is idle to
assert. as some DO, that the annexation
Of Cuba. as an integral part Of our do
main. does not imply the Incorporation
at an early day. OF the people of that
island into our body polite in the
sense Of admitting them into political
afiliation with.us. and according TO them
representation I'm Congress. Even now
| before the political status Of the island
has been ascertained by the terms of the
treaty of peace between Spain and the
United states. American capital and en-
erprise are seeking o home IN this new
and inviting field. and IL cannot be doubt
ed that American investors and immi-
grants in that island will eagerly advo-
cate close political ahiliation with the
United states. They will do this at first
under the speclous plea of mere terri
toriai annexation. But. as in the case or
the louisiana purchase" the Florida
acquisition. the territory coded TO us hy
Mexico. and all Of our other TERRITORY
annexation viii speedily be followed by
q clamorous cry for political partcipa-
ton and representation, or. as we term
il. admission into the Union.
The position of The Times upon this
question has been so frequently and so
emphatlcally announced that 81 must be
well understood by every reader OF thIs
paper. 1t was only a few days ago that
we cordially endorsed the declarations Of
Hon. Joseph H. Walker. Of Massachu-
sets. that "as to Cuba we should keep
faith with the people whom we have
freed. We do not want dominion In Cuoa
any more than in the far East dhe Philip
pines). We will keep a Governor-Generai
there as long as It IS necessary to pre-
serve order. and viii inaugurate sanitary
measures that will make the country
healthful; 1 sincerely wish that its an
ne.ation may not be necessary
IT is our opinion. and we believe it is the
sentiment Of large majority Of the
American people-certainly Of the more
intelligent and rejecting portion Of them
that the administration, the Peace Com
mission. and Congress should keep IN
mind two things in the Cuban matter
first. that we cannot as a nation MAIN
tain our honor and our respcctability
among the other nations IL We disregard
tho solemn pledge made by Congress
in the very article OF the declaration OF
war. that our purpose was mot the terri
torial acquisition Of Cuba; and, secondly
our obligation TO assure 70 the people
Of Cuba the establishment OF q stable
government that will protect persons and
property. 1t Is very apparent that we
must for the present assume a protecto-
rate OF some form over the discordant
neople Of that unhappy island. But when
thev have shown themselves capable Of
managing their own affairs In that Sc
ourity which will assure to all life lib
erty ana the pursuit Of happiness we
should withdraw our arms and our do
minion. and leave them to work out their
political salvation.
II may. indeed. happen in the future
that circumstances and conditions VIII
point to a closer political identification
with cuba, and perhaps the annexation
OF the island But that time IS not as
yet. and certainly we cannot with con-