The times., 1898-07-11

been an active movement toward super
seding the black officers by white men.
Gomez is described as being a chocolate
color. whatever that may mean. Prob
ably a tint between a white and a null
alto. He fought in the Spanish ranks
when the people of San Domingo, of
which he is a native rebelled against
Spain. His abilities, both civil and mill
tary, have for thirty years. however been
with the cause of Cuba libre. Recent ac-
counts declare that he has expressed him
self very forcibly on the race question.
He sees, in the United States, that in
spite of the organic law and numerous
statutes there is no social equality for
the negro. and he naturally breads the
importation of that principle into Cuban
affairs.
Although the Cuban negroes are from
the Congo region, whence the American
negroes come, yet, as the slave trade to
Cuba fiourished up TO 1860 (when 10000
slaves were imported during that year.
according TO La Rousse). and even later,
there is a considerable element among
the Cuban negroes which is nearer Afri-
can barbarism by several generations
than any American negroes
The physical conhguration OF Cuba is
such that there are great swamps there
in which no white mar can live but in
which the negro not only lives but -four
ishes. Moreover, nature supplies him
with food, on which a white man would
starve. Bananas, yams and cocoanuts
abound, and one especial wild fruit from
the boniato tree is so satisfying TO the
negro that il has been said the Spaniards
could never conquer Cuba as long as the
boniato tree grew. The ruined pIanta-
uons continue TO produce, so great is the
fertility of the soil. The cane grows from
the burned stalk; beans and other vege-
tables produce thirty days after planting
and game abounds. But even il the white
man found enough to eat, he withers un-
der the soaking rains and burning heat
which alternate for weeks. The negro,
though, thrives on this and is the only
race which improves physically in Cuba.
This last is a tremendous fact and some
writers allege that it means inevitably the
AfricanizatiOn of the island.
How far and how fast the amalagma-
ton of the races has gone on cannot be
ascertained by figures but all writers
agree that II has proceeded very rapidly
Spaniards profess to believe that all
Cubans are of mixed blood. This the Gu
bans naturally resent; hence the founda-
tion OF the race hatred which exists be-
tween the Cubans and the negroes on
one side, and the Spaniards on the other
Writers upon the history of Cuba have
asserted that notwithstanding the eman-
clpauon OF the negro race in that island,
the negro has been practically very lit
lie better off than when he was a slave
He has had TO bear his part of the bur
den of taxation; but as long as Spain
rules in the island he cannot be repre-
sented in the Cortes. or in the civil or
military government of Cuba. What he
has clamored for is republic, hoping
that when it is established the numeri-
cal superiority of his race will give him
the upper hand.
And here is where a problem of vast
dimensions arises. In the statement
above set forth rests the statement by
Gomez, that no one should have a share
in the future government of Cuba ex-
cept those who have fought to expel the
Spaniards.
The question is. How can the United
States best compass this difficult under
taking of establishing a stable govern
ment on republican principles, in a eoun-
try where the black race outnumbers the
white and, being physically superior to
1t, is apparently bound always to out
number the white race? There can be no
doubt that the departure of most, if not
all, OF the Spanish population will follow
the conclusion of the war and that will
leave the negroes in the majority. OF
course, great many white Americans
will go to the island. but that there will
be an enormous emigration of American